State Focus SA 2020 - U18 Game Notes and Draft Rankings

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Just got home from Richmond Oval seeing West Adelaide play South Adelaide in the Reserves. I fully intended to stick around for the League game but Riley Thilthorpe was a late withdrawal so I left at half time.

West 8.2 50 def by South 18.13 121

Zac Dumesny (South)
I was really keen to see Dumesny in the flesh again after a bit of a lay off. He started each quarter on the wing before moving to half back where he was the focal point of South's defensive transition. It wasn't his best outing as he made some poor decisions by foot but he still read the play well and won a number of intercept possessions. Dumesny shows a lot of confidence in his ball use on either side of his body and looked above the level for the most part. My concerns with Dumesny lie with how he translates athletically at the next level. He's a good size but he seems to lack pace and really labour as he runs. Whilst this doesn't really get exposed at SANFL/Reserves level I'm concerned that the lack of pace would see him regularly get caught out of position on the wing and in the defensive half at AFL level. I think his football certainly stacks up and his style of play certainly translates but I fear his physical limitations could hold him back.

I should mention that he ended the game with ice on his ankle so hopefully it's nothing too serious.

Phoenix Spicer (South)
Spicer is really starting to build some consistency at Reserves level which I expect will solidify his position on most draft boards. He puts a lot of pressure on the defence with and without the footy. He continued to show his ability to read the play and then use his pace to get goal side of his opponent and create goal scoring opportunities. Spicer's improvement must come in his finishing as he again let himself down in front of goal, missing a few really gettable shots but he's pretty electric with ball in hand inside forward 50.

Jye Sinderberry (West)
Sinderberry spent most of his time in defence and was pretty solid. He willingly flies for marks and while he didn't stick many, his competitiveness in the air prevented him from getting out-marked by often bigger opponents. His use from the defensive half was considered and he hit some careful kicks back through the corridor. In the last quarter Sinderberry was moved into the middle of the ground and whilst he clearly isn't a natural midfielder he held his own. His tackle pressure on the ground was high quality and he won himself a number of holding the ball free kicks. I actually would like to see him moved up onto a wing where he could be an aerial threat and capable two-runner who can help out defensively. I think he's probably unlikely to feature in the draft but a club who likes his flexibility and athleticism could take a punt as a late selection/rookie.

Bailey Chamberlain (West)
Chamberlain was named on the extended bench for the League side but didn't get the chance to make his debut. Instead he lined up on the wing and seemed really comfortable and settled at the level. South were pretty dominant after half time but Chamberlain continued to present on the spread and found a bit of the footy around the ground. He does have a tendency to blaze away and kick long but in his defence there wasn't a lot happening ahead of the ball for him. I think if Chamberlain sticks at it he's going to be a pretty prolific ball winner at SANFL level.

I'm about half-way through finalising my draft board so I expect that should be out this week (although I've said that a few times now..).
 
ModernArtillery said:
Just got home from Richmond Oval seeing West Adelaide play South Adelaide in the Reserves. I fully intended to stick around for the League game but Riley Thilthorpe was a late withdrawal so I left at half time.

West 8.2 50 def by South 18.13 121

Zac Dumesny (South)
I was really keen to see Dumesny in the flesh again after a bit of a lay off. He started each quarter on the wing before moving to half back where he was the focal point of South's defensive transition. It wasn't his best outing as he made some poor decisions by foot but he still read the play well and won a number of intercept possessions. Dumesny shows a lot of confidence in his ball use on either side of his body and looked above the level for the most part. My concerns with Dumesny lie with how he translates athletically at the next level. He's a good size but he seems to lack pace and really labour as he runs. Whilst this doesn't really get exposed at SANFL/Reserves level I'm concerned that the lack of pace would see him regularly get caught out of position on the wing and in the defensive half at AFL level. I think his football certainly stacks up and his style of play certainly translates but I fear his physical limitations could hold him back.

I should mention that he ended the game with ice on his ankle so hopefully it's nothing too serious.

Phoenix Spicer (South)
Spicer is really starting to build some consistency at Reserves level which I expect will solidify his position on most draft boards. He puts a lot of pressure on the defence with and without the footy. He continued to show his ability to read the play and then use his pace to get goal side of his opponent and create goal scoring opportunities. Spicer's improvement must come in his finishing as he again let himself down in front of goal, missing a few really gettable shots but he's pretty electric with ball in hand inside forward 50.

