News Mark Clayton confirmed as Academies Coach

[Ford Fairlane]

Port Adelaide is pleased to confirm the appointment of Mark Clayton as Academies Coach - SANFL & Port Adelaide Football Club as part of a significant strategic investment into talent development in South Australia.

Clayton, who has spent the past eight years as South Adelaide's Talent Manager and Under-18 coach, brings extensive experience in developing elite young footballers and will play a crucial role in fostering the state's best talent while ensuring a greater focus on eligible players for the club's Next Generation Academy (NGA) for First Nations and multicultural players.

 

[VineValerian]

Great to see a Clayton family member back at Alberton, after a hiatus at South Adelaide

Bustling, bruising Bobby "Block! Block!" Clayton was one of Fos' favourite players. Had many on and off field roles at the club over the years. Jack had great affection for him too.

Met him once at the Old Port admin building on Port Road - such a sincere bloke. Couldn't do enough to help you out.

One of life's true gentlemen. And a typical ornery, take no prisoners, you'll have to go through me if you wanna pass, Port stalwart as a player.

Mark is co-coach of the SA academy squad, assisting Tony Bamford, and will assist with our AFL side's identification and development of talented juniors.


Crows' equivalent position, as SANFL Academy coach and Camries talent acquisition dude, went to Sturt U'18s coach Chris Tapp.

 

[jac147]

Great to see a Clayton family member back at Alberton, after a hiatus at South Adelaide

Bustling, bruising Bobby "Block! Block!" Clayton was one of Fos' favourite players. Had many on and off field roles at the club over the years. Jack had great affection for him too.

Met him once at the Old Port admin building on Port Road - such a sincere bloke. Couldn't do enough to help you out.

One of life's true gentlemen. And a typical ornery, take no prisoners, you'll have to go through me if you wanna pass, Port stalwart as a player.

Mark is co-coach of the SA academy squad, assisting Tony Bamford, and will assist with our AFL side's identification and development of talented juniors.


Crows' equivalent position, as SANFL Academy coach and Camries talent acquisition dude, went to Sturt U'18s coach Chris Tapp.

I’m just getting this clear in my own mind - so Tony Bamford is still an employee of the SANFL & Clayton & Tapp sort of report to him ?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Mark was tough as nails like his old man and he will explain the Port Adelaide way to our young players.

 

[Portmagpies36]

Port Adelaide is pleased to confirm the appointment of Mark Clayton as Academies Coach - SANFL & Port Adelaide Football Club as part of a significant strategic investment into talent development in South Australia.

Clayton, who has spent the past eight years as South Adelaide's Talent Manager and Under-18 coach, brings extensive experience in developing elite young footballers and will play a crucial role in fostering the state's best talent while ensuring a greater focus on eligible players for the club's Next Generation Academy (NGA) for First Nations and multicultural players.

8 years at South Adelaide!! Guy deserves a break.

 

[Grave Danger]

8 years at South Adelaide!! Guy deserves a break.

Their league team is perennially shit, but they've produced quite a few good AFL draftees, eg JHF for one.

 

[Doctor Feel]

Port Adelaide is pleased to confirm the appointment of Mark Clayton as Academies Coach - SANFL & Port Adelaide Football Club as part of a significant strategic investment into talent development in South Australia.

Clayton, who has spent the past eight years as South Adelaide's Talent Manager and Under-18 coach, brings extensive experience in developing elite young footballers and will play a crucial role in fostering the state's best talent while ensuring a greater focus on eligible players for the club's Next Generation Academy (NGA) for First Nations and multicultural players.

 

[crafty_bernardo]

Why does it look like Ken has a wooden leg

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

18/19 year olds drafted from South Adelaide since 2017. No South player taken in 2025 national or rookie drafts.

Don't know how much Mark had to do with each individual player, but South are producing their fair share of AFL footballers in their mortgage belt catchment.

Drafted	Player	Clubs
Prelist 2018	Nathan Kreuger	Geelong (2)
		Collingwood (13)
#45 National 2020	Tom Highmore	St Kilda (16)
#68 National 2018	Jake Tarca	Geelong (0)
#27 National 2018	Tom Sparrow	Melbourne (117)
#44 National 2020	Beau McCreery	Collingwood (96)
#42 National 2020	Phoenix Spicer	North Melbourne (12)
#25 National 2020	Brayden Cook	Adelaide (30)
#18 Mid-Season 2021	Jye Menzie	Essendon (47)
#45 National 2021	Arlo Draper	Collingwood (0)
#1 National 2021	Jason Horne-Francis	North Melbourne (17)
		Port Adelaide (63)
#34 National 2021	Matt Roberts	Sydney (48)
#31 Rookie 2022	Jaiden Magor	Sydney (0)
#14 Rookie 2022	Will Verrall	Melbourne (0)
#59 National 2022	Kyle Marshall	Port Adelaide (0)
#60 National 2023	Jack Delean	Fremantle (0)
#20 National 2023	Taylor Goad	North Melbourne (0)
#15 Mid-Season 2024	Noah Howes	Collingwood (0)
Category B Rookie 2024	Benny Barrett	Port Adelaide (0)
#4 National 2024	Sid Draper	Adelaide (10)

 

[VineValerian]

Most never played a single AFL game.

But you're right, pretty decent strike rate for a lowly ranked State League club.

Good on them for top notch development strategies.

 

[Doctor Feel]

That is a very spud filled list, wow. Probably a reflection of actual success rates in the industry though. Its tough.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

All their development has probably come through Cove Cobras and Reynella Wineflies etc, so that's pretty good.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Most never played a single AFL game.

But you're right, pretty decent strike rate for a lowly ranked State League club.

Good on them for top notch development strategies.

Nope.

Between Krueger and Roberts (taken in 2021) 9 have played AFL and 2 haven't. The 2 are Jaca and Arlo Draper.

Post Covid its 1-7. A few are still on AFL lists.

Will Verrall is a long term ruck project at Melbourne and Barrett has only been on Port's list for 1 season. They were both taken as rookies as were 2 others (Magor and Howes) of the 7 players who haven't played since the 2022 draft.

 

[StartTheCarr]

Their league team is perennially shit, but they've produced quite a few good AFL draftees, eg JHF for one.

They won a premiership in 2021 though. So not a total big hole.

 

[Grave Danger]

They won a premiership in 2021 though. So not a total big hole.

 

[StartTheCarr]

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