{"id":187764,"date":"2025-04-23T16:39:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T06:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=187764"},"modified":"2025-04-23T16:39:03","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T06:39:03","slug":"sanfl-u18s-player-focus-noah-roberts-thomson-sturt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2025\/04\/23\/sanfl-u18s-player-focus-noah-roberts-thomson-sturt\/","title":{"rendered":"SANFL U18s Player Focus: Noah Roberts-Thomson (Sturt)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

STURT’S midfield has been humming in the early part of the SANFL Under 18 season, largely thanks to the combination of Richmond father-son prospect Louis Kellaway<\/strong> and Noah Roberts-Thomson<\/a>. The latter is yet to drop below 20 disposals across five rounds as the Double Blues sit pretty atop the ladder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 180cm on-baller who works hard to win his own ball, Roberts-Thomson has been part of South Australia’s state academy pathway since Under 16 level. He’s the cousin of two-time premiership Swan Lewis<\/em><\/strong>, but is paving his own path to the top level. He’s our SANFL Under 18s Player Focus for Round 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> SANFL U18s:<\/strong> Round 5 recap<\/a> | Round 5 Scouting Notes<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"SouthSouth Australia<\/a>, \"Sturt-logo\"Sturt<\/a>Midfielder-Forward<\/span><\/div>

Noah Roberts-Thomson<\/h4>

Height: <\/span>181cm<\/p>

Weight: <\/span> - <\/p>

DOB: <\/span>29-03-2007<\/p><\/div><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

2025 AVERAGES (5 games):<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

23.8 disposals, 5.6 marks, 4.2 tackles, 4.2 clearances, 1.2 goals (6 total)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE EXPERTS SAID:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Noah is a strong, contested ball-winning player who also uses his strong running capacity to link the ball up on the outside as well. Throughout our program, he trained with the midfielders developing his stoppage and ground level craft. He also did some work with our defenders focusing on aerial and one-on-one defending fundamentals. Noah has had a very good preseason and has shown some great progressions both technically and physically.” – SANFL Head of Development, Heath Younie<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> FULL SQUAD:<\/strong> South Australia Under 18s<\/a><\/p>\n

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PLAYER FOCUS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

2025 SANFL Under 18s: Round 5
Sturt 13.17 (95) def. Norwood 6.7 (43)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#26 <\/strong>Noah Roberts-Thomson<\/a> (Sturt)<\/strong>
Stats:<\/strong> 22 disposals, 3 marks, 6 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 goals, 4 behinds<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Centre Bounce Attendances: <\/strong>Q1 6\/10 | Q2 3\/4 | Q3 3\/7 | Q4 1\/1 | Total:<\/strong> 13\/22<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FIRST QUARTER:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was easy to identify Roberts-Thomson, sporting a pair of bright yellow boots at the opening centre bounce. He lined up next to Jim Kelly<\/strong> and swooped on the loose ball, attempting a quick handpass but seeing it turn over off hands to Kelly as Norwood cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That early possession set the tone for Roberts-Thomson\u2019s game, as he went on to burrow in as Sturt\u2019s primary ball winner. Redlegs ruck Sam Ainsworth<\/strong> dominated the hitouts, meaning the Double Blues onballer had to be proactive and read the taps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roberts-Thomson was clean at the coalface and his presence there mattered, as highlighted when Sturt broke to a 25-1 head start within 14 minutes, only for him to rotate forward out of the centre bounces and watch Norwood score in the next 60 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While sucked to the ball at times, Roberts-Thomson won it more often than not. He also applied himself defensively at stoppages, providing great pressure on one instance to prevent a Norwood clearance, which in turn saw Sturt break forward and score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SECOND QUARTER:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roberts-Thomson shifted tact slightly to more often be a receiver at stoppages, benefitting from the clean inside work of Louis Kellaway<\/strong>. He tracked the play well and timed his forward runs to gather on the move, while also opening his account on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A terrific front-and-centre crumb yielded Roberts-Thomson\u2019s first goal, positioning expertly under Ben Beaven<\/strong> to mop up the spilt mark and finish with the outside of his boot. That moment, and a loose ball gather on the spin showcased his power and attack on the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While known as a workhorse who can win his own footy and help others shine, Roberts-Thomson’s crumbing game translates well inside 50. He’s quick to dispose of the ball and opportunistic when it hits the deck, which led to two gilt-edge shots in the second term. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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