Jye Sinderberry (West)
Sinderberry spent most of his time in defence and was pretty solid. He willingly flies for marks and while he didn't stick many, his competitiveness in the air prevented him from getting out-marked by often bigger opponents. His use from the defensive half was considered and he hit some careful kicks back through the corridor. In the last quarter Sinderberry was moved into the middle of the ground and whilst he clearly isn't a natural midfielder he held his own. His tackle pressure on the ground was high quality and he won himself a number of holding the ball free kicks. I actually would like to see him moved up onto a wing where he could be an aerial threat and capable two-runner who can help out defensively. I think he's probably unlikely to feature in the draft but a club who likes his flexibility and athleticism could take a punt as a late selection/rookie.

Bailey Chamberlain (West)
Chamberlain was named on the extended bench for the League side but didn't get the chance to make his debut. Instead he lined up on the wing and seemed really comfortable and settled at the level. South were pretty dominant after half time but Chamberlain continued to present on the spread and found a bit of the footy around the ground. He does have a tendency to blaze away and kick long but in his defence there wasn't a lot happening ahead of the ball for him. I think if Chamberlain sticks at it he's going to be a pretty prolific ball winner at SANFL level.

I'm about half-way through finalising my draft board so I expect that should be out this week (although I've said that a few times now..).
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Good stuff mate, despite you leaving at half time for the league how did you see Horne and Milsom?
 
Thunderstruck said:
Good stuff mate, despite you leaving at half time for the league how did you see Horne and Milsom?
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I'll be honest I wasn't really tracking Milsom closely so I can't really offer too much insight into his first half. He did kick a goal late in the second though I think.

Horne is just incredibly consistent for a bottom-age prospect. I think the part of his game that I've grown to appreciate the most is his ability to play his role at League level. I think that goes a long way to suggest that his transition to AFL level will be super smooth. Particularly for midfielders, that transition can be difficult for some as they're accustomed to featuring heavily in a prominent role at U18/Reserves level, a role that rarely translates directly to League/AFL footy early in their career. Some end up getting stuck in a role outside their natural position, others spend more time in the State Leagues before cementing their position in the AFL side. I think Horne will fit naturally into whichever role he features in from Round 1 2022 and will consistently contribute at a high level. The reason I say this is because that's what I saw again in the first half on Friday night. Whether he's the deepest forward, high half forward or pushed up to a wing/half back, Horne just finds ways to contribute at League level without featuring in a high usage role. On Friday night he spent the first half as a high half forward and often had to push up to the wing/half back to find the footy where he was clean by hand in wet conditions and applied pressure at the contest. He did manage to hit the scoreboard as well with a goal in the second quarter.

It's a pretty convoluted answer to your question but I'll take any chance to hype up Horne!
 

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I’ve finally got my rankings to a position where I’m comfortable enough to share my top 10. Hopefully it doesn’t take me as long to finish up the next 15 and share my top 25.

For full transparency I’ve added an exposure description. This is purely to give you an indication of how much I’ve seen these kids play.

High = seen a fair bit of them live and lots of game film
Medium = seen irregularly live and/or seen lots of game film
Low = seen limited game film



1. Elijah Hollands (Exposure: Medium)

I’ll admit, I have a bit of a thing about drafting key position guys really high in the draft so I might have some bias towards Hollands in that regard. I see a bit of Brett Deledio in his game and think he can be effective pretty much anywhere on the ground, but he’s probably best suited to outside roles either half forward, wing or half back. The injury concern is very valid which would be one reason why I don’t think he goes pick 1 but I think his skillset completely translates to the next level and regardless of situation he has a nice career.

2. Logan McDonald (Exposure: Medium)

I like McDonald and think most versions of his career give us 45+ goals a year through the peak of his career. I think McDonald can give us something that looks like the best of Jesse Hogan (but for longer and without the off-field issues) with his ability to play deep forward and push up the ground to find the footy. I think we’d see that version of McDonald at Adelaide which is why I’d have him favourite to be the number 1 pick right now.

3. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Exposure: Medium)

I feel like everyone is pretty familiar with the upside of JUH and he was a force through the final series in the NAB League last year. I think he has a higher ceiling than McDonald but a lower basement. The Dogs I actually feel is a really good fit with Naughton taking the number 1 defender and some classy users giving him some good supply which will help settle him at the level.

4. Finlay Macrae (Exposure: Medium)

Probably a bit controversial to have him higher than Phillips but I’m a huge fan of kids who can be really effective by foot and Macrae is class on either leg. He has such a natural feel of where the space is and that enables him to accumulate the footy on the outside. I think he’ll be able to develop enough of an inside game to become a real damaging inside/outside midfielder.

5. Will Phillips (Exposure: Medium)

There’s no questioning Phillips’ talent but I just don’t LOVE his weapons the way a lot of people do. He’s great at stoppage, has the acceleration to create separation and quick, precise hands to extract the footy which are all translatable at the next level. I don’t love his ball use and there is the size argument (although Neale is making that less of a big deal) but he’s certainly got the tools to be a 150+ gamer.

6. Tanner Bruhn (Exposure: Low)

I’m sure we all would’ve liked to have seen a bit more of Tanner. He has weapons as a midfielder that I really value. I like his use on either foot and the penetration that gets suggests that this could be a real weapon at the next level. He’s pretty crafty around stoppage and I think he could be a real goal-scoring threat at inside 50 stoppage. I think he has enough toe to exit stoppage and if he can create space after he wins the footy he can be really damaging. I think if I’d seen more of him this year there’s a fair chance I would’ve had him higher. Has his own injury concerns but I don’t think that stops him going top 10.

7. Braeden Campbell (Exposure: Medium)

I’ve actually had Campbell higher but the lack of a definite position at the next level saw him slide a touch for me. Another who has weapons that I really like, particularly his use by foot. I don’t think he’s got any fear about playing at the next level and if Horse can find a position for him to make his own he’ll play a fair bit of footy next year.

8. Archie Perkins (Exposure: Medium)

I’m holding a bit of Archie Perkins stock at the minute and the investment is probably a bit more in his athletic ability than his football ability right now. He can certainly play though and I think with time Perkins can develop into a really dynamic footballer. He’s explosive, he’s got good speed, he can compete aerially and can hit tough kicks. I think he’s a half forward in the short and long term but I think as he fills out a bit he’ll attend a fair few centre bounces where he can offer explosiveness as a centre bounce stoppage specialist.

9. Bailey Laurie (Exposure: Medium)

I really like Laurie’s game and project it to translate somewhere between Jack Higgins and Jade Gresham. He’s not big, not super fast but he’s a really good footballer. He’s safe by hand and foot, has a bit of forward craft and shows enough to suggest there may be a bit of midfield scope down the track. I know there will be many who don’t have Laurie in their top 30 but I like his tools and think that situation will have minimum impact on his ability to transition to the level.

10. Riley Thilthorpe (Exposure: High)

Thilthorpe’s talent would unquestionably have him higher than 10 but to me there are too many versions of his career where we don’t get to see the best of him. I’ve mentioned Ben Brown/Tom Lynch style comparisons in the past. Maybe there is a shade of Rowan Marshall? But is there some Callum Coleman-Jones in there too? I think situation is critical for Riley and I hope he lands somewhere that is going to be patient and set reasonable benchmarks/expectations.
 
Unfortunately I couldn't get out this past weekend to see the first week of SANFL U18 finals so I was resigned to watching the replays from home. I've only finished my notes from the South v Eagles game but plan to share some thoughts on the Norwood v Sturt game as well. I also intend to share the rest of my top 20-25 some time this week. At this point of the season I'll limit my posts to focus on those who are draft relevant this year.

Woodville West Torrens 16.7 103 def South 14.8 92

Caleb Poulter (Woodville West Torrens)
Poulter answered one of the question marks I had of him over the weekend and that was his short to medium kicking. Sometimes prone to overusing his powerful left foot and kicking long to contests, I thought Poulter showed some composure to hit shorter targets with sharp, accurate kicks. I think the best version of Poulter's career is as a pure, outside leaning on-baller who takes and makes tough kicks that can cut open the opposition - the type of player that you want around the footy because he can create with his ball use. He has the appetite to accumulate and if developed in this role I think he could be a really damaging midfielder. I want to be clear, I feel that is absolute BEST case scenario and Poulter would need everything to align (right club, right fit, right opportunity etc) to get to this level.

