WOODVILLE-WEST Torrens picked up an upset SANFL Under 18s win over Sturt in our latest Match of the Round, with the Eagles becoming one of three teams with two wins next to their name. We noted some of the top performers in that game, before taking a look around the grounds and up the grades.

By: Micah Hann

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#7 Blake Hansen 

Hansen continues to show his value as a prime ball-mover for the Eagles. His overlap run was again important and his use by foot was classy as always, despite the difficult conditions. The SA State Under 18 squad member displayed great touch by foot, placing the ball nicely to his teammates advantage. Where others looked to blaze away, Hansen showed composure and found time and space to ensure he extracted maximum value for his possessions.  

#10 Nathan Barkla 

Barkla took a bit of punishment in the first quarter, earning a few free kicks after some big hits. He found Phillipou in the second term with a long kick inside 50, that resulted in a goal for his side. Barkla had some really nice moments in the last quarter, highlighted by a great intercept mark in defence and then a long, rebounding kick to again find a leading Phillipou. Barkla is shifty inside the contest and showed some speed to create separation at stoppage. He was mostly effective with his ball-use, particularly when he kicked long to a teammates advantage.  

#17 Brody Mair  

It was a pretty special day for Mair, who flashed a bit of everything in what was a complete all-round performance. He won his fair share of the football at stoppage and worked hard to cover the ground and accumulate on the outside. He was also able to impact the game defensively, showing great courage to go back with the flight of the ball and take a strong intercept mark. But it was his ability to hit the scoreboard late in quarters that proved to be the most impactful. After kicking his first goal within the first 30 seconds of the game, Mair kicked majors after the siren in the second, third and fourth quarters, to finish with a bag of 6 goals for the afternoon.  

#24 Adam D’Aloia 

The weather ensured this would be a heavily contested game and that played precisely to D’Aloia’s strengths. He was prolific inside the contest, frequently winning the ground ball, absorbing the tackle and freeing his hands to find a teammate. His defensive pressure around the contest was magnificent as he laid a game-high eight tackles. Late in the first quarter, a muddied D’Aloia earned himself a free kick inside forward 50, which he converted nicely to give his side a 32 point lead. D’Aloia showed a willingness to work across the ground to find the football. At times he found the ball deep in defence, he linked up well with teammates through the middle of the ground and was often the last kick going inside forward 50. D’Aloia once again proved that he’s one of the best midfielders in the Under 18 competition.  

#25 Mattaes Phillipou 

Phillipou continued to do his draft stock no harm, collecting a season-high 36 disposals with Brody Mair his only challenger for best on ground. In wet and windy conditions, Phillipou was clean below his knees and repeatedly found teammates by hand. He attacked the ball in the air with confidence and showed real class to take a number of contested marks with one touch. He mostly played the conditions well, getting distance and penetration on his kicks and allowing Woodville-West Torrens to dominate the territory battle. At times you might’ve hoped for a bit more with his ball use, but given the conditions it’s hard to criticise his decision-making. Despite winning a lot of the football, Phillipou never shirked his defensive duties, laying seven tackles and applying plenty of pressure in the contest.     

#30 Jonte Hunter-Price 

Hunter-Price battled all day in the ruck, finishing with 17 hitouts and two goals to his name. His first goal came after D’Aloia spotted him isolated deep inside 50 against a smaller defender. Hunter-Price took a strong contested mark and converted the set-shot from 10 metres out, directly in front. His second came from a very similar position, down the other end of the ground. After Blake Hansen hit him lace-out on the lead, Hunter-Price was awarded a 25m penalty which took him to the top of the square, where he calmly converted.

STURT:

#5 Patrick Tideman 

Tideman worked hard to accumulate the football around the ground and was one of Sturt’s bigger ball-winners with 18 disposals and 10 marks. He executed well when opting for the safe option by foot, but at times got caught out when chasing aggressive kicks through the middle of the ground.  

#37 Chad Reschke 

Reschke continues to be efficient in front of goal, finishing with four goals and a behind from eight disposals. He kicked Sturt’s first goal of the game late in the second term, after some fast ball movement from the visitors allowed him to get out the back and run into an open goal. His second came from a set shot very early in the third quarter, after taking a strong contested mark on the lead. Reschke was dangerous whenever the ball was in his area and did well to set up a teammate for goal after a clean pick up below his knees, spin out of trouble and kick inside 50. His fourth for the afternoon came from another set shot after getting great separation from his opponent on the lead.  

#40 George Pope 

Pope often found himself head to head with Adam D’Aloia at stoppage and had his fair share of stoppage wins, finishing with 7 clearances. Pope balanced his work inside with some outside accumulation and while his work was on the inside was typically sharp, he also had some good moments by foot, particularly in the first half. Despite finding his side down big early, Pope competed tirelessly all game and was again one of his sides best.

