STRENGTHS: Strength, speed, goal sense, vertical leap, agility
IMPROVEMENTS: Versatility, size

SUMMARY: South Adelaide small forward Jake Tarca endured a consistent season at both SANFL Under-18 and Reserves level for the Panthers. A regular amongst the goal kickers, Tarca caught the attention of recruiters after he kicked four goals for South Adelaide in a losing Under 18s Grand Final side, playing almost out of full-forward where he was able to use his power and strength to beat his direct opponent. The Encounter Bay product has a ready-made frame and is small in stature but strong bodied. He has an eye for the goals inside forward-50 and combines these smarts with speed, having clocked a time of 2.96 in the 20m sprint at the state combine. Also impressive at the combine was his vertical leap (91cm) and agility (8.17 seconds). Although height is not as much of an issue nowadays, being just 174cm in stature is a concern, however he does have the speed and power to hold his own one-on-one. Tarca also has question marks over his versatility - can he run through the midfield or is he just simply a small forward at AFL level? Nevertheless, Jake Tarca has some very AFL-relevant strengths and certainly presents clubs with value in the latter rounds/rookie draft.