I think the most likely version of Poulter's career is as a winger where he has shown an ability to read the play and intercept defensively, but also push forward and be a goal scoring threat from 50m and beyond. I have a question mark over his contested ball winning ability and I think that probably sees him pushed to a wing at the next level where I'd be confident he could forge a career to a similar level as Mitch Robinson at Brisbane.

Taj Schofield (Woodville West Torrens)
Schofield is typically a pretty quality user of the footy who has predominantly featured in outside roles over the past two years. At times I think he has struggled to find time and space to use the footy and that is worrying for how his game might translate to the next level. I see Schofield as a rookie chance whose game is probably more suited to the SANFL where I think he could have a solid career.

Henry Smith (Woodville West Torrens)
I was pretty impressed with Smith up forward. His size is obviously a pretty handy advantage at U18 level measuring in at 200cm+ but at that size that can be a strength even at SANFL and AFL level. I was impressed with his contested marking and forward craft and felt that he showed enough that he might be worth a slight consideration as a late selection/rookie for a team looking to add a developing forward/ruck option. I think the most likely scenario is that he spends a few years in the SANFL system and has a crack at the AFL as a mature-age selection in his early 20's.

Zac Dumesny (South)
It wasn't a good day for Dumesny who made several mistakes by hand and foot with a couple leading directly to Eagles goals. I feel he has gradually regressed as the year has gone on which I imagine would be a concern for recruiters. If you consider his whole body of work he may have enough runs on the board to feature in the draft but I would've liked to see him really starting to peak at the back end of the year, particularly when going back to U18 level.

Brayden Cook (South)
This wasn't Cook's best game but there were still glimpses of what he can do. I think his best position at the next level is going to be as a forward but he could equally be stationed on a wing or half back. There is still a rawness to his game that would excite some recruiters, suggesting that there is plenty of unlocked potential. I feel there are some similarities between Cook and Sam Sturt from a few drafts back. I think there will be a club that buys into his blend of athleticism and upside somewhere in the first round, maybe even just outside the top 10.

Matthew Roberts (South) was very good again. He's dangerous forward of centre and rarely wastes it through the midfield. Arlo Draper (South) played the best game that I've seen him play. He obviously hit the scoreboard heavily but his work through the middle of the ground was impressive. He's started to show some versatility playing at either end and through the middle this year. Jase Burgoyne (Woodville West Torrens) showed more of what he's been doing all year and that's winning the footy and using it pretty effectively for the most part. There is certainly some exciting South Australian talent draft eligible in 2021.
 
Sturt 8.10 58 def by Norwood 16.14 110

Tom Powell (Sturt)
Just as I mentioned Poulter answered a question mark I had of his, Powell has done the same. I was really impressed with Powell's ability to win the ball on the spread and consistently hit targets by foot. He showed that there is more to his game than just being a stoppage specialist and I actually think he's showed enough to suggest he could handle some time on the wing at AFL level early in his career. That being said, he's still first and foremost a centre bounce midfielder but I enjoyed seeing a little more variety in his performance. I think Powell falls somewhere in the second round but he may have suitors as a late first rounder.

Mani Liddy (Sturt)
Liddy is a pretty special ball winner at U18 level and just consistently finds it in the centre of the ground. He has formed such a prolific stoppage combination with Powell which has been a key component to their success this year. Unfortunately his kicking just lets him down far too often and he doesn't get real value for his possessions. I'd project Liddy to establish himself at SANFL level over the next few years and would not be surprised if he ended up captaining Sturt down the track.

Henry Nelligan (Norwood)
I'm actually a really big fan of Nelligan. The physical limitations are a real shame because I think he does have certain AFL attributes that could buy him some time on a list to carve out a role. I think realistically though he plays a fair bit of SANFL Reserves footy next year and looks to crack back into the League side where I think he could have a serviceable career.

I was disappointed to see no Malachy Carruthers (Sturt) on Saturday as I was keen to see how he stood up in finals footy. Jack Saunders (Norwood) would have been close to best on ground and covered the ground really well. He seems to have built so much confidence after establishing himself in the Reserves and has put together two massive weeks since being back with the U18's. His versatility has been on display kicking 5 goals last week and then spending a lot of time at half back on Saturday. Finn Heard (Norwood) was a presence in the forward line and looked sharp on the lead early. Cooper Murley (Norwood) has been quieter with Nelligan and Saunders coming back into the midfield but his use is first class and he rarely wastes a possession.

