Local Footy SA off-season central: All the news from the SANFL, country footy and Adelaide Footy League
North Adelaide has announced two new signings but three players – including a young ruckman – have left Prospect Oval. Plus more player movement in Local Footy SA’s Off-Season Central.
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Welcome to Local Footy SA’s Off-Season Central – where you can find all the latest player moves, coaching changes and more news from across the state.
Stay in touch with all the news from the SANFL, country leagues and the Adelaide Footy League by bookmarking this page and checking throughout the off-season.
LATEST HEADLINES
ROOSTER RUCK STOCKS LOOK LOW
North Adelaide has suffered a blow ahead of the SANFL season with developing ruckman Jack Blair one of three departures from Prospect Oval.
The 24-year-old – a rugby convert who was seen as a project player at the Roosters – informed the club he would be return home to Victoria and play for Werribee in the VFL.
Blair played six league matches in his first season of SANFL last year.
He came to the club after featuring once for the Sydney Swans’ NEAFL side alongside playing local footy in NSW, which was enough to garner rookie draft interest late in 2018.
The 206cm, 108kg big man’s departure leaves North’s ruck stocks low ahead of this campaign.
Veteran James Craig, who did not manage a league appearance in 2019 and battled injury the year before, is the club’s only recognised ruckman with senior experience alongside pinch-hitters Mitchell Harvey and Alex Barns.
Meanwhile, James Schwarz and Darcy Ginever have also left the club.
Schwarz made his league debut last season and played eight matches while Ginever, who is the son of Port Adelaide great Tim Ginever, did not make a league appearance after crossing from the Magpies.
However, the Roosters have signed Sam Parsons – a 22-year-old defender with VFL experience at Box Hill and North Melbourne’s reserves – and former player Will Combe.
Combe, also 22, is the brother of North midfielder Campbell Combe and is a returning junior, who has spend the past four years playing for home club Crystal Brooke.
The following amateur and country players have also been training with the Roosters: Damon Hill (Gaza), Kurt Waterman (Nairne), Bailey Hann (Wallaroo), Nick Jaensch (Nairne), Jake Wehl (Robe), Jak Goudman-Glasson (Hectorville), Ryan Marini (Adelaide University), Patrick Davies (Bute).
NEW TOP DOG
Central District will enter the 2020 SANFL season on the back of a leadership overall with a new captain to join first-year coach Jeff Andrews.
Bulldogs stalwart Luke Habel was revealed as the club’s new skipper last week, replacing Trent Goodrem.
The 31-year-old has played 155 games for the club and will be joined in the leadership group by hardworking midfielder Jarrod Schiller and ex-Carlton and Adelaide player Troy Menzel.
Goodrem was the Dogs’ skipper from 2015-2019 and stepped down alongside vice-captain Kyle Jenner, however both veterans will continue to pull the boots on for the club.
Habel is the second new captain announced in the SANFL ahead of the season after Alex Spina took the reins at North Adelaide from the retiring Max Thrings.
At least three other clubs – Norwood, Glenelg and Port Adelaide – are expected to name new skippers.
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VIC COUNTRY SKIPPER JOINS DOGS
Central District has made a promising signing ahead of the 2020 campaign by luring talented 19-year-old Victorian Jai Nanscawen across the border.
The Dandenong Stingrays product is a 184cm, 79kg half-forward with the ability to push up onto the wing.
Nanscawen is rated for his ability around goal and excellent endurance.
He captained the Vic Country state under-16 team before going on to play three seasons with Dandenong in the TAC Cup.
Injury then cruelled his under-18 draft year in 2018, where he made the Vic Country squad but was unable to get on the park.
Nanscawen also represented Victoria in basketball as a junior.
He is one of several signings at Central under new coach Jeff Andrews, joining former Geelong and Sydney forward Daniel Menzel, former Dogs midfielder James Boyd (Woodville-West Torrens), Chris Olsson (Norwood), Jackson and Ben Kelly (Wagga Wagga) and returning utility Sam Hanna.
TOP RECRUITS THIS OFF-SEASON
The 2019/20 local footy off-season has been one of the busiest in recent memory with a flurry of big name recruits signing for the upcoming campaign.
A former AFL captain, SANFL team of the decade members, a Jack Oatey Medallist and others with stacks of AFL experience are set to pull on the boots for grassroots clubs in 2020.
Last year’s rankings saw former Western Bulldogs skipper Ryan Griffen come in at No.1.
Local Footy SA’s writer Patrick Keam has ranked the big name country and amateur signings this off-season.
