SOUTH Australia’s Under 18s squad will get a great opportunity to prepare for the upcoming National Championships when it takes on the best Under 20s from across the SANFL in the annual SA Talent Clash on Saturday. We take a look at the teams and who to look out for.

NEED TO KNOW

Date: Saturday, May 17 @ 2:30pm (local)
Venue: Coopers Stadium, Norwood
How to Watch: Live streamed on KommunityTV

IN A NUTSHELL

With the South Australian Under 18s team finalised last month, the Croweaters get an opportunity to play a familiar opposition with the best Under 20s players from across the SANFL fielding a team once again. Many of the players are previous pathway players who were overlooked in past drafts, or have crossed from other states to test themselves in the SANFL.

TEAMS

SA U18 TEAM: (Possible lineup)

B: Elliott Duffield (South Adelaide) – Bryce Sanders (North Adelaide) – Thomas McKay (Glenelg)
HB: Joshua Reichelt (Central District) – Noah Daw (Norwood) – Jett Dahlitz (Sturt)
C: Harley Barker (Sturt) – Jack Cook (WWT Eagles) – Matt LeRay (Central District)
HF: Sam Cumming (North Adelaide) – Mitchell Marsh (West Adelaide) – Noah Roberts-Thomson (Sturt)
F: Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier (North Adelaide) – Aidan Schubert (Central District) – Cain Florance (South Adelaide)
R: Ethan Herbert (North Adelaide) – Dyson Sharp (Central District) – Louis Kellaway (Sturt)
INT: Sam Ainsworth (Norwood) – Luke Candy (Glenelg) – Kodah Edwards (South Adelaide) – Jim Kelly (Norwood) – Fergus Myall (Norwood) – Cameron Nain (Central District) – Jesse Nye (South Adelaide) – Balyn O’Brien (Norwood) – Gabriel Patterson (Glenelg) – Zane Peucker (WWT Eagles) – Archie van Dyk (South Adelaide)

SA U20 TEAM:

B: Dakota Sterzl (South Adelaide), Noah McDonald (Central District), Will Patton (West Adelaide)
HB: Charlie Haysman (West Adelaide), Harry Ramm (Glenelg), Alex Holt (Sturt)
C: Luca Slade (Sturt), Kade Herbert (WWT Eagles), Jett Hasting (WWT Eagles)
HF: Jed Dignan (North Adelaide), Noah Howes (South Adelaide), Ned Atkinson (Adelaide)
F: Kobe McEntee (Sturt), Tallan Rosenzweig (Central District), Jacob Newton (Norwood)
R: Jayden Matz (Central District), Tom Stevens (North Adelaide), Phoenix Hargrave (South Adelaide)
INT: Ryan Borlace (South Adelaide), Jack Callinan (Central District), Tom Wheaton (South Adelaide), Latrelle Pickett (Glenelg), Evan Bradley (North Adelaide), Sam Waltham (Sturt), Jake Andrews (WWT Eagles)

UNAVAILABLE:

Dougie Cochrane (Central District – hamstring)
Jevan Phillipou (WWT Eagles – broken arm)
Blake Thredgold (Sturt – broken hand)

ONES TO WATCH

Under 18s

South Australia has four National Academy members, all of whom are available for tomorrow’s clash. Tough inside midfielder and top Croweater Dyson Sharp is named captain, with the Central District star no doubt a tough player to quell around the ball. He will likely control the inside with in-form Eagle Jack Cook, while hard-running wing Harley Barker will be crucial on the outside.

Another Central District prospect in Matthew LeRay has the versatility to play inside, outside or up forward, while highly touted Rooster Sam Cumming is a high-production player initially from Wentworth in New South Wales.

The South Australian midfield depth will certainly be strong with the likes of Richmond father-son prospect Louis Kellaway and his Sturt teammate Noah Roberts-Thomson, while North Adelaide’s Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier and South pair Archie Van dyk and Kodah Edwards all capable of rolling through there.

Exciting Bloods forward Mitchell Marsh will provide some X-factor inside 50, with key forward Aidan Schubert the main target. Up the other end, over-ager Thomas McKay has the chance to share the intercepting and rebounding duties with Noah Daw and Luke Candy, while Glenelg inclusion Gabriel Patterson is having a ripping season up forward.

Finally, the half-back line could contain the likes of Central District’s Joshua Reichelt, Sturt’s Jett Dahlitz and South’s Elliott Duffield who have all been in good form. Rooster Ethan Herbert will lead the ruck attack for the Under 18s.

Under 20s

Midfielders Kade Herbert and Phoenix Hargrave will find plenty of the ball on the inside, and get it to the likes of tall forwards Tallan Rosenzweig and Noah Howes, while Jacob Newton – who attracted AFL interest last season – will be a player to watch with Jed McEntee in there.

Former South Australian skipper Will Patton will headline the defence, with the likes of Alex Holt and Harrison Ramm, while hard-running duo Luca Slade and Jett Hasting will add transitional flow to the outside.