STURT took down reigning SANFL Under 18 premier Woodville-West Torrens in an opening round thriller on Saturday, kicking off an intriguing double-header at The Summit in Mount Barker. A phenomenal 10 state summer squad members took the field, and we noted down of how each of them fared.

>> RECAP: Reigning SANFL U18 finalists knocked off in Round 1

STURT:

#26 Noah Roberts-Thomson | Midfielder/Forward
Stats: 20 disposals, 8 marks, 3 goals

Roberts-Thomson blew the third quarter wide open with a hat-trick of classy goals, including two consecutively. He scoreboard impact put Sturt ahead, showcasing top notch roving and finishing to do so. The crafty left-footer positioned expertly at the fall of the ball and made use of his bright boots to slot the ball home from tight spots. Otherwise, the top-ager was sighted applying pressure and getting involved in the Double Blues’ high possession game.

#30 Louis Kellaway | Midfielder
Stats: 27 disposals, 9 marks, 8 inside 50s

Richmond F/S

Richmond fans would have been buoyed by Thursday night’s result, and more so when viewing Kellaway’s statline. The son of 180-game former Tiger Duncan had 17 of his 27 touches to half time, and ran hard to contribute as Sturt picked the Eagles apart moving from end to end. His sound short kicking allowed him to follow up and possess the ball multiple times in the same passage, spreading well through midfield to generate fluent attacks.

#36 Harley Barker | Midfielder
Stats: 13 disposals, 5 marks, 3 clearances

AFL Academy

Having mostly cut his teeth on the wing as a bottom-ager, Barker was thrust into Sturt’s midfield with captaincy duties in tow. In a game littered with quality on-ballers, he struggled to produce the same output but lifted in term three to help turn the tide in Sturt’s favour. Barker used his turn of speed to break free and launch some long clearances, showcasing good range on his kicks as usual. Being able to playmake by foot will be a key strength for the AFL Academy member in 2025.

#40 Jett Dahlitz | Defender
Stats: 33 disposals, 5 marks, 8 rebound 50s

Dahlitz was allowed to fill his boots on Saturday as Sturt’s designated kicker from defence, especially since the Eagles put through 19 behinds. The top-ager took full advantage on kick-in duty but also followed up to get ahead of the play and provide a secondary option to keep things moving. He was particularly busy in the opening exchanges and was everywhere at times as the Double Blues’ high defensive line held up strongly.

#41 Kale Matthews-Hampton | Defender
Stats: 20 disposals, 8 marks, 3 tackles

One of the many classy left-footers afield, Matthews-Hampton stood out with his exceptional ball use. The bottom-ager adopted a high line and was often sighted running off to overlap through the corridor or help deliver the ball down the line. He hardly missed a kick when given time and space, and was a weapon when allowed to launch the ball into attack. Matthews-Hampton’s kicking was a key reason why Sturt’s transitional play was so effective.

#45 Blake Thredgold | Tall Defender
Stats: 13 disposals, 5 marks, 1 goal

While Ben McArthur kicked the winning goal, Thredgold’s switch forward was just as integral to the result. The usual defender pulled off a great piece of improvisation to soccer through a ball which snuck over the back of the pack, levelling the scores with under four minutes left to play. He was otherwise tasked with the Logan Hughes matchup down back. but also did a great job when running off and using the ball going forward. Thredgold competed wel in the air to intercept and showed good defensive intent before switching tact to get involved on the rebound and hit his kicks on the run. He was deceptively dextrous in that sense.

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#5 Jack Cook | Midfielder/Defender
Stats: 37 disposals, 7 clearances, 1 goal

The best player afield by a fair margin, Cook had his fingerprints all over the Eagles’ best passages. Whether as a primary possession winner in midfield or transitional asset from defence, Cook used his running power and trusty left foot to set up play after play. He led all comers with a balance of inside and outside work, proving industrious throughout the four quarters. Cook’s booming goal in the first term showcased his kicking range, but he also used his class and composure to hit up shorter options. His move back into the centre bounces helped lift the Eagles early in term four.

#15 Lachlan Sands | Wing
Stats: 15 disposals, 4 marks, 2 inside 50s

While not as prolific as his contemporaries on the inside, Sands made use of their dominance to impact on the outer. The wingman looked dangerous when receiving handballs off the packs, driving his legs and delivering kicks inside 50. He found a handy knack for hitting up leading targets with pinpoint accuracy, sometimes even showcasing his agility to step inside before doing so. Sands also produced a couple of good defensive acts, like his second effort to catch Roberts-Thomson holding-the-ball in term two.

#25 Jevan Phillipou | Midfielder
Stats: 31 disposals, 9 marks, 6 clearances

Phillipou dominated proceedings alongside Cook, leading from the front as Woodville-West Torrens’ captain. The brother of Mattaes has some notable weapons, mostly in his athletic profile with powerful lateral movement and a springy leap to impact overhead. He utilised both assets to build on his high volume of possessions both at the coalface and around the ground. Phillipou was sometimes guilty of unloading the ball long and could have been more impactful by foot, but waxed well with his teammates and will be a threat in the front half as the year goes on. He shook off a big hit in term three to continue pushing his side forward.

#29 Logan Hughes | Tall Forward
Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks, 4 goals

After kicking the winning goal in Woodville-West Torrens’ premiership win last year, Hughes very nearly proved the hero once again. He overcame a slow first half to boot four majors thereafter, including two in as many minutes during the final quarter to cut the margin to less than a kick. The top-ager began to get loose on the lead and converted his chances nicely in a side which lacked accuracy in front of goal.

STURT 2.3 | 4.5 | 8.6 | 11.7 (73)
EAGLES 2.3 | 2.5 | 5.14 | 8.19 (67)

GOALS:
Sturt: N. Roberts-Thomson 3, B. McArthur 2, A. Mills 2, G. James, J. Moody, B. Thredgold, I. Wilkinson
Eagles: L. Hughes 4, E. Stubing 2, J. Cook, Z. Peucker

BEST:
Sturt: N. Roberts-Thomson, K. Matthews-Hampton, J. Dahlitz, L. Kellaway, T. Lindsay
Eagles: J. Cook, Z. Peucker, J. Phillipou, L. Hughes, J. Hill