FULL STORY: THE TOP 20 OFF-SEASON RECRUITS
SANFL
BILLY’S BACK IN BIG BOOST FOR THE BAYS
Glenelg junior Billy Stretch has confirmed he will return to his former SANFL club for the 2020 season.
The delisted Melbourne midfielder had been strongly linked with a move back home to the Bays after he was not offered another contract by the Demons and signed on at Glenelg.
“I’ve obviously always had a strong connection with Glenelg being my junior club,” Stretch said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“I’d always kept in touch with a lot of the boys there and some of the coaching staff across my AFL career so there was a strong affiliation there which at the end of the day made the decision quite easy.
“The decision to come back to Glenelg and be around family and a lot of my close friends and play some footy under Mark Stone was quite appealing, that was a driving force at the end of the day.”
Stretch, who played 47 AFL games in five years with Melbourne, said he was driven to return to the top level.
BASTINAC, DOUGLAS TO BOOST REDLEGS
First it was former North Melbourne and Brisbane midfielder, now ex-Adelaide on-baller Richard Douglas.
Safe to say Norwood has made the biggest splash among SANFL clubs in terms of high-profile off-season signings.
Bastinac, 28, played 164 games for the Kangaroos and Lions before Brisbane cut him at the end of this past season.
The perfect way to start your week! ðŸ˜
— Norwood FC (@NorwoodFC) November 18, 2019
Welcome Ryan Bastinac to the 🔴🔵
📰 | https://t.co/unh5jgaFih#IAmNorwood pic.twitter.com/oiapj4F4su
He will reunite with former North Melbourne teammate Brad McKenzie at The Parade.
Douglas, 32, turned down offers from West Adelaide and Port Adelaide to sign with the Redlegs.
Douglas, who played 246 games for Adelaide kicking 164 goals, said he felt a new adventure at Norwood was the right move for the next stage of his career.
He joins other Redlegs signings South Adelaide speedster Emmanuel Irra and former Geelong VFL and country Victorian midfielder Nik Rokahr and ex-Panthers ruck/forward Codey Ellison at Norwood.
Full story: The reasons behind Bastinac’s move to The Parade
WIGG BACK AT PROSPECT
Injury-plagued former Adelaide Crow and Gold Coast Sun Harrison Wigg will return to SA next season in an attempt to reignite his football career.
The 23-year-old, who was delisted by the Suns after two years on the sidelines due to injury, will return to junior club North Adelaide in 2020.
It is at Prospect Oval where he hopes to play his first game since March, 2017 and attempt to work his way back onto an AFL list.
Wigg was drafted to Adelaide in 2014 and had three-injury free seasons but did not make his senior debut for the Crows, sparking a move to the Gold Coast in 2017.
But he then fractured his ankle in pre-season, ruling him out for the campaign, only to return and rupture his anterior cruciate ligament in February this year.
Speaking with the Gold Coast Bulletinbefore his move back home to SA, Wigg said he hoped to get his body in shape and push to get picked up again through the pre-season, supplementary or mid-season AFL draft periods.
“You never know with footy. I’ll see how it goes and play SANFL for six months and try and get back into the (AFL) system,” Wigg said.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back to playing.
“I know a fair few blokes from junior footy at the club too so I’m really excited.”
If Wigg is able to remain injury-free, his arrival will give new Roosters coach Jacob Surjan another weapon to work with in the midfield or across half-back.
Delisted St Kilda speedster Robbie Young has also returned to Prospect Oval along with gun midfielder Andrew Moore.
Former Hawthorn and North Melbourne midfielder Billy Hartung, returning Roosters Cam Hewett and Kym LeBois and Glenelg players Elliot Chalmers and Sam Davis have also signed.
PANTHERS’ DOUBLE SWOOP
South Adelaide’s off-season has been given a huge boost after luring ruckman Keegan Brooksby back to the club and landing delisted Power defender Matthew Broadbent.
Brooksby, 29, starred for the Panthers in 2018 when he co-captained the side with Joel Cross before joining West Coast at the end of last year as a pre-season supplemental selection.
“Leaving last year after being around for one season was not what I was really expecting to happen,” Brooksby said.
“To come back to the club, hopefully for good is something I’m really looking forward to.
“Younger blokes are getting plenty of experience and we’re in a position where we can really push on.”
Meanwhile the Panthers also beat Woodville-West Torrens to the signature of Broadbent.
The Power axed Broadbent, who was once a key member of the their back six, last month after 11 seasons with the club.
He shunned a move back to his junior club the Eagles and instead put pen to paper with South on Thursday.
