SOUTH Australia has overcome a combined GWS Giants and Sydney Swans Academy outfit to win by 10 points at Thebarton Oval on Sunday. In the first of two trial games, the Under 18 Croweaters led by a single point at the first and final breaks before holding firm to salute 10.11 (71) to 9.7 (61).

State captain Sid Draper made his return from a leg injury, albeit for less than a half of gametime, as over 30 squad members were tested in different rotations throughout the 25-minute flat quarters. South Australia will next take on an SA Under 20 side on Saturday May 18, also at Thebarton Oval.

Meanwhile, the NSW/ACT squad will separate again with the Swans Academy still to play one more Coates Talent League game this weekend. For them, the trial match served as an audition for the Allies, who are set to open the Under 18 National Championships against SA on Sunday May 26.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 3.3 | 5.6 | 8.7 | 10.11 (71)
SWANS/GIANTS 3.2 | 6.5 | 8.6 | 9.7 (61)

GOALS:

South Australia: T. Welsh 2, T. Rosenzweig 2, A. Schubert 2, E. Bradley, P. Hargrave, T. Mackay, M. Leray
Giants/Swans: M. Rider 2, C. McCormack, C. Hilton, L. Smith, J. Delana, T. Ryan, N. Hawkins, R. Hamilton

BESTS:

South Australia: B. Camporeale, D. Sharp, J. Newton, A. Schubert, T. Dalmenico, A. Clarke
Giants/Swans: L. Smith, L. Carmichael, N. Hawkins, J. Harrison, H. Podmore-Taylor, J. Delana

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

#2 Lucas Camporeale (Glenelg)
Wing | 186cm | 21/07/2006

Locking down his spot on the wing, Camporeale went about his usual business accumulating possessions and providing touches of outside class. While it has been an area for improvement of late, his inside 50 kicking was a lot more assured with lower and more direct passes to leading targets. If he can nail down that left foot as a weapon, Camporeale may then work on using both sides of his body as while he has a point of difference, is somewhat dependant on the left.

#3 Ben Camporeale (Glenelg)
Midfielder | 185cm | 21/07/2006

Best afield for the victors, Camporeale was a mainstay through midfield and showcased his versatility on-ball. The vice-captain started out by accumulating possessions as usual with strong ground coverage, but came into his own after half time as the go-to inside ball winner. His clean hands and core strength became a factor at stoppages where he fed runners and stepped up when the game was there to be won. A soaring mark in the final quarter was among his best moments.

#7 Sid Draper (South Adelaide)
Midfielder | 182cm | 05/07/2006

Draper made his long-awaited return from injury on Sunday and was eased back into competition with just under a half of gametime. The South Australian skipper was among his side’s starting centre bounce core and was caught holding the ball with his first possession, but began to find space and clean ball through his work rate. Hopefully with another trial next week, more of Draper’s undeniably elite talent will emerge as the National Championships approach.

#8 Kade Herbert (Woodville-West Torrens)
Midfielder/Forward | 184cm | 03/04/2006

With a growing midfield group compared to last year, Herbert’s versatility was on show as he rotated from the wing, into the centre bounces, and eventually forward. The Eagles prospect displayed a willingness to work hard and move the ball quickly in transition, though some of his ball use by hand and foot could have been better executed when facing forward. Still, he showed good moments of agility and nearly hit the scoreboard when utilised in attack.

#11 Phoenix Hargrave (South Adelaide)
Midfielder | 182cm | 15/09/2006

An absolute workhorse, Hargrave could be seen tracking back to support his defence, sneaking forward, and burrowing in over the ball through midfield as usual. The South Adelaide prospect produced one of his best passages in term two, where he was involved at the centre break before heading inside 50 for an uncontested mark and goal. He nearly did the same thing later in the quarter before sitting out the second half ahead of Saturday’s second trial.

#16 Angus Clarke (Glenelg)
Defender | 188cm | 02/11/2006

Clarke was a standout in the first half, plying his trade as a reliable rebound defender. The emerging Glenelg talent started out with a terrific intercept mark going back with the flight, but was more renowned for his ball use across the back line. Clarke distributed by foot with composure and great efficiency, picking out both short and long targets as South Australia’s designated kicker. Perhaps under the radar at the moment, he could play a key role for the Croweaters.

#17 Jacob Newton (Norwood)
Forward/Midfielder | 178cm | 20/03/2006

Newton certainly packs a punch and only got better as the game wore on. He started up forward where he worked up to the top of attacking 50 and looked to find targets within the arc, picking out Tallan Rosenzweig with a nice inboard pass in term two. Newton entered the midfield mix after half time and displayed impressive core strength to stand up in or power through tackles, while maintaining the same energy and work rate in attacking phases.

#24 Dyson Sharp (Central District)
Midfielder/Defender | 188cm | 23/05/2007

Sharp is just about as accomplished and polished as a bottom-ager gets. The 2023 Under 16 state MVP hardly looked out of place as a big body in midfield before shifting behind the ball, where his intercept marking and efficient distribution came to the fore. Sharp’s strength and competitiveness were terrific around the contest, while his reading of the play and decision making proved the refined touch to compliment his hard edge.

