The Limestone Coast young guns to keep an eye on in 2022 including Brooke Tonon, Leila Croker, Hayden Crowe
From superstar runners to AFL prospects and everything in between, these are the top young Limestone Coast athletes to look out for in 2022. See the full list.
Mount Gambier
Don't miss out on the headlines from Mount Gambier. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The new year is here and South Australia’s crop of future sporting stars are preparing for a big 2022 in their codes after another disrupted 12 month.
One region which is no stranger to producing and developing standout talent is the Limestone Coast.
Mount Gambier athletics star Leila Croker just recently won the under-18 Bay-Sheffield, while 16-year-old Hayden Crowe made the senior men’s final.
Their achievements follow the success of footy young guns Brooke Tonon, who was drafted by the Adelaide Crows’ AFLW side in July and Oscar Adams who was picked up by St Kilda in November.
With much more Limestone Coast talent coming through the ranks and making names for themselves, we’ve listed the 20 to watch in 2022.
Athletes are in no particular order and have been selected with feedback from the Limestone Coast Regional Sporting Academy and local clubs.
Brooke Tonon
Football
At just 17 years of age Tonan has already achieved the ultimate in local SA footy, winning the SANFLW premiership with Glenelg last season.
The star halfback came through the ranks in Mount Gambier through her junior years and had an outstanding year with the Tigers in 2021, making the SANFLW Team of the Year.
She was selected by the Crows for AFLW 2022 and is undoubtedly a prospect to keep an eye on.
Leila Croker
Athletics
Croker’s Bay Sheffield win capped off a remarkable 2021 in which she made significant strides in her promising career.
Recognised as an Athlete of the Year by Athletics SA, Croker has become one of the most promising young athletes in the country.
She will move from Mount Gambier to Adelaide in 2022 to pursue studies but also plans to achieve national representation this season.
Oscar Adams
Football
Mount Gambier’s Adams had his world flipped when he was selected at pick number 51 by St Kilda in the AFL draft.
The tall defender first pulled on the boots at eight but realised he could turn his passion for the game into a career when he joined Glenelg travelling to the city each week to line up.
Now Adams has joined the Saints in Melbourne and began training in December.
Hayden Crowe
Athletics
Crowe – just 16 years of age – had a huge 2021, ran second in the senior 200m at the Stawell Gift and finishing in national qualifying times in both the under-18s and under-20s 400m.
He also recently made the final of the senior men’s Bay Sheffield.
2022 could see Crowe make his mark as one of the state’s top young runners.
Nerve Delaney
Football
Mount Gambier’s Delaney won the division one Adelaide Footy League women’s premiership with Morphettville Park last season after a strong year with the Roos.
The talented midfielder has played multiple seasons for South Gambier and will lace up her boots for the Eagles in SANFLW in season 2022.
Thomas Bignell
Swimming
Blue Lake Y Swim Club star Bignell has become the region’s star swimmer of late and looks set to make waves at state and national level over the coming years.
The 16-year-old set a new SA country record for 50-metre breastroke in 2020 and continued his strong form into 2021.
He’ll be one to watch in the water this year.
Sarah Dally
Cycling
Currently undergoing a trial period with SASI, Dally has been a cycling phenomenon.
She hadn’t started cycling when she was scouted in 2019 from Mount Gambier High School, where she was also recently named dux, but has since competed in multiple state championships.
Dally is on the improve every race and will undoubtedly be a strong up and comer in 2022.
Jackson Bowden
Basketball
Bowden is a supreme athlete, running a scorching 2.9 seconds for the 20m sprint at SASI talent ID testing in 2021 before continuing to excel in basketball.
Playing for the Millicent Magic and also the Eastern Mavericks in the NBL1 Central league, the tall and athletic basketballer has caught a lot of attention throughout the last year.
He has been a state representative multiple times and will represent SA Country in the upcoming Adelaide Invitational Challenge.