I've almost finished my top 20 so I'll be hoping to share that either later today or tomorrow.
 
I've finalised my top 20 and added commentary for those I have ranked 11-20. I've mainly been catching up on some 2019 NAB League vision but I anticipate some slight changes to the order as I finish getting through the last of the SA and WA vision and whatever of the vision that is to come from post AFL season games.

For full transparency I’ve added an exposure description. This is purely to give you an indication of how much I’ve seen these kids play.

High = seen a fair bit of them live and lots of game film

Medium = seen irregularly live and/or seen lots of game film

Low = seen limited game film


1. Elijah Hollands (Exposure: Medium)

2. Logan McDonald (Exposure: Medium)

3. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Exposure: Medium)

4. Finlay Macrae (Exposure: Medium)

5. Will Phillips (Exposure: Medium)

6. Tanner Bruhn (Exposure: Low)

7. Braeden Campbell (Exposure: Medium)

8. Archie Perkins (Exposure: Medium)

9. Bailey Laurie (Exposure: Medium)

10. Riley Thilthorpe (Exposure: High)


11. Lachlan Jones (Exposure: Medium)

Jones is as well-rounded as any defender coming out of the draft in recent times. His ability to negate and play a shut-down role on a variety of forwards combined with his strength, aerial ability and explosiveness make him a prime candidate to play Round 1 in 2021. He's rarely looked uncomfortable at SANFL League level this year and boasts a ready-made body that should see a smooth transition to AFL level. I don't really buy the midfield scope but I think he will be a high quality, versatile defender that will have a nice career at Port Adelaide.

12. Denver Grainger-Barrass (Exposure: Medium)
DGB is one that I've had to do some catch up on over the last few weeks. He has done about as much as he possibly could have this year and I'd say he is very likely to be in the top 10 on draft night. I'm typically pretty bias against third tall defenders early in the draft which is probably one of the reasons why he's a bit lower than most would have him but he's a proven intercepter and user at WAFL level. I absolutely see him as a best 22 player and I think he'll be another that gets an early debut in 2021.

13. Tom Powell (Exposure: High)
I've probably seen Powell play live more than any other South Australian prospect from this years pool but it's only been recently where he's shown a great improvement in his field kicking that I've really become sold on him. His clearance work is as good as any other midfielder in this pool and his work on the spread has improved as the year as gone on. He's always been a penetrating kick but his ability to lower the eyes, kick to space and hit up targets forward of centre has grown since the start of the year. If he could eek out a few more cm's and add some explosiveness in the gym I think he is well positioned to have a solid career - something similar to what Trent Dumont has done thus far is what I'd be projecting.

14. Jack Ginnivan (Exposure: Medium)
I've been a fan of Jack for a while and catching up on some NAB League vision this week reminded me of why I was so big on him. I just love his craftiness inside forward 50. He's got a bit of 'love to play with him, hate to play against him' vibe about him which I really like. He's a really nice set shot and is always a scoring threat inside 50. He'll have to improve his tackling and forward 50 pressure but I think he transitions quite nicely as a crafty goal kicking forward at the next level.

15. Brandon Walker (Exposure: Low)
I think Brandon has most bases covered as a half back. He's capable in the air, has good pace which he can use to break the lines and is a neat user. He is also capable defensively of competing 1 on 1 with an opponent. I really value this completeness and think that allows for a comfortable transition to AFL footy. Fremantle are really pulling together a nice young crop and I'd be surprised if they didn't lock away Walker.

16. Sam Berry (Exposure: Low)
I think if I'd been able to see more of Berry play through the midfield this year I would've had him higher. I like his contest work, I like his tackling and physicality and he has proven that he can have an impact forward. I think with a few AFL pre-seasons under his belt he can be a very nice complimentary piece to a midfield unit.