Full story: Broadbent inks deal at Noarlunga
SONS OF SWANS CHAMPION BECOME BULLDOGS
A Brownlow medallist’s sons have landed at Elizabeth.
Central District announced on Monday the signings of Jackson and Ben Kelly – sons of Sydney Swans great Paul Kelly.
The brothers played for Wagga Tigers in the Riverina Football League this year.
Jackson, 23 and a wingman, played 16 matches this past season, kicking 14 goals.
Ben, a 21-year-old defender, featured in 15 games and booted five majors.
Norwood midfielder Chris Olsson has also joined the Bulldogs.
Olsson, 21, has lined up in 18 league games for the Redlegs.
The trio are Central’s first notable signings in Jeff Andrews’ time as coach.
Andrews, who replaced seven-time premiership mentor Roy Laird, joined the Bulldogs last month on a three-year deal.
MOVEMENT AT THE BLOODS
West Adelaide has made another addition from a rival SANFL club but has lost another two premiership players.
The Bloods have signed Port Adelaide development player Sean Davidson and Glenelg goalsneak Josh Koster in a bid to address the club’s need for more pace in 2020.
Davidson, a half-forward who has played 30 league games, made 15 appearances for the Magpies this season, including the grand final loss to Glenelg.
He joined Port Adelaide in 2018 after being a member of the Gold Coast Suns academy.
But 2015 Bloods premiership players Hugh Haysman and Errin Wasley-Black have left the club.
They join former captain Chris Schmidt and star Jono Beech in exiting.
Haysman will pursue work and football opportunities in Melbourne, while Wasley-Black has relocated to Brisbane.
FORMER SWAN LANDS AT NOARLUNGA
Ex-Sydney forward James Rose will play with South Adelaide in 2020.
The Panthers announced they had secured the Sturt junior’s signature after he was delisted by the Swans following five seasons with them.
In a statement on South’s website, Rose said the Panthers were the “right fit”.
“I’m bloody excited to contribute and looking at the list there are some fantastic leaders in (Joel) Cross and (Matthew) Rose,” he said.
“The list is maturing at the right time and it’s shaping up to be an exciting year, and I’m really keen to contribute.”
The 23-year-old was selected with pick No.37 at the 2014 AFL draft and went on to play a total of 14 AFL games with the Swans – including five this year.
He featured in 14 NEAFL games this past campaign and averaged 29.9 disposals, while booting 13 goals.
BEECH ON A BREAK
West Adelaide has been dealt a significant blow in its plans for 2020 with star Jono Beech informing the club he will take time away from the SANFL next season.
The 28-year-old will spend the year living in Queensland and travelling overseas with his partner.
Beech said was a difficult decision to take time away from the Bloods.
“Since moving to Adelaide from the Riverland in 2008 I have put my heart and soul into my football and the West Adelaide Football Club,” Beech told the West Adelaide website.
“The time feels right to move up to Queensland and do some travelling overseas in 2020.
“Westies is a second family to me and I plan to be back in 2021 with more determination than before.”
STURT GETS ANOTHER BACK
Sturt’s early recruiting raid has continued by enticing another junior back to the club off an AFL list.
Delisted Essendon high-flyer and Double Blues junior Jordan Houlahan was announced as the club’s latest signing after he was not offered another contract by the Bombers last month.
He joins fellow Sturt junior Dean Gore and South Adelaide recruit Abe Davis in joining the club.
Houlahan, picked up by Essendon at No. 49 in the 2017 draft, came through the ranks at Unley Oval.
He is an exciting forward with a big vertical leap, who can also be swung into defence and led the Bombers’ VFL goalkicking in 2019 with 23 majors.
The Double Blues have also signed Adelaide Crows SANFL-listed player and state draft combine invitee Jy Farrar.
The 22-year-old, who stands at 190cm and possesses eye-catching athleticism, is the cousin of ex-Sturt and current Crows forward Shane McAdam.
ADELAIDE FOOTY LEAGUE
BEST MATES TEAM UP WITH FLAG IN THEIR SIGHTS
Newly appointed Prince Alfred Old Collegians coach Craig Pitt has joined forces with best mate Jack Trengove in a bid to bring another flag to the Adelaide Footy League powerhouse.
The Reds announced on Friday that Pitt would take over as a playing coach to replace departing 2016 premiership mentor Brett Backwell.
Former Melbourne and Port Adelaide midfielder Trengove, who signed with PAOC earlier this month, will serve as Pitt’s assistant.
Full story: Pitt announced as PAOC coach
FORSTER, SEYMOUR FLY FROM FALCONS
Payneham Norwood Union’s task of going back-to-back in the Adelaide Footy League in 2020 just got a bit harder.
