WOODVILLE West-Torrens Eagles have got their SANFL Under 18s season underway with a strong second half performance against South Adelaide. After struggling to capitalise on the scoreboard in the first half, the tables turned as the Eagles kicked goals from nine of their last 10 scoring shots.

Both sides fielded a litter of competitive draft prospects for the first time this season at SANFL level. We noted which of these prospects performed best in the Round 1 hitout.

South Adelaide 10.6 (66) def. by Woodville West-Torrens 12.11 (83)

SOUTH ADELAIDE:

#3 Jesse Nye
Small Forward | 174cm | 23/03/2007

The 2007-born talent was impactful in his small forward role, a productive output that saw him at the drop of the ball on most occasions, finishing with 16 disposals, three inside 50s, and a goal. Nye worked into the game and his efficiency kept improving with some nice inside 50 entries that led to scoring shots, a few turnovers, and some opportunistic moments of his own with a snap on the run from 50 metres out that was taken with the wind.

#5 Clay Shadforth
Small Forward | 181cm | 11/04/2006

Shadforth had periods of impact and whilst he didn’t have a lot of the ball with six disposals, it was his ability to read the play ahead of the ball well that gave him separation from his defensive opponent to hit the scoreboard. He had a few rundown tackles in the middle of the ground, some slick handballs out of traffic, and executed inside 50 with a neat checkside kick on the run for his first goal and a second goal from smart ball-reading.

#6 Benny Barrett
Midfielder/Forward | 174cm | 01/05/2006

Barrett’s clearance work was explosive. Providing great leg speed out of the centre stoppages, he finished the contest with four clearances and five inside 50s from 16 disposals. Barrett capitalised on stoppages positioned inside defensive 50, often working the ball up the ground gaining 50 to 100 metres at times with his leg speed. He was challenged tactically in the second half, with his space closed down at the stoppages, and his game changed to a controlled and concise way of ball handling, becoming productive with his quick hands out of the contest and kicks out wide.

#11 Phoenix Hargrave
Midfielder | 182cm | 15/09/2006

Hargrave was productive through the midfield for South Adelaide, tallying 29 disposals, six rebound 50s, three inside 50s, and a goal. Hargrave’s first half emphasised his toughness at the drop of the ball, stamping his authority to extract the ball out of the stoppage and provide some drive moving inside 50. His second efforts came to the fore in the second half, creating goal opportunities, impacting two-on-one contests, and his neat decision-making that kept the ball moving with offensive direction.

Others:

Jay Chapman (17 disposals, three inside 50s) provided some spark and drive on the outside, with some nice kicking down the line to advantage against windy conditions. Blake Florance (14 disposals, six clearances) was impacting the clearances at the centre stoppages, silky with his inside work and prioritising territory in his kicking, along with some good tackling pressure.

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#7 Lachlan Sands
Midfielder | 179cm | 26/03/2007

Sands was slick inside the centre stoppages for Woodville, his ability to dish off a quick handball and continue to generate run in offensive transition created multiple inside 50 entries, finishing with six clearances and three inside 50s. His power at the stoppage helped shift the flow for Woodville and his offensive flare had him on the end of a terrific goal on the run from 50 metres out.

#21 Rome Burgoyne
Defender | 182cm | 29/08/2006

Smooth moving and well drilled, Burgoyne’s running on the outside was a balance of power and poise, able to size his options up further up the ground. Burgoyne’s want to create new avenues in transition was prominent in his running patterns further up the ground. Along with Burgoyne’s six rebound 50s, he was able to push further up the ground with his physicality to break through congestion and offer himself as a handball option in transition.

#22 Jett Hasting
Midfielder | 182cm | 22/05/2006

Hasting was doing all the right things to get his hands on the footy, finishing the game with 22 disposals and 10 inside 50s. Hasting’s disposal let him down in the first half, struggling to find a balance between power and accuracy in his long arching kicks inside 50, however, took a different approach in the second half with a more balanced and short searching approach in his ball movement that proved quite effective.

#23 Harry Dodd
Midfielder | 184cm | 05/02/2006

One of Woodville’s most impactful, Dodd’s 26 disposals had a bit of everything. Dodd was able to work off his opponent with impact, sizing up the play ahead of the ball well to generate productive inside 50 entries with well-measured kicks. Inside the centre stoppages, he was prominent in handball chains out of congestion with his ability to hold his width at the contest. He played some forward minutes in the second half where he presented well inside 50, hitting the scoreboard, and unselfishly setting up a goal.

#28 Tate Delmenico
Defender | 190cm | 05/12/2006

Delmenico was one of Woodville’s toughest, crashing and bashing every aerial contest, and often winning them. His seven marks were emphasised on his contested capability further up the ground where he often created turnover from his contests. He had a goal-saving contested mark in the second half and got the ball to ground defensively throughout the game.

Others:

Logan Hughes led all goalscorers with four goals, finding moments where he created separation from his opponent inside 50 on a day that was hit-or-miss with his scoring shots. Isaac Edwards (25 disposals, four inside 50s, three rebound 50s) was clean and composed with his role in the midfield, providing neat kicking to switch the flow of the play and providing a good intercepting presence in marking contests.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Sturt got the job done over Central District, keeping the Bulldogs goalless in the last quarter to win by 13 points.

Ryan Lane-Ellis was productive across the ground for Central District with 31 disposals and 10 marks, whilst bottom-age talent Joshua Reichelt got busy with 29 disposals, seven marks, and four inside 50s.

Tom Cochrane was impactful on both ends of the ground, nine clearances from the stoppage, along with six inside 50s and a goal to his name from 24 disposals.

Connor Mills was Sturt’s workhorse with 28 disposals, good in transition with five rebound 50s and 10 marks. Ned Atkinson proved productive up forward with three of Sturt’s five goals, taking nine marks throughout the game.

North Adelaide and Norwood played out a thriller on Saturday afternoon as the Roosters got it done by five points, the Roosters doing enough to hold on in the final four minutes.

State Academy member Samuel Cumming started his season off strongly for the Roosters with three goals from 21 disposals, providing toughness with his tackling pressure. Port Adelaide father-son candidate Louie Montgomery led the disposals for North Adelaide, providing effort on both ends with four inside 50s and four rebound 50s.

Jacob Newton gapped himself at the top of the disposal sheet for Norwood with 22 disposals and a goal, powerful in the stoppages with 10 clearances, four inside 50s, and five rebound 50s. Ben Hogan‘s 11 tackles came to the fore as he was able to hit the scoreboard with two goals, along with four inside 50s.

Only seven points separated Glenelg and West Adelaide at three-quarter time until the Tigers kicked five goals to one in the last quarter to win by 40 points.

>> Round 1 Player Focus: Ben Camporeale (Glenelg)

The Camporeale brothers dominated proceedings for the Tigers. Lucas finished with 34 disposals, five clearances, and five inside 50s, similar to his brother Ben, who whilst lower on clearances, was still productive with four inside 50s and three rebound 50s.

Bailey White led the stat sheet for West Adelaide with 26 disposals, four inside 50s, and three rebound 50s. Noah Barker capitalised from nine disposals with two goals.