17. Brayden Cook (Exposure: High)
Another that I've seen a fair bit of this year. I still see a lot of rawness to his game and there's plenty of growth to come which is probably one of the exciting things about what Cook has achieved this year. Leading the U18 competition in goal kicking while playing a lot of footy on the wing (and kicking quite inaccurately) is a handy achievement. I think his best footy projects as an athletic deep forward that can push up the ground in a similar role to Gary Rohan or Jaidyn Stephenson (this is not a player comp, rather a role comp).

18. Jack Carroll (Exposure: Low)
I really enjoy Carroll's weapons. His blend of size, athleticism and class is ideal for an outside midfielder. Opportunity and patience are going to be key to Carroll's transition. For those who have tracked Karl Amon over the last 12 months or so they'd understand how elite his ball use has become. Port have had to be patient with him but are starting to reap the rewards (similarly to Polec perhaps?) and I think Carroll may require similar time and patience to settle at the level.

19. Kaine Baldwin (Exposure: Low)
It's very high for Baldwin. Some people are calling him the Georgiades of this draft but realistically I think this is a bigger risk. There are some similarities though and I think Baldwin could have a similar impact. His talent is unquestionable, his body is a major concern. He's not going to be a first rounder on draft night (unless maybe Geelong keep all 3 of their picks?) but I think if (massive if, obviously) he can get his body right he's a first round talent in this draft.

20. Riley Holder (Exposure: Low)
Riley didn't get an invite to the SA Combine which probably says a little bit about his draft chances but I'm holding (no pun intended) a fair bit of stock on what he could bring to an AFL list. He projects as an athletic third tall that regularly takes strong, contested marks and can accumulate the footy a bit around the ground. His ability to push up the ground and impact contests in the air and follow up with tackles on the ground are traits that I value at AFL level. He's not going to be ready to go right away but I think a few years in the system could help him develop into a handy best 22 forward.
 
Bloody great effort there mate!! enjoy the diff read.

With Lachie Jones - he was a midfielder turned into a defender at senior level. He destroyed the Under 18 scene in the midfield last year and certainly knows how to play there. I think in time that could translate back fairly easily however given how good he looks 1 on 1 back there and with his leg, he could project very closely to Shannon Hurn who he is the most like for mine.
 
Monocle said:
Modern Artillery.

Many thanks for your work and the marvellous updates.

Very much appreciated Mate. :thumbsu:
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StonesThrow said:
Yeah easily the most balanced, original and thorough reads on this board. Thanks
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Thunderstruck said:
Bloody great effort there mate!! enjoy the diff read.

With Lachie Jones - he was a midfielder turned into a defender at senior level. He destroyed the Under 18 scene in the midfield last year and certainly knows how to play there. I think in time that could translate back fairly easily however given how good he looks 1 on 1 back there and with his leg, he could project very closely to Shannon Hurn who he is the most like for mine.
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Appreciate the kind and generous words!
 

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Norwood 15.13 103 def Sturt 8.5 53

A really strong performance from Norwood in the second half saw them take out the flag pretty convincingly. I'll just share some thoughts on players I haven't touched on recently as there wasn't a great deal that changed for me after seeing this game.

Malachy Carruthers (Sturt)
I really love the balance of Carruthers' skillset. He played exclusively across half back where he was able to demonstrate his abilities both offensively and defensively. He can create from half back with his ball use and is a very good decision maker who rarely wastes a possession. He's a capable interceptor and a very strong tackler who stands up in 1 on 1 situations. I think he has AFL level talent and think he would be a worthy selection in the back end of the draft. He's not going to be ready to go right away but he's certainly got enough developable attributes that could see him become a handy best 22 player 3-4 years down the track.

Cooper Murley (Norwood)
Murley has a really nice blend of speed and class that will see him feature in draft discussions next year. Size and strength are going to be key components to his development and if he can show some growth in both those areas over the pre-season I think he can firm as a pretty high selection. Without that growth his range becomes a little unpredictable. He has loads of natural ability, he can find the footy and can hit the scoreboard in bunches. It combines for a pretty desirable skillset making Murley one to track closely next year.