Not only do they have to face the likes of AFL players Jack Trengove and Tyson Goldsack next season, the Falcons have lost defender Pierce Seymour to Woodville-West Torrens and gun forward Alex Forster to Pembroke Old Scholars.
Forster, who booted 77 goals this season to lead division one, went to school at Pembroke and joins will join the Kings’ in the fourth tier.
The 26-year-old former Fremantle draftee and Norwood Redleg will be a playing assistant coach at the club.
Meanwhile, Seymour joins the Eagles in search of more state league opportunity.
The intercepting defender played eight SANFL games as an Adelaide Crows top-up in 2019, including the semi-final win over Norwood and preliminary final defeat to Glenelg.
TRENGOVE WANTS A FLAG WITH REDS MATES
A shot at winning a flag with old school mates is central to former Melbourne captain and Port Adelaide midfielder Jack Trengove’s decision to play at Prince Alfred Old Collegians next season.
The 28-year-old, 89-game AFL player will line up for the Adelaide Footy League grand finalists after weighing up his options following the Power’s decision to delist him.
Trengove said the opportunity to pull on the Old Reds guernsey alongside his mates from PAC was one he could not pass up.
Full story: Why Jack Trengove is playing local footy next season
PEARCE TO RETURN TO TOWNS
Veteran wingman Danyle Pearce has hung up the boots at the Double Blues but will return to his junior club in 2020.
The 33-year-old Pearce announced his retirement from Sturt and the SANFL on Tuesday after a one-season stint back in the league.
He then signed at Adelaide Footy League side Edwardstown, who will play in division three next season, where he came through the ranks before progressing to the Double Blues and then the AFL.
Pearce went on to play 258 games at Port Adelaide and Fremantle, winning the league’s rising star award in 2006.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
Payneham Norwood Union premiership coach Garry McIntosh has stepped down from the Falcons job with a fellow former Norwood captain to take his place – Jace Bode.
The recently crowned Adelaide Footy League division one mentor made the announcement to players and club members on Wednesday night.
McIntosh will stay at the club as an assistant – and possibly B grade coach – alongside Bode, who will also play for the Falcons.
Bode, 32, takes the job after retiring from Norwood at the end of the recent season following a brilliant career at The Parade.
Full story: Macca bows out as Falcons coach, replaced by Redleg
SAINTS’ FAVOURITE SON RETURNS
Club favourite Luke Donaldson is stepping into the keenly sought after A-grade coaching position at Goodwood Saints Football Club.
Donaldson was appointed after Saints’ coach after Adam Jeffries stood down at the end of the season to spend more time with his young family.
A Saints premiership player in 2009 and 2014, Donaldson spent the past three years at Westminster Old Scholars – taking the Dragons to the division four flag in 2016.
Full story: Donaldson back at Goodwood
COUNTRY FOOTY
PANTHER BECOMES A TIGER
Yankalilla has pulled off one of the most impressive signings in the Great Southern Football League this off-season after it lured five-time South Adelaide best and fairest Nick Liddle to the club.
The Tigers secured the signature of 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2018 Knuckey Cup winner, who will play under new coach, former Port Adelaide and North Melbourne forward Lindsay Thomas.
Liddle, 31, called time on his SANFL career at the end of the 2019 campaign.
He played 193 games at the Panthers after joining from VFL club Coburg for the 2010 season.
STEWART SIGNS WITH MAGPIES
Tanunda has boosted its chances of winning back-to-back Barossa, Light and Gawler premierships by signing former Port Adelaide and Woodville-West Torrens defender Paul Stewart.
Stewart, 32, played 101 AFL games for the Power before returning to the Eagles, his junior club, for two seasons.
Tanunda is coming off consecutive grand final appearances, losing to Nuriootpa by 21 points last year and recording a 13-point triumph over Angaston this past season.
The Magpies’ 2019 squad featured several former AFL or SANFL-listed players, including Matthew Westhoff, Dean Terlich, Matthew Prior and Josh Trembath.
Stewart spent most of his AFL and SANFL careers playing in defence but could also line up through the midfield or in attack.
NEW COBRAS COACH AS CRABB FINDS NEW HOME
Cove has announced its second coach since August with Jed Wilson taking over after former South Adelaide skipper Brad Crabb left the role in the wake of the club’s recent controversies.
Crabb took the Cobras job in August but stepped down in October and this week signed on as a player at Penola in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League.
Crabb, 32, decided that with a newborn child, more responsibility with his plumbing business and publicity and uncertainty about Cove’s football future would have been too much for a new coach.
