WEST Adelaide tall Harry Barnett will play his second League game for the Bloods this round upon resumption of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) this weekend. With a statewide bye the previous weekend, all the South Australian AFL Draft hopefuls are back in action on the weekend, with Barnett returning to the top level to take on South Adelaide. The Bloods season has long been over with just one win from 15 matches, but the Panthers remain alive in season 2022, but must win their remaining three games and hope other results go their way to squeeze into the top five.
Fresh off a Most Valuable Player (MVP) winning campaign with South Australia, Adam D’Aloia will return to Reserves level, when the Eagles take on Sturt. Woodville-West Torrens sit third in that grade, three wins off the Double Blues who are on top and the pace setters in the competition. He will play alongside fellow AFL Draft talent Mattaes Phillipou in the game. At lower SANFL levels, key position talents Tom Scully and Harry Lemmey (both West Adelaide), and Isaac Keeler (North Adelaide) will play at Under 18s level.
Up north in the Queensland Australian Football League (QAFL), top-age draft hopes Jack Manly (Wilston Grange) and Marlin Corbett (Surfers Paradise) have both been named for their respective sides in the Round 19 clash. It is one of only four clashes in the league for the weekend, with Morningside hosting Labrador, Aspley hosting Redland-Victoria Point in a top three clash, and ladder leaders Broadbeach making the long trek up to Maroochydore. The Cats have a number of players to keep in mind including Cody Harrington and Jared Eckersley who have both been named.
Round 15 in the NAB League takes place over the weekend, with four games at four different venues tomorrow, before a double-header at Shepley Oval on Sunday. With St Kevin’s having the bye in the APS competition, there was some hope that top draft prospect George Wardlaw might make his return in Oakleigh colours against the Western Jets in Williamstown tomorrow afternoon, but he is set to take to the field a week later.
Oakleigh is still heavily impacted by school football, the likes of Byron Parton – who kicked two goals in Whitefriars’ Herald Sun Senior Boys Division 1 Shield title – and bottom-ager Nathan Philactides will be among those to watch. For the Jets, Under 16s eye-catcher Lucca Grego is one to keep in mind for the future. Meanwhile Nate Caddy and his Knights will welcome the return of over-age midfielder Patrick Dozzi as they attempt to bounce back from a forgettable 100-point smacking by Gippsland Power when they host Tasmania Devils at Preston City Oval tomorrow.
A crunch clash takes place at Box Hill, when the fifth placed Sandringham Dragons lock horns with the ninth placed Eastern Ranges. Fresh off captaining Whitefriars to victory in the Herald Sun Shield, Lachlan Reidy will run out fo the Ranges, whilst Vic Metro defenders Callum Verrell and Lewis Hayes will try and contain a stacked Sandringham Dragons forwardline. Even with players missing due to school football, the Dragons still have top AFL Draft prospects Will Ashcroft and Harry Sheezel, as well as dangerous small forward Charlie Clarke.
While Coby Burgiel headed back to school football for Gippsland Power, the top of the table side did regain ball-winning midfielder Mitchell Moschetti, to help deliver it to captain Bailey Humphrey and bottom-age talent Zane Duursma inside 50. Jonti Schuback is coming off a career-high 36 disposals in the thumping of Northern last round, whilst Jacob Konstanty also impressed. Unfortunately the Power will also be without Archer Reid against the Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels. That will help James Van Es, while up the other end, Aaron Cadman is in ripping form.
In the other two NAB League games, Murray Bushrangers host Calder Cannons, while Dandenong Stingrays will welcome Bendigo Pioneers to Shepley Oval on Sunday. Meanwhile over in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), just two top flight makes takes place, as Subiaco hosts West Coast and West Perth clashes with South Fremantle. The latter contest is the only one taking place at Reserves and Colts level. The League battle pits first and third against each other, with the Reserves being a second and fourth clash and the Colts also being an important top five contest.
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