TEAM Blue took out the annual SANFL Under 17 Futures showcase at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, running out comfortable victors over Team Yellow. The showcase game of 2007 and 2008-born talent served as a curtain raiser for the SANFL Reserves Grand Final, bouncing down early in the morning.

After a steady start from both sides, the Blues got going with four goals to one in term two to open up a 22-point margin at half time. That was blown out past 10 goals come the final siren, as they piled on eight majors to Team Yellow’s one after the main break, spearheaded by Cameron Nairn‘s five.

TEAM BLUE 2.2 | 6.6 | 9.8 | 14.9 (93)
TEAM YELLOW 2.0 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 (29)

GOALS:

Blue: C. Nairn 5, T. Alver 2, F. Myall 2, J. Hawkins 2, L. White, S. Cumming, L. Hughes
Yellow: M. Marsh 2, H. Barker, E. Herbert

BEST:

Blue: D. Speyer, T. Alver, H. Franz, L. Kellaway, C. Nairn, J. Hawkins
Yellow: J. Kelly, L. Sands, B. O’Brien, H. Barker, E. Duffield, E. Herbert

>> FULL SQUAD: 2024 SANFL Under 17 Futures announced

TEAM BLUE:

#4 Ben Francou (North Adelaide)
Midfielder | 176cm | 23/07/2007

Port Adelaide fans and recruiters would have cast a keen eye on Francou, who is tied to the club via his father, Josh. The classy small midfielder started out on the wing and showcased his smooth movement to step into space and accelerate forward of stoppages. He produced a massive third quarter upon being shifted to the inside, racking up possessions all around the ground and contributing neat ball use in slow play – particularly on his left foot.

#10 Louis Kellaway (Sturt)
Midfielder | 183cm | 16/03/2007

Kellaway was one of the more eye-catching midfielders on Sunday, displaying a powerful turn of speed to take ground out the front of stoppages. He looked most effective as the second possession winner, being released on the outside where he could drive his legs and impact in bursts. His handling was terrific too, including with a half-volley in the second quarter, and a stoppage shark in term three where he hit the ball at speed.

#12 Angus White (South Adelaide)
Midfielder/Forward | 182cm | 06/06/2008

An Under 16 All Australian this year, White showcased some of his exciting traits in Team Blue’s midfield rotation. His power and pace were evident in several attacking forays, where the 16-year-old proved his ability to connect and take the game on with run and carry. One of his best passages saw him time a drawing handball perfectly to set up Tim Alver‘s goal of the day in term four.

#18 Zackariah Young (North Adelaide)
Midfielder/Defender | 179cm | 30/04/2008

Young’s stats would not have been quite as significant as others’, but he looks a handy prospect nonetheless. The state Under 16 representative displayed a clean set of hands and stayed upright under physical pressure, keeping his arms free while breaking through tackles. He held a high line when operating in defence and was able to win his own footy through midfield, proving a dynamic mover who offers high impact with each possession.

#20 Jack Cook (Woodville-West Torrens)
Defender/Midfielder | 181cm | 02/07/2007

Coming off a SANFL Under 18 premiership with Woodville-West Torrens, Cook was not to be denied as one of Sunday’s most prolific ball winners. He featured across half-back in the opening half before shifting into midfield, helping set up the play in both roles. Cook distributed via the kick-ins and fed his teammates well at stoppages, proving a tough and natural accumulator. His work rate around the ground helped him drive the ball into useful launch zones for Team Blue.

#22 Tim Alver (Glenelg)
Midfielder/Forward | 181cm | 15/06/2007

Alver saved his best for last with a couple of the morning’s best highlights, in the form of consecutive goals to see out the match. His first was slotted home on the run from the wrong side boundary for a right-footer, while his second was converted after the siren after taking a strong aerial mark inside 50. Alver was also prominent through midfield and helped set up the play with creative kicking heading inside 50, which benefitted Team Blue’s leading forwards.

#28 Cameron Nairn (Central District)
Forward | 186cm | 15/10/2007

Nairn was the standout forward afield with a bag of goals which spearheaded Team Blue’s big win. The 186cm forward, who arguably plays above his height, helped kickstart his side’s dominant second quarter with a left-foot snap goal in the opening minute. He converted his remaining majors over the mark having proven difficult to beat one-on-one, deep inside attacking 50.

#32 Koby Moir (Glenelg)
Forward/Wing | 184cm | 22/01/2008

Being the brother of freakish Carlton talent, Ashton, it was little surprise to see Koby Moir display a level of skill above many peers. He handled the slippery ball cleanly as others fumbled in the early stages, before going on to provide plenty of drive as Team Blue attacked. Moir was a productive connection piece heading inside 50 and his mobility allowed him to gain exposure up on the wing.

#36 Sam Cumming (North Adelaide)
Midfielder | 184cm | 27/07/2007

Cumming has produced a stellar bottom-age season and he capped it off as one of the more dominant players afield on Sunday. The midfielder was everywhere at times, showcasing enormous work rate to rack up possessions and drive the ball forward in all parts of the ground. He spent time down back and also snuck forward to boot a goal in the second quarter, having had his hands on everything through the middle. He showed good strength and a hard edge in each play.

#42 Fergus Myall (Norwood)
Tall Forward

Myall’s day was unfortunately cut short after suffering a head knock in the third quarter, but he showed plenty up to that point. Operating as Team Blue’s deepest marking target, he utilised his range and reach to take the ball with arms outstretched, leading to two goals in the opening quarter. Myall’s combination of height and mobility made him a difficult matchup inside 50, though things didn’t get any easier for Team Yellow once he was taken out of the game.