He took the job from Brett Baldey, who held the reins for the past four seasons and led the Cobras to an eighth-place in the recent campaign with a 1-15 record.
Full story: Cobras new coach
THREE-TIME MAGAREY MEDALLIST AT MAGPIES
New Goolwa-Port Elliot coach Todd Miles has lured former North Adelaide teammate and three-time Magarey Medallist Jimmy Allan to the club.
Allan last played for Pembroke Old Scholars in division two of the Adelaide Footy League in 2017.
He and Miles played together at the Roosters, where Allan won Magarey Medals in 2007, 2010 and 2011 and Miles captained the club.
DOGS’ SMART MOVE
Onkaparinga Valley’s push to go one better in 2019 has received a big boost with Norwood speedster Ed Smart returning to the grand finalists.
Smart, who played 100 games for the Redlegs before retiring last month, played juniors at the Bulldogs and has committed for next season.
The 26-year-old joins Sturt premiership player John Greenslade at the club and will link up with former Norwood teammates Ben Jeffries and Tim Webber in the tri-colours.
NOBES A SAINT, AGAIN
One of SA country footy’s most prolific goalkickers has returned to his former club.
Tall Waikerie full-forward Daniel Nobes has left the Magpies to go back to Southern Football League side Christies Beach.
The spearhead, who has kicked 96, 115 and 130 goals for the Riverland Football League club in the past three seasons, was unveiled by the Saints on Monday.
Nobes last played for Christies Beach in 2016 when he booted 109 majors, which remains the club record for goals kicked in a season.
SCHMIDT JOINS LIST OF NEW PLAYER/COACHES
West Adelaide premiership captain and former Adelaide Crow Chris Schmidt is the latest big name to be announced as a playing coach at a country club.
Schmidt, who returned to the Bloods for the 2019 season after a year away from the SANFL, has signed on for the dual role at North Eastern Football League club Eudunda Robertstown.
The Saints have also signed former West Adelaide and Central District Ken Farmer Medallist Justin Hardy for the 2020 season.
Schmidt played 20 AFL games for Adelaide and Brisbane before winning the Jack Oatey Medal as he skippered West to its 2015 drought-breaking SANFL flag.
The 30-year old played junior football at the Robertstown Football Club.
He joins Sturt defender Fraser Evans (Kapunda), ex-Port Adelaide forward Lindsay Thomas (Yankalilla), former Adelaide and Melbourne big man James Sellar (Langhorne Creek), ex-North Adelaide skipper Todd Miles (Goolwa-Port Elliot), former Norwood defender Matt Fuller (Lobethal) and ex-West ruckman Ryan Willits (PHOS Camden) in taking up player/coach roles for next season.
100-GOAL SUPERBOOT CHANGES CLUBS
One of country footy’s most prolific forwards is on the move with Hills Football League battlers Nairne Bremer signing Hahndorf premiership spearhead Darcy Hourigan.
He has signed a two-year deal and will join brothers Jack and Lachlan at the Rams as the club attempts to make its mark in division one.
Hourigan played in all four of Hahndorf’s 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019 HFL flags, breaking the 100-goal barrier in two of those seasons.
The 24-year-old has led the league goalkicking tally for the past five straight years and booted a league-high 73 majors in the recent season.
He is a much needed addition to Nairne Bremer’s attack after fighting to a 2-14 win-loss record in its first season up in the HFL’s top flight.
The Rams averaged a league-worst 48 points per game in 2019.
TOP COACH SWITCHES LEAGUES
Three-time Flagstaff Hill premiership coach Rod Mitchell will attempt to turn the fortunes of Myponga-Sellicks around as he takes over at the Great Southern Football League wooden spooners next season.
Mitchell won a three-peat of Southern Football League flags with the Falcons from 2016-18 but will face a tough test at the Mudlarks, who managed just one win this season.
LOBETHAL SIGNS EX-STURT DUO
It finished second-bottom in the Hills Football League this past season but Lobethal is threatening to shoot up the ladder in 2020 after securing two ex-Sturt premiership players.
Hard-nosed midfielder Aidan Riley and ruckman Jack Osborn have joined the Tigers to play under new coach, former Norwood defender Matt Fuller.
Riley joins after retiring from SANFL footy following two premierships with the Double Blues.
The 27-year-old also played 25 AFL matches with Adelaide and Melbourne from 2011 to 2015.
Osborn, who hung up the boots at Sturt after the 2018 campaign, has spent the past season as playing coach of South Gawler.
Have a local footy story? Email patrick.keam@news.com.au