#25 Charlie Nicholls (Central District)
Key Forward/Defender | 197cm | 08/06/2006

Nicholls has emerged as a serious key forward prospect and plays the classic centre half-forward role incredibly well. He got on his bike with some fruitful advances up the ground, marking uncontested past the halfway mark and helping South Australia connect between the arcs. He was a threat in those areas before being swung to defence where his aerial ability continued to be useful, taking a couple of intercept marks and faring relatively well one-on-one.

#33 Aidan Schubert (Central District)
Key Forward/Ruck | 195cm | 21/12/2007

Along with fellow Bulldog and multiple goalkicker, Rosenzweig, Schubert was a constant aerial threat inside South Australia’s attacking 50. The mobile tall forward got on the board with an opening quarter goal and began to clunk his marks with a bit more confidence in the second half. He could have had a couple more majors if not for inaccuracy, but displayed great mobility and thrived on quick entries as any good forward should.

#42 Tyler Welsh (Woodville-West Torrens)
Key Forward | 191cm | 15/08/2006

It may not have been an overly prolific game from Welsh, but he still managed to bag two goals as a low-possession/high impact type of forward. The powerful prospect tried to impose himself with strong presentation up the ground and flat, penetrative kicking on the attack. His class came to the fore in his two finishes of goal; converting a quick snap in the pocket during term one, and backing his speed to cut in and snap home another major in the third quarter.

Absent: Charlie West (groin), Logan Hughes (knee), Ryan Lane-Ellis (foot), Benny Barrett (hamstring), Noah Daw (collarbone), Noah Howes (League)

GIANTS/SWANS ACADEMIES:

#4 Lachlan Carmichael (Swans Academy)
Defender | 183cm | 27/08/2007

Carmichael had claims on being best afield, certainly in the first half, for his outstanding and dynamic performance in defence. The bottom-ager defied his 183cm listing to soar for a series of intercept marks, showcasing a terrific leap and strong hands to pluck the ball at the top of his reach. Carmichael was also assured on the rebound, distributing the ball with great composure from the kick-ins and when looking to chain possessions further afield.

#6 Joe Harrison (Swans Academy)
Midfielder | 182cm | 20/07/2006

A midfielder who provided serious drive from the centre, Harrison combined particularly well with Logan Smith to give the Rams early stoppage ascendancy. He sharked the taps and drove his legs to the outside, providing strong spurts of run and working hard to follow up on his clearing kicks. Such clean work and chain running dried up in the second half as South Australia turned the midfield battle, but Harrison was certainly a force when on song.

#8 Max Rider (Swans Academy)
Forward | 187cm | 28/08/2005

Rider only had a few moments throughout the game but made them count to finish as his side’s sole multiple goalkicker. The over-ager snatched a mile when given an inch, taking full toll off a pair of turnovers in the forward half before backing his burst speed and converting truly on the move. He moves quite well for a taller player and can make things happen in a flash, so perhaps may get another chance to go around with the Allies this year.

#9 Josaia Delana (Giants Academy)
Midfielder | 176cm | 01/07/2006

Much like his co-captain Harrison, Delana made a strong start to proceedings with polished work around the ball. Despite his small standing, the powerful mover proved a clean first possession winner and withstood pressure to dish the ball off to the outside. He got to showcase his turn of speed on a couple of occasions and hit the scoreboard with an impressive goal in the second quarter, launching home a long-range snap seemingly out of nothing at the top of attacking 50.

#16 Ned Hawkins (Swans Academy)
Midfielder | 187cm | 07/09/2005

While he had his day cut short by what looked like a nasty hamstring injury in the final quarter, Hawkins was one of his side’s most effective midfielders. He started on the inside but got going out on the wing in the second half, launching a terrific running goal in the first minute of term three. Hawkins’ ability to accumulate possessions and drive the ball forward proved an asset in both halves of the ground, complimenting his strong work on the inside.

#23 Charlie McCormack (Giants Academy)
Key Forward | 197cm | 02/04/2005

Along with fellow tall Cooper Bell, McCormack’s stats would not have jumped off the page but he had some genuine moments of upside on Sunday. The raw tall forward displayed incredible aerial ability when flying for marks inside 50, which got him a goal in the opening quarter. His pace off the mark earned him another shot in term two, but as has often been the case, the over-ager had little impact outside of that realm and faded out of the game, for all his early promise.

#25 Harrison Podmore-Taylor (Swans Academy)
Ruck | 200cm | 03/02/2005

Solid as ever through the ruck, Podmore-Taylor provided a more than capable chop-out for Smith and really got going after half time. His third quarter was massive, with the 200cm over-ager impacting in the air around the ground and having little trouble getting his hands on the ball. He played the basics quite well and showed strong ruck craft to impose himself against less experienced Croweaters.

#26 Logan Smith (Giants Academy)
Ruck | 204cm | 24/09/2006

Fresh off a terrific three-game stint in the Coates Talent League, Smith was again outstanding and firms as one of, if not the best ruck in the draft pool. The towering tall owned the ruck battle, winning hitouts with his bodywork and reach while also prising clearances when possible. He even got going with some strong marking at both ends of the ground and plucked a grab inside 50 to convert his second quarter goal. He’s in store for a huge National Championships.