#59 Ryan Turner 

In what was a pretty even ruck battle, Turner won 16 hit-outs and accumulated a bit of the football around the ground. He finished with 15 disposals and 7 marks and battled hard all day in difficult conditions for a ruckman.

#60 Nick Sadler 

Sadler’s 25 disposals didn’t match that of his opposing SA State Squad teammates, but his class on the ball still shone through. Despite the conditions, Sadler managed to get maximum value for his possessions, hitting targets by foot and firing out sharp handpasses to teammates. He showed flashes of his burst and speed from the contest and although Woodville-West Torrens were dominant at stoppage, he partnered well with George Pope to offer some resistance in the contest.  

AROUND THE GROUNDS:

By: Tom Wyman

North Adelaide 8.4 (52) def. by Norwood 10.7 (67)

Norwood pulled-off an upset win over North Adelaide to hand the home side their first loss of the season. Despite a handful of the club’s most promising juniors being elevated to the Reserves for the week, the Redlegs produced a well-rounded team performance to knock off the Roosters. Brandon Mu collected 22 disposals, two marks, eight tackles, three clearances and two goals, while Josh Bradford picked up 22 touches, three tackles and three clearances. Ruck-forward Damon Pitt kicked a game-winning three goals from 11 possessions.

North skipper James White led from the front for his side, gathering 27 disposals, five marks, four tackles and eight clearances in a strong display. Swingman Shaun Bennier kicked two goals from 18 possessions after playing down back last week, and Isaac Keeler showed plenty in the ruck, winning 17 hitouts, five clearances and collecting 17 disposals. Meanwhile, Kelsey Rypstra won six clearances to go with his 18 disposals, eight tackles and a goal.

Glenelg 20.14 (134) def. Central District 5.5 (35)

Glenelg made light work of a lacklustre Central District at the Bay, and sent a strong message of intent to the rest of the competition in the process. Harvey Lambert stole the show in attack, booting six goals from 13 possessions. Talented utility Ashton Moir kicked two and hauled in a couple of impressive contested marks, while combative midfielder Ben Ridgway collected 19 disposals, five tackles and four clearances. Bowen Payne (19 disposals, one goal), Ryan Wurfel (20 possessions, four marks, five tackles, five clearances and two goals) and Hayden Brokensha (21 disposals and six marks) were strong through the midfield.

State Under 18 Academy Hub member Brodie Tuck was the best performer for the Bulldogs, gathering 19 possessions, six tackles and three clearances. The tall utility also drew seven free-kicks. Austin McDonald managed 18 disposals, five tackles and six clearances while impressive bottom-ager Trent Tattoli won 14 possessions and laid 11 tackles in the defeat.

West Adelaide 15.11 (101) def. South Adelaide 7.9 (51)

Sacred Heart captain Tyson Coe produced arguably the performance of the round as his Bloods easily accounted for South Adelaide at Hisense Stadium. The dogged on-baller was terrific on the inside, winning plenty of his own footy to finish with 28 disposals and five clearances. However, he also pushed forward to boot three goals and took nine marks – a testament to his work rate. Schoolmate Will Patton (24 disposals, eight marks and nine rebounds) and ruckman Harry Barnett (23 disposals, seven marks, one goal) were also instrumental in the win.

Charlie Duncan lead all comers for South, finishing as the sole Panther to tick up to 30 disposals, with Jaiden Magor (24, six clearances) the next best in those stakes. Livewire bottom-aged forward Jack Delean was one of two Panthers to boot two goals, while tall talent Kyle Marshall clunked seven marks among his 19 disposals as South suffered its seventh loss for the season.

UP THE GRADES:

By: Tom Wyman

West Adelaide forward Harry Lemmey returned to the Bloods’ Reserves side after spending last weekend in Melbourne with the AFL Academy. Having dealt with some patchy form at League level in the opening couple of months, Lemmey returned to his dominant best against South Adelaide.

Typically strong in the air with his leading patterns outstanding as usual, Lemmey booted 2.4 from 15 disposals, 10 marks and four inside 50s. The likely top 10 pick will be eager to build on this performance in the hope of earning a re-call to the senior side over the coming weeks.

Elsewhere, South Adelaide midfielder Angus Bradley stepped up to the Panthers’ Reserves side after producing a strong start to the season with the Under 18s. Max Michalanney also made his way back into the Norwood two’s, where he gathered 14 possessions in the Redlegs’ loss to North.

Michalanney was joined by fellow Under 18 prospect Riley Verrall, who booted two goals from his seven touches. Tyson Walls also picked up seven disposals and laid an impressive 15 tackles, with the latter two players making their debuts at the level.

With no school football commitments this weekend, Archie Lovelock was another junior who earned a run in the Reserves, where he managed 10 disposals and four marks as Glenelg defeated Central Districts by 10 points in a low-scorer.