Reece Cowling
Football
17-year-old Cowling is a strong and reliable footballer for West Gambier, making his A Grade debut in 21021 while still competing in his first year of under-18s.
With the ability to play around the park, Cowling was named in the best players in multiple weeks.
Niel Van NieKirk
Cycling
Mount Gambier Cycling Club star Van NieKirk recently won seven medals at the state track titles just days after recovering from a broken wrist.
The teenager continued his speedy performances in 2021 after a successful 2020 during which he placed second in the SA Cycling Championships in the 38.4km road and 8km time trial events.
Stella Mobbs
Basketball
Mount Gambier’s Mobbs is only 13 years old yet has played at under-18s level for multiple years now.
A tall and athletic player who specialises as an interior defender, Mobbs’ eye-catching game has seen her represent the state SA Country on various occasions and train under the Mount Gambier Pioneers.
The sky looks to be the limit for the young star in 2022.
Jobe Stewart
Racing
Mount Gambier supercar racer Stewart is just 17 but has already established himself as the region’s most promising young driver.
The teenager represents Erebus Motorsport – one of the top supercar teams in Australia.
While he has had an extremely interrupted past two seasons due to Covid-19, he has been able to hone his skills virtually and even raced against champions Scott McLaughlin and Shane Van Gisbergen at Mount Panorama, Bathurst.
Jacob Opperman
Horse racing
Opperman’s 2021 was as successful as anyone’s – the teenager riding dozens of metropolitan winners in South Australia before making his debut in Melbourne.
The jockey has been recognised as one of the most talented riders to come out of the Limestone Coast in recent years and is aiming to achieve even more in 2022.
Ambah Beveridge
Basketball
Beveridge continues to develop her game and has made huge strides in the Limestone Coast Regional Sporting Academy in the past year.
One of the hardest working basketballers in the region, she will push for a spot with the Mount Gambier Pioneers in the 2022 NBL1 season.
Poppy Venn
Basketball
Venn is one of the newest members of the Limestone Coast Regional Sporting Academy but has been a star locally for years.
A consistent star for the Millicent Magic, Venn has been selected for SA country representation multiple times after performing at a consistently high level at her club.
Connor Millhouse (hockey)
Hockey
Millhouse is a long-time state representative and was at his best again in 2021, winning the South East Hockey Association best and fairest.
Still only 17 years old, the teenage star is now on the SASI hockey training list after a successful season.
Tegan Lythgo
Tennis
Lythgo is on the rise in tennis and has become a smash hit in the sport locally.
Hard-hitting and nimble around the court, the young star has made big progress in the sport and was selected for the under-13s regional state team in 2021.
Jack Wilkinson
Basketball
Hailing from the Naracoorte Basketball Association, Wilkinson was a standout member of the Mount Gambier Pioneers Next Generation Academy in 2021.
The versatile basketballer has been recognised for his work ethic and skill and will be a future star according to the Limestone Coast Regional Sporting Academy.
Aiden Cameron (hockey)
Hockey
Cameron is a four-time SA representative and only missed out on his fifth championships due to a broken wrist in 2021.
He came through the Lower South East Hockey Association for West Hockey Club and now plays for Seacliff in the Premier League under-18s division one competition.
Look for him to make a name for himself at national level in the future.
Kai Arbery
Cycling
Arbery has only recently taken up sprint cycling but has a promising future after performing at his speedy best through 2020 and 2021.
He has become an important part of the Mount Gambier Cycling Club and has recorded velodrome and time trial results up there with the best in the state.
Join the conversation
SA’s dirtiest suburbs and the $3m graffiti price tag
Ratepayers have forked out millions to clean up the mess left behind by vandals in just two years. Search the state’s graffiti hotspots and see where you area ranks.
Read more
‘How I travel the world for almost free’: The life of an influencer
Free flights, hotels and plenty of money-can’t-buy experiences are some of the perks that come with being a micro-influencer for this jetsetting South Aussie.
Read more