SOUTH Australia has today announced its 34-player squad for this year’s Under 18 National Championships. Spanning the months of June and July, the Croweaters will take on the Allies (June 4), Vic Metro (June 11), Vic Country (June 18), and Western Australia (June 24) throughout the carnival.

The news comes as Adelaide prepares to host the AFL’s Gather Round, with only the Under 16 and 18 competitions running in the SANFL this week. It means many prospects from this year’s Under 18 squad will have the chance to impress in front of elite level recruiters.

Among the South Australian side are four National Academy members – top talent Ashton Moir, crafty forward Jack Delean, midfielder Kane McAuliffe, and composed defender Will Patton. Most members fall into the top-age category, though Norwood bigman Alex Van Wyk has been selected as an over-ager while eight bottom-agers made the cut.

The likes of Norwood medium defender Logan Evans and Woodville-West Torrens tall forward Patrick Weckert have already cracked League level and will likely be followed by a few others scattered across the squad.

There are some familiar names of note, too. Bodie Ryan is the cousin of Collingwood draftee Jakob, Eli Redman is the brother of Essendon’s Mason, Will McCabe is a father-son chance for Hawthorn, and Louie Montgomery has the same status at Port Adelaide next year, as do Tyler Welsh and Rome Burgoyne. The latter quartet was part of South Australia’s championship winning Under 16 side last year, captained by Sid Draper – the brother of Collingwood’s Arlo.

2023 SA U18 SQUAD

Central District: (5)
Trent Tattoli
Will McCabe
Liam Fawcett
Seb Wauer
Charlie Nicholls*

Glenelg: (5)
Ben Ridgway
Ashton Moir
Harry Francis
Bodie Ryan
Eli Redman

North Adelaide: (3)
Kane McAuliffe
Jed Dignan
Louie Montgomerie*

Norwood: (2)
Alex Van Wyk**
Logan Evans

South Adelaide: (5)
Jack Delean
Tom Wheaton
Taylor Goad
Sid Draper*
Phoenix Hargrave*

Sturt: (4)
Luca Slade
Alex Holt
Loch Rawlinson
Declan Gladigau

West Adelaide: (3)
Will Patton
Jack Oates
Oscar Talbot

Woodville-West Torrens: (7)
Patrick Weckert
Callum Fairall
Patrick Toole
Tom Luck*
Tyler Welsh*
Rome Burgoyne*
Kade Herbert*

* – denotes bottom-age
** – denotes over-age

SA 2023 U18 FIXTURE

vs. Allies – Sunday June 4 @ Thebarton Oval
vs. Vic Metro – Sunday June 11 @ Thebarton Oval
vs. Vic Country – Sunday June 18 @ Princes Park
vs. Western Australia – Saturday June 24 @ Optus Stadium