CENTRAL District now sits atop the SANFL Under 18s ladder, after downing Sturt by 38 points in a top-of-the-table clash at Wigan Oval on Saturday. The 4-1 Bulldogs kicked away with four unanswered goals in the third term to set up the 13.11 (89) to 7.9 (51) road victory. There were eight state Under 18 squad members afield – we noted how each of them performed.
>> Full squad: South Australia Under 18s
- Team
Sturt
Central District
SCOUTING NOTES
STURT:
#17 Declan Gladigau
180cm | 71kg | 24/08/2005 | Wing
One of Sturt’s seven individual goalkickers, Gladigau was busy with 21 disposals operating primarily on the wing. The top-ager spread his workload well between each half and while he could have kept his feet more often at contest, made the outer expanses of Wigan Oval his own at times. He was effective when Sturt looked to transition into attacking phases, and nabbed a classy goal on the run in term four to cap off a solid outing, despite his side’s defeat.
#25 Loch Rawlinson
177cm | 71kg | 01/06/2005 | Midfielder
The leading ball winner of Sturt’s state squad trio, Rawlinson was utilised on both sides of midfield en route to 22 disposals. He started out on the wing before shifting inside, balancing the ability to use his pace on the outer with efforts to win four clearances and lay five tackles. He looked most dangerous when retrieving loose balls and swinging onto his favoured right side, either driving his legs or sending punchy kicks both forward and laterally. He made an immediate impact at the first centre bounce after half time too, bolting to the front of the stoppage and going long inside 50.
#30 Luca Slade
181cm | 72kg | 11/03/2005 | Midfielder/Forward
Slade was a player who started with genuine intent, hitting the ball at speed and looking to bustle his way through congestion. Deceptively strong on the inside, he brought a sense of authority to the contest and refused to be tied down in traffic. Once Slade got to the outside he tended to be a touch hit and miss by foot, but still had an impact with 16 disposals among Sturt’s midfield-forward rotation.
CENTRAL DISTRICT:
#7 Trent Tattoli
180cm | 70kg | 14/04/2005 | Midfielder
There’s no denying Tattoli’s ability to get his hands on the ball, and he was again prolific on Saturday with 24 disposals and eight clearances. He was the top ball winner to half time with 18 touches and proved dangerous in the forward half, albeit for an overall return of 1.5 in front of goal – including 1.4 in the first term. Tattoli’s work rate got him those repeat opportunities inside 50, and he maintained perennial movement at stoppage to evade opponents who paid him closer attention after half time.
#13 Sebastian Wauer
184cm | 82kg | 15/01/2005 | Midfielder/Forward
Having produced a couple of big performances this season, Wauer was a touch quieter in Round 6 with 14 disposals, four marks, and four inside 50s. The top-age midfielder-forward was sound in his handling of the ball, particularly when marking, to set up opportunities in dangerous spots around Central’s attacking arc. He couldn’t quite convert a his set shot opportunities, but got involved in scoring chains by also finding others near the big sticks.
#33 Charlie Nicholls
195cm | 77kg | 08/06/2006 | Key Forward
Nicholls has played himself into the state squad as a bottom-ager and returned his best haul of goals for the season on Saturday, with an equal game-high three. All three of them came in a 10-minute purple patch during term three, which saw the Bulldogs kick away to a definitive lead. He generally positioned as the deeper of Central’s two key forwards and clunked five grabs in a promising performance.
#38 William McCabe
197cm | 81kg | 29/09/2005 | Tall Utility
It’s not often that 197cm players crack the 30-disposal mark, but that is exactly what McCabe managed to do on Saturday. He led all comers with 31 touches, nine marks and 10 rebounds 50s, playing a role defiant of his height down back. The Hawthorn father-son candidate is ridiculously athletic and used it on-field, bursting away with speed on the rebound and rising well to compete aerially. He finished much of his work with booming kicks down the line and went a long way to ensuring Centrals could properly utilise their talls in the forward half. He played in a manner not many talls can, hinting at his flexibility and potential to operate in a range of roles.
#39 Liam Fawcett
197cm | 89kg | 22/04/2005 | Key Forward
Along with Nicholls, Fawcett was Central Districts’ other player to boot three goals, doing so from a tally of 10 disposals and six marks. The 197cm key forward converted his side’s first two majors consecutively in a hot start, before joining in on Nicholls’ scoring procession in term three. He worked well up the ground and was an apt target when the Bulldogs turned defence into attack, extending nicely for marks at the highest point.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Woodville-West Torrens kicked off Round 6 with a 15-point win over reigning premier Glenelg, drawing a game closer to the top five. The Eagles led at every break and maintained steady scoring pressure in the second and third terms to set up their 11.9 (75) to 9.6 (60) victory.
Kade Herbert had a day out for the winners, booting three goals from his game-high 30 touches. The likes of Brody Mair (28 disposals) and Callum Fairall (24) also found plenty of the pill, while Pat Toole snared a pair of majors from his 17 touches.
North Adelaide notched its third win of the season over at Prospect Oval, defeating Norwood by 44 points. The Roosters shot out of the blocks with the game’s first four goals and never looked back, restricting the Redlegs at the other end in a 12.14 (86) to 6.6 (42) beating.
Angus Tully led all comers alongside teammate Henry Wicks with 27 disposals and a goal in the win, with the latter also laying 15 tackles. The likes of Jed Dignan and Louie Montgomery were also lively, while Kane McAuliffe booted a couple of goals and got his hands dirty with 10 tackles.
Round 6 was capped off by South Adelaide’s second victory in three games, with the Panthers consigning West Adelaide to a fifth-straight loss. South’s five goals to two during the second term proved pivotal in the 21-point win, reading 16.9 (105) to 13.6 (84) at Flinders University Stadium.
The cream rose to the top for South, with bottom-age midfielder Sid Draper racking up 32 disposals and 12 clearances, while Jack Delean snared 4.2 from 10 touches. Phoenix Hargrave was his prolific self with 24 disposals, and Will Patton (22 disposals, five marks, one goal) led the way for Westies.
