Every local SA footy offseason player move so far

More former AFL and SANFL players along with other big names have joined new local SA footy clubs recently as a busy 2023 preseason continues. Here are the major movements across the state from the past week.

Daniel Renfrey

@DanielRenfrey

2 min read

December 1, 2022 - 4:40PM

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Welcome to ‘New Recruits’ – a weekly wrap of all the major player transfers in local SA footy.

Each week of the off-season The Messenger will wrap up the big movements across the state, including all country and suburban competitions.

We have seen more major moves recently, as former SANFL and AFL players, and major local names find new homes in SA footy.

Here are the movements from the past week.

ADELAIDE FOOTY LEAGUE

Ed O’Connor (Norwood to Hope Valley)

Joey Stevens, Kyle Kerruish, Noah Goldie (Seaton Ramblers)

Robbie McCard (Gumeracha to Eastern Park)

Will Stockman (Renmark to Glenelg/PHOS Camden)

2020 Hope Valley club champion Ed O’Connor returns to the Demons after spending time in Norwood’s system namely as a midfielder in the reserves.

The midfielder should provide a further boost to the club which has retained key forward Daniel Nobes for season 2023 and also signed former Hawthorn premiership player Paul Puopolo.

ADELAIDE PLAINS FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Angus Rowntree (Reynella to United FC)

Tex Dowdell (Aldinga to Virginia)

Former WWTFC gun Angus Rowntree has joined United for Adelaide Plains FL season 2023. Picture: File

Rowntree was one of the biggest names to join a new local club this week, the former Woodville-West Torrens champion leaving Reynella to play under former Eagles teammate Jarred Allmond at United.

The hard-nosed midfielder only played six games for the Wineflies in 2022 but was one of the standout performers in the club’s grand final win over Morphett Vale and will bolster United’s list significantly.

BAROSSA, LIGHT & GAWLER FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Jamie Coff (Woodville South to Gawler Central)

GREAT SOUTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Bailey Nisbett, Jake Stafford, Mark Yeatman, Will Stafford (Strathalbyn)

Elijah Ware (Ironbank Cherry Gardens to McLaren)

Gaetan Gerber (Westminster OS to Yankalila)

James Hargreaves (St Peter’s OC to Yankalila)

Liam Gerber (United Yeelanna to Yankalila)

Scott Biddle (St Peter’s OC to Yankalila)

Former Central District and Port Adelaide player Elijah Ware (middle) has joined McLaren for season 2023. Picture: Ironbank Cherry Gardens Football Club

The Great Southern Football League saw more big names join this week, including former Central District and Port Adelaide gun Elijah Ware and St Peter’s OC champion James Hargreaves.

Ware – who is a Central District premiership player and also represented the Power in the AFL – has played and co-coached at Ironbank Cherry Gardens for the past three seasons and is a major signing for reigning GSFL premier McLaren.

Hargreaves is coming off of a fantastic season for SPOC in division one of the Adelaide Footy League, winning the club’s best and fairest after consistent showings through the middle.

He will be joined by gun Saints teammate Scott Biddle at Yankalila.

HILLS FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Damon Arnold (Unley to Nairne Bremer)

Kai Tucker (Blackwood to Mt Lofty)

Lockly Bayly (Nairne Bremer)

Max Biggs (Prince Alfred OC to Mt Lofty)

Blackwood young gun Kai Tucker has departed the club for Mt Lofty. Picture: Blackwood Football Club

Nairne Bremer and Mt Lofty have both continued their recruitment frenzies this week, adding multiple players to their long list of newcomers.

Kai Tucker should prove to be an important signing for the latter, the former Blackwood gun booting 10 goals in 14 midfield appearances last season.

Damon Arnold is another big inclusion for the HFL and for Nairne Bremer, the former Sturt player dominating for Unley in the Adelaide Footy League last season as a midfielder who can move up the ground and boot goals.