#44 Taj Murray (North Adelaide)
Ruck | 199cm | 05/02/2007

One of the more experienced players afield in terms of pathway exposure, Murray hails from the Northern Territory. The raw and athletic tall waxed with Jayden Hawkins in the ruck, showcasing his sizeable leap and ability to stay involved in open play. Murray’s length and reach saw him take a terrific mark in the second quarter, and also aided his flashy ruck craft. His mobility was an asset when spreading from the contest and combining with teammates by hand.

#48 Jayden Hawkins (North Adelaide)
Ruck/Forward | 200cm | 23/08/2007

Hawkins produced some outstanding moments in the ruck, displaying his craft with plenty of deft and direct hits. He began to get going in the second quarter, where he fed the Team Blue midfielders with clear hitout wins to advantage at the centre bounces. Hawkins went on to also have an impact up forward, booting a pair of set shot goals in the second half. His reach and athleticism made him an effective aerial asset throughout the morning.

#50 Logan Hughes (Woodville-West Torrens)
Tall Forward | 192cm | 21/05/2007

Fresh off his exploits as the hero of Woodville-West Torrens’ SANFL Under 18 flag, Hughes played a key role up forward. Many of Team Blue’s attacks went through his hands, with the mobile tall presenting to the top of attacking 50 and helping set up the final pass en route to goal. He was yet another difficult matchup and showcased his smarts with a snap goal off hands in the fourth quarter. He can compete aerially, but is nimble enough to also recover the ball when he stays down.

TEAM YELLOW:

#15 Luke Candy (Glenelg)
Defender | 183cm | 16/05/2007

Candy popped up in each third of the ground but defence was his primary post. He cut off plenty of Team Blue attacks in the first half, getting across to intercept in the air and recovering the ball before driving it forward. Operating across a high line, the Glenelg bottom-ager was able to penetrate the attacking half with surge-style footy. He went on to feature on a wing and had the chance to boot a goal up forward, but spurned his fourth quarter set shot.

#17 Jim Kelly (Norwood)
Midfielder | 179cm | 16/02/2007

Kelly was Team Yellow’s most prominent midfielder throughout the morning, getting his hands on plenty of possessions both at and away from the contest. He fared well under the ruckmen’s taps and was consistently able to feed teammates, while also working hard to get the ball back and have multiple contributions to single passages of play. Kelly lacked a touch of polish on his end product heading inside 50, but was generally sharp by hand and reliable in the way of effort.

#21 Lachlan Sands (Woodville-West Torrens)
Wing | 179cm | 26/03/2007

One of a few premiership players from Woodville-West Torrens’ Under 18 side, Sands slotted in on the wing for Team Yellow. Much like Candy, he provided ample attacking drive with his run and penetrative kicking, snatching quick metres with nearly every possession. One of Sands’ best plays was a slaloming run during the fourth quarter which led to a shot on goal, though the required finishing touch eluded him during the second half.

#25 Jack Gordon (Central District)
Defender | 184cm | 05/01/2008

Another Under 16 All Australian to feature in this game, Gordon displayed many of the traits which earned him such an honour. The confident rebound defender bookended his game strongly, popping up with an early intercept mark and some strong overlap run. Later in the piece, he produced a terrific passage through the corridor to help Team Yellow go end-to-end, carrying the ball at speed and gut-running to chain possessions in transition.

#31 Harley Barker (Sturt)
Wing | 187cm | 02/05/2007

Having established himself on the wing at every level this year, Barker reprised that role with a good amount of success on Sunday. The Sturt young gun struck a high class goal off only a step or two in the opening quarter, and while his kicking was hit or miss thereafter, he had little trouble finding the ball. Whether sweeping back to support defensive transition, or charging over the back as Team Yellow surged forward, Barker was a useful outlet and held his width intelligently all game.

#35 Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier (North Adelaide)
Midfielder/Defender | 181cm | 11/04/2007

One of the most highly regarded prospects afield, Oudshoorn-Bennier showed out in a complete performance. He started at the centre bounces and hit some sweet inboard kicks where many others turned the ball over. His clean hands, strong frame and refusal to be tackled made for productive work at the stoppages, where he connected with teammates and consistently found a way out. The bottom-ager was shifted to defence after half time, where he looked to help control the play and was made to absorb plenty of pressure from Team Blue.

#37 Bayln O’Brien (Norwood)
Defender

A mainstay in Team Yellow’s besieged defence, O’Brien held up relatively well and was an asset on the rebound. His distribution by foot was terrific, hitting flat and direct passes out of the last line. The Norwood product also read the play well to peel off for a few intercept marks, taking turns with Elliot Duffield at playing both high and deep. Things would have been worse without his presence.

#41 Mitchell Marsh (West Adelaide)
Tall Forward | 189cm | 15/02/2007

Marsh has had some memorable moments in the SANFL Under 18s competition this year and finished his bottom-age campaign on a high as Team Yellow’s main avenue to goal. He was his side’s sole multiple goalkicker with two, both coming in the first half, and including the game’s opening major. Marsh dobbed a classy snap and went on to strike a nice shot from outside 50, before becoming a targetman of sorts with limited opportunities in the second half.

#47 Ethan Herbert (North Adelaide)
Ruck | 196cm | 01/11/2008

Coming up against a pair of quality rucks in the age category above him, Herbert held his own relatively well. The Under 16 All Australian got stuck in with his follow-up efforts and displayed promising mobility to spread from the contest. He got reward for effort on a tough day with a free kick and goal in the final quarter, converted from a tight angle deep inside 50.