Norwood have a huge list of guys that I think will develop really nicely into solid SANFL players over the next 2-3 years. The more I see of Henry Nelligan the more I like him. I've mentioned in the past that it's his athletic profile rather than his football that will prevent him from making it at AFL level but he's doing more and more to suggest that maybe he can overcome that. Nathan Hearing was a worthy best on ground performer exerting his influence through the middle of the ground. I'm interested to see what he could do in some Reserves footy next year. Daniel Fairbrother has already had a taste of League footy and he'll be looking to show the incoming League coach that he's ready to be a permanent fixture. I think there will be a fair bit of Reserves footy for him next year but he has scope to carve out a League career. Michael Cavallaro is such a classy user and can find plenty of it. He was very solid at Reserves level this year and I'd expect him to get a crack in the League side in the next year or so. Samuel Duke, Finn Heard, Xavier Tranfa and Ethan Schwerdt round out a crop of really talented youngsters that will feature quite heavily at Reserves and League level over the coming years.
 
Does Powell's lack of impact in the clearances during the finals against Norwood change your opinion of him?
 
ModernArtillery said:
Norwood 15.13 103 def Sturt 8.5 53

A really strong performance from Norwood in the second half saw them take out the flag pretty convincingly. I'll just share some thoughts on players I haven't touched on recently as there wasn't a great deal that changed for me after seeing this game.

Malachy Carruthers (Sturt)
I really love the balance of Carruthers' skillset. He played exclusively across half back where he was able to demonstrate his abilities both offensively and defensively. He can create from half back with his ball use and is a very good decision maker who rarely wastes a possession. He's a capable interceptor and a very strong tackler who stands up in 1 on 1 situations. I think he has AFL level talent and think he would be a worthy selection in the back end of the draft. He's not going to be ready to go right away but he's certainly got enough developable attributes that could see him become a handy best 22 player 3-4 years down the track.

Cooper Murley (Norwood)
Murley has a really nice blend of speed and class that will see him feature in draft discussions next year. Size and strength are going to be key components to his development and if he can show some growth in both those areas over the pre-season I think he can firm as a pretty high selection. Without that growth his range becomes a little unpredictable. He has loads of natural ability, he can find the footy and can hit the scoreboard in bunches. It combines for a pretty desirable skillset making Murley one to track closely next year.

Norwood have a huge list of guys that I think will develop really nicely into solid SANFL players over the next 2-3 years. The more I see of Henry Nelligan the more I like him. I've mentioned in the past that it's his athletic profile rather than his football that will prevent him from making it at AFL level but he's doing more and more to suggest that maybe he can overcome that. Nathan Hearing was a worthy best on ground performer exerting his influence through the middle of the ground. I'm interested to see what he could do in some Reserves footy next year. Daniel Fairbrother has already had a taste of League footy and he'll be looking to show the incoming League coach that he's ready to be a permanent fixture. I think there will be a fair bit of Reserves footy for him next year but he has scope to carve out a League career. Michael Cavallaro is such a classy user and can find plenty of it. He was very solid at Reserves level this year and I'd expect him to get a crack in the League side in the next year or so. Samuel Duke, Finn Heard, Xavier Tranfa and Ethan Schwerdt round out a crop of really talented youngsters that will feature quite heavily at Reserves and League level over the coming years.
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Interested on your thoughts of Borlase on Saturday.
 
Harlequin Dream said:
Does Powell's lack of impact in the clearances during the finals against Norwood change your opinion of him?
Click to expand...
Powell is over rated. Accumulator of the footy with not a lot of hurt. Wil struggle at the next level i think, works hard but every club has lots in his mould that dont/cant impact at AFL level
 
latinoheat said:
Interested on your thoughts of Borlase on Saturday.
Click to expand...
Thought Borlase was very good. Second quarter would've had 5 or 6 intercept marks. Benefited a lot by the way sturt set up as was always the loose player. Norwood were able to use his direct opponent better in the third and that allowed them to dominate that quarter as he didnt impact as much in that quarter. Was really keen to see how he went on the footy in the last but all he did was take the centre clearance and just float back to be a loose defender which was pointless after being 8 goals down. Was a class above though and one of sturts best, kicking was really good.
 
Harlequin Dream said:
Does Powell's lack of impact in the clearances during the finals against Norwood change your opinion of him?
Click to expand...

It's interesting because my opinion of Powell has actually grown over the past 4-6 weeks. I do have the benefit of seeing his whole body of work for the year where he's basically been 7+ clearances every week. The thing that has impressed me is that he's been able to demonstrate that he's more than just a stoppage specialist as his work to find the footy on the spread and between the arcs has really impressed me over the last month. His field kicking has improved dramatically over that period too and his delivery into forward 50 is so far ahead of where it was early in the season. As always, I would've liked to see his stoppage work stand out more against Norwood but I'm pleased that he's still been able to find the footy despite not being as dominant as he was through the minor rounds.


latinoheat said:
Interested on your thoughts of Borlase on Saturday.
Click to expand...

