{"id":186395,"date":"2025-04-10T16:34:45","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T06:34:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=186395"},"modified":"2025-04-10T16:34:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T06:34:46","slug":"south-australia-finalises-under-18-squad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2025\/04\/10\/south-australia-finalises-under-18-squad\/","title":{"rendered":"South Australia finalises Under 18 squad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SOUTH Australia has announced its 34-player squad for the upcoming Under 18 National Championships. Seven changes have been made to the summer training hub, with Central District and South Adelaide boasting a high of six representatives apiece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> SCROLL to see the full squad<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Croweaters, coming off a 1-3 record in last year’s carnival, will look to build on that effort in their four games this time around. They open the championships with a clash against the Allies in Blacktown before hosting Vic Metro and Western Australia, and finishing with a trip to face Vic Country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tall defender Thomas McKay<\/a> has earned a call-up as the squad’s sole over-ager (2006-born), having represented the state last year. He is one of four Glenelg players on the roster, after Under 18 captain Tim Alver<\/a> and livewire forward Gabriel Patterson<\/a> were also added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patterson is one of seven bottom-agers to make the cut. Arguably the best of the lot is tall Central District utility Dougie Cochrane<\/a>, who took out the 2024 Kevin Sheehan Medal. He has been in fine form for the Bulldogs and leads the SANFL U18s goalkicking charts after a haul of six on the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> Player Focus:<\/strong> Dougie Cochrane (Central District)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patterson and Cochrane also make up some of the familiar names. The former is the son of 96-game former Collingwood player Stephen<\/em><\/strong> and brother of recent Magpies draftee Violet<\/strong>. The latter just saw brother Tom<\/strong> make his AFL debut with Port Adelaide, where father Stuart<\/em><\/strong> played 54 games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While neither of the above are father-son eligible, Sturt midfielder Louis Kellaway<\/a> (son of Duncan<\/em><\/strong>) is tied to Richmond. Other family ties include Jevan Phillipou<\/a> (brother of St Kilda’s Mattes<\/strong>), Jack Cook<\/a> (son of Tim<\/em><\/strong>), and Noah Roberts-Thomson<\/a> (cousin of Lewis<\/em><\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading the crop this year is Centrals midfielder Dyson Sharp<\/a>, who is plying his trade at League level. He is one of four National Academy members alongside fellow Bulldog Matthew LeRay<\/a>, North Adelaide ball magnet Sam Cumming<\/a>, and hard-running Sturt skipper Harley Barker<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SANFL U18 Academy Manager Tony Bamford <\/em><\/strong>will again coach the side, which usually completes a pair of trial games – against the state Under 20s, and then a combined GWS Giants and Sydney Swans Academy outfit (NSW-ACT). Those fixtures are to be confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned to Rookie Me Central, where we’ll profile all 34 squad members.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thomas McKay is one of seven inclusions | Image Credit: Rookie Me Central<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2025 SA U18 SQUAD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Player<\/th>SANFL Club<\/th>Community Club<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Dougie Cochrane*<\/td>Central District<\/td>Port District<\/td><\/tr>
Cameron Nairn<\/td>Central District<\/td>Willaston<\/td><\/tr>
Joshua Reichelt<\/td>Central District<\/td>Nuriootpa<\/td><\/tr>
Aidan Schubert<\/td>Central District<\/td>Gawler Central<\/td><\/tr>
Dyson Sharp<\/td>Central District<\/td>Barossa District<\/td><\/tr>
Matt LeRay<\/td>Central District<\/td>Golden Grove<\/td><\/tr>
Luke Candy<\/td>Glenelg<\/td>Brighton<\/td><\/tr>
Tom McKay<\/td>Glenelg<\/td>Brighton<\/td><\/tr>
Tim Alver<\/td>Glenelg<\/td>Plympton<\/td><\/tr>
Gabe Patterson*<\/td>Glenelg<\/td>Plympton<\/td><\/tr>
Ethan Herbert*<\/td>North Adelaide<\/td>Walkerville<\/td><\/tr>
Sam Cumming<\/td>North Adelaide<\/td>Wentworth (NSW)<\/td><\/tr>
Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier<\/td>North Adelaide<\/td>Modbury<\/td><\/tr>
Bryce Sanders<\/td>North Adelaide<\/td>Modbury<\/td><\/tr>
Noah Daw<\/td>Norwood<\/td>Hope Valley<\/td><\/tr>
Balyn O’Brien<\/td>Norwood<\/td>Central Eyre United<\/td><\/tr>
Jim Kelly<\/td>Norwood<\/td>Glenunga<\/td><\/tr>
Fergus Myall<\/td>Norwood<\/td>Hectorville<\/td><\/tr>
Sam Ainsworth<\/td>Norwood<\/td>Tea Tree Gully<\/td><\/tr>
Archie Van Dyk*<\/td>South Adelaide<\/td>Port Noarlunga<\/td><\/tr>
Kodah Edwards*<\/td>South Adelaide<\/td>Willunga<\/td><\/tr>
Angus White*<\/td>South Adelaide<\/td>Willunga<\/td><\/tr>
Elliott Duffield<\/td>South Adelaide<\/td>Strathalbyn<\/td><\/tr>
Cain Florance*<\/td>South Adelaide<\/td>Kingscote<\/td><\/tr>
Jesse Nye<\/td>South Adelaide<\/td>Willunga<\/td><\/tr>
Harley Barker<\/td>Sturt<\/td>Mount Barker<\/td><\/tr>
Jett Dahlitz<\/td>Sturt<\/td>Onkaparinga Valley<\/td><\/tr>
Noah Roberts-Thomson<\/td>Sturt<\/td>Unley Jets<\/td><\/tr>
Blake Thredgold<\/td>Sturt<\/td>Payneham<\/td><\/tr>
Louis Kellaway<\/td>Sturt<\/td>Glenunga<\/td><\/tr>
Mitchell Marsh<\/td>West Adelaide<\/td>Kangarilla<\/td><\/tr>
Jack Cook<\/td>Woodville-West Torrens<\/td>Port District<\/td><\/tr>
Jevan Phillipou<\/td>Woodville-West Torrens<\/td>PHOS Camden<\/td><\/tr>
Zane Peucker<\/td>Woodville-West Torrens<\/td>Port District<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
* – denotes bottom-age<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

IN: <\/strong>Sam Ainsworth (Norwood), Tim Alver (Glenelg), Tom McKay (Glenelg), Jesse Nye (South Adelaide), Gabe Patterson (Glenelg), Zane Peucker (Woodville-West Torrens), Bryce Sanders (North Adelaide)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA U18 FIXTURES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Venues TBC<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@ Allies | Sunday June 1, 12:00pm
vs. Vic Metro | Sunday June 8, 10:05am
vs. Western Australia | Sunday June 15, 12:00pm
@ Vic Country | Sunday June 29, 1:05pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> FIXTURES:<\/strong> 2025 Under 16 & 18 National Championships<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mentions<\/span><\/span><\/div>