A PAIR of budding state representatives made their first SANFL Under 18 appearances for the season as Central District defeated North Adelaide by 43 points at X Convenience Oval on Thursday. Namely, star Centrals prospect Dyson Sharp and Roosters captain Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier returned to action.

The Bulldogs had far too much class afield for the visitors, who were missing ball magnet Sam Cumming and tall forward Bryce Sanders, who was recently added to the state academy. We took note of all seven South Australian squad members afield in our Round 5 featured match, five of which were Bulldogs.

>> RECAP: Double Blues create buffer atop SANFL Under 18 ladder

Central District 15.11 (101) def. North Adelaide 8.10 (58)

CENTRAL DISTRICT:

#16 Joshua Reichelt
Defender | 180cm | 18/06/2007

Stats: 30 disposals, 6 rebound 50s, 1 goal

Reichelt led all comers as the only player afield to reach the 30-disposal mark. He was opportunistic on the overlap, running hard every time there was a chance to generate drive in transition and distributing the ball well by foot. He timed his forward forays well and was able to launch several attacks, especially as North began to gain more entries in the second half. Reichelt’s ability to kick short and follow up his initial possessions translated from the kick-ins to open play.

#28 Dyson Sharp
Midfielder | 188cm | 23/05/2007

Stats: 27 disposals, 18 handballs, 7 clearances

Having started the season at League level, Sharp made his first Under 18 appearance since August last year. The star South Australian prospect was managed in the closing stages, spending time forward and off the ground in anticipation of the AFL Academy’s second game in Victoria this weekend. That didn’t stop him from accumulating 28 touches, many of them being handballs as he distributed the ball from congestion. Sharp was clean in the clinches and strong enough to stand up in tackles, using his vision to dish the ball out to runners. He also showed good composure to create just enough time for himself to make good choices in the face of frontal pressure. His kicking was a little hit and miss on the run but Sharp was a deadeye by hand.

#30 Dougie Cochrane
Tall Forward/Midfielder | 194cm | 02/05/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 6 marks, 2 goals

Cochrane closed out Thursday night’s game strongly, showcasing his athleticism and aerial ability as a lead-up forward. He ventured up the ground and was difficult to stop in full flight, owning front position on the lead. His pace was difficult to handle in those situations as he booted both his two goals in the second half. Cochrane also utilised his agility when running on-ball, carving through traffic and looking to explode from the contest or snatch quick metres. That ability to break the lines is rare for a player his size, which compliments the more conventional lead-up work he built into.

#34 Cameron Nairn
Forward | 186cm | 15/10/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 12 marks, 3 goals

It seemed as if Nairn was running around unopposed as he dipped into his enormous tank to dominate play between the arcs. He was a vital connection piece for Centrals, storming up the ground to take marks and maintain his side’s fluency in transition. Nairn’s strong set of hands and slick left-foot kicking were on show throughout the match, for which he was captain in Matthew LeRay‘s absence. He found reward on the scoreboard with goals in the first three quarters; utilising his clean hands, leading patterns, and forward smarts for each respective score.

#39 Aidan Schubert
Key Forward/Ruck | 196cm | 21/12/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 5 marks, 8 hitouts, 1 goal

Schubert’s radar may have been slightly off with a scoring haul of 1.3, but that didn’t stop him from having some terrific moments. His aerial range was on show with fluent leaps into the ball and great reach overhead, though he also followed up well at ground level. Schubert was deceptively strong in the ruck wrestles and showed an attacking mindset with ball in hand, often looking to turn and go quickly. That method saw him hit a couple of nice targets going inside 50. His lone goal came in the final quarter as he marked an errant Dusty Geister shot and split the big sticks.

Others:

Geister spearhead the victory with 3.3 from 18 disposals and six marks, proving a constant threat inside Centrals’ attacking 50. Bottom-age talent Jack Gordon (16 disposals) caught the eye with his playmaking ability from the middle and ability to shift gears, using his speed and sharp kicking to bring the play forward. The pace of Hayden Henke and Jake Eime was also exciting in bursts.

NORTH ADELAIDE:

#1 Ethan Herbert
Ruck | 198cm | 01/11/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 20 hitouts, 6 clearances, 1 goal

Competing against the competition’s leading hitout winner, Herbert held his own as the second-placed player in said category. The bottom-ager followed up well to get his hands on the ball after initial ruck contests, showcasing some nimble moves despite not being overly quick across the ground. Herbert also did well to grab and give at the stoppages, taking possession before feeding his midfielders in a more direct manner. He got on the scoreboard during a forward rotation in term two, converting his set shot after an effective short lead.

#10 Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier
Midfielder | 181cm | 11/04/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 clearances

Making his first appearance for the season, Oudshoorn-Bennier made a steady return to action in the cut and thrust of midfield. He showed glimpses of his quality with terrific foot skills coming out of the stoppage, looking most effective when released into space. His kick out of the opening centre bounce to a leading target would have filled him with confidence, and he continued to weight his passes nicely. Oudshoorn-Bennier was a little less assured under physical pressure but showed good vision with ball in hand and moved in a darting fashion to escape immediate pressure. It was a solid base for him to build off as he soon turns his attention to representative football.

Others:

Port Adelaide father-son prospect Ben Francou was North Adelaide’s leading disposal getter with 20, notching seven clearances and a goal among them. He started out on the wing before a shift on-ball, displaying class with his speedy outside run to compliment a strong work rate. Charlie Dickeson (14 disposals) was also among the Roosters’ best and snapped a couple of goals, while 16-year-old key forward Mason Klenner booted 1.2 but clunked several strong grabs inside 50.