I thought he was clearly above the level. His game was very solid without being super dominant. He intercepted when the the ball came in his area and he used the ball really well rebounding from defence, even hitting some pretty attacking kicks. He probably couldn't have done too much more over the second half of the season to enhance his draft chances although I'd still have him as a rookie selection at best.


Homer Jay Simpson said:
Powell is over rated. Accumulator of the footy with not a lot of hurt. Wil struggle at the next level i think, works hard but every club has lots in his mould that dont/cant impact at AFL level
Click to expand...

Rewind 6+ weeks ago and I would have totally agreed with you. His body of work to that point had shown lots of handballs and long kicks down the line to contests. But as I mentioned above he's shown a bit more since then that suggests his ball use by foot can be impactful enough. That combined with his stoppage/contest work and I think he can be a serviceable mid at AFL level. I just really hope he finds himself in a good situation and his body allows him to have a fair crack at it.
 
ModernArtillery said:
It's interesting because my opinion of Powell has actually grown over the past 4-6 weeks. I do have the benefit of seeing his whole body of work for the year where he's basically been 7+ clearances every week. The thing that has impressed me is that he's been able to demonstrate that he's more than just a stoppage specialist as his work to find the footy on the spread and between the arcs has really impressed me over the last month. His field kicking has improved dramatically over that period too and his delivery into forward 50 is so far ahead of where it was early in the season. As always, I would've liked to see his stoppage work stand out more against Norwood but I'm pleased that he's still been able to find the footy despite not being as dominant as he was through the minor rounds.
Click to expand...

I agree that his outside game was better than expected. Which is very good, considering how easily he finds the football.

I am less convinced of his chances as an inside midfielder after that series. But I think he might be a better footballer if he does make it.

Have you seen the all-star teams? Very interesting to see the new weights and heights. It's also interesting that Beau McCreery has been invited to compete.
 
Harlequin Dream said:
I agree that his outside game was better than expected. Which is very good, considering how easily he finds the football.

I am less convinced of his chances as an inside midfielder after that series. But I think he might be a better footballer if he does make it.

Have you seen the all-star teams? Very interesting to see the new weights and heights. It's also interesting that Beau McCreery has been invited to compete.
Click to expand...

I have seen the all-star teams. I'll share a few names of who I'm particularly keen to see and then share some thoughts post-game sometime next week. I actually have a prior commitment so I won't be able to get down to Thebby but I'm pretty sure the SANFL are streaming it on their website so hopefully I can go back and catch it later.

I was also interested to see Beau get the invite. He's had a pretty consistent year for South so it's nice to see some reward for effort. He has a bit of pace and forward craft and there's form in mature-aged forwards being selected out of the SANFL so you never know.

As for the players I'm keen to watch from the All Stars game tonight:

Team Hurn

Xavier Robins (Glenelg)
Athletically he has a fair bit to offer and has had games where he has hit the 30 disposal mark. I'd love to see him show a bit of intercept craft defensively and have a bit more hurt from his run and carry off half back.

Luke Edwards (Glenelg)
I would love to see Edwards make a bit of a statement tonight and prove he is a class above. I want to see him proactively find the footy and use it with the class we know he has. I'm just looking for Edwards to really elevate himself above the others tonight.

Team Grundy

Malachy Carruthers (Sturt)
He'd be well and truly in draft discussions for me as a late selection but more of the same in a game like this would really finish off his year nicely. He's a strong tackler, capable interceptor and steady user which are all desirable traits for a half back.

Riley Holder (Glenelg)
I'm obviously a big fan of Riley's skill set. I hope he gets the opportunity to push up the ground and play as a high centre half forward. He's a strong contested mark and can find the footy around the ground. Riley really needs a big performance after missing out on a combine invite.

Cooper Murley (Norwood)
One to keep an eye on for next year. Murley has had some big games in the U18's this year and is a threat through the middle of the ground and inside forward 50. Keep an eye out for his pace and class.
 
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