North Adelaide’s Billy Hartung among big names to join SANFL for the 2020 seasons
Former Hawks and Kangaroos speedster Billy Hartung is one of 19 ex-AFL players joining the SANFL this season. Find out why he’s here plus analysis of every SANFL club’s off-season.
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Billy Hartung’s football journey has been far from simple the past three years.
But a fresh start in a different state could just be what the former Hawthorn and North Melbourne player needs to reignite his career.
The 25-year-old is North Adelaide’s gun signing amid a strong batch of off-season recruits.
Since 2017, Hartung has gone from AFL lists at the Hawks and Kangaroos to local leagues in Melbourne and now across the border in the SANFL.
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First-year Roosters coach Jacob Surjan described the 76-game ex-AFL player as the ultimate professional.
“The spark for Billy to hopefully get back into the AFL, if he has a good year, still burns for him.,” Surjan said of Hartung, an AFL rising star nominee in 2015.
“I think he’s still got that drive to play AFL footy, which I love, and if we can help him do that then it’s a big tick for our footy club.
“If we help him get back into the AFL or he plays at the Roosters for the next two, three, five years, then that’s a win for all of us.”
Hartung played 13 games in his first season for the Kangaroos in 2018 before a surprise delisting, a year after suffering the same fate at the Hawks.
He then signed for amateur club St Bedes Mentone before switching to Southern Football Netball League club St Kilda City mid-season.
A link through North junior and former Hawthorn teammate, now Port Adelaide player, Ryan Burton started conversations between the parties before Hartung decided a fresh start in SA would be the best move for his football.
And the elite runner comes to Prospect Oval looking to add another string to his bow as an inside midfielder.
“He’s put on a bit of muscle and strength in his year out of AFL playing amateur footy,” Surjan said.
“He wants to learn that craft and turn himself into an inside mid as well.
“Because I think we all know that he can play on the outside, if he can learn to play a bit more on the inside he’ll be an even better asset.”
The SANFL once again stamped its standing this off-season as a prime landing spot for players straight out of the AFL system and also the top place for big league hopefuls to showcase their talent.
Hartung is one of 19 players with AFL experience to join the league this season compared to 16 in 2019, which was more than double the previous off-season.
ALL THE SANFL INS AND OUTS
ADELAIDE
Ins: Billy Frampton (Port Adelaide), Fischer McAsey (Sandringham Dragons), Harry Schoenberg (Woodville-West Torrens), Josh Worrell (Sandringham Dragons), Ronin O’Connor (Claremont), Lachlan Gollant (Calder Cannons), Ben Keays (Brisbane Lions), Ben Crocker (Collingwood)
Outs: Andy Otten (retired/Box Hill), Richard Douglas (retired/Norwood), Sam Jacobs (GWS), Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast), Paul Hunter (delisted/Williamstown), Jordon Boyle (West Adelaide), Jy Farrar (Gold Coast), Tom Hutchesson (GWS), Pierce Seymour (Woodville-West Torrens)
Analysis: Change swept through West Lakes in 2019 and the result is the Crows SANFL side – much like their AFL outfit – will have a injection of youth this season. Experienced AFL campaigners Otten, Douglas, Jacobs and Greenwood all played SANFL at some point last year and have left the club. The Crows are yet to release their list of development players for this year while it is yet to be seen which level Crocker and Keays will spend the bulk of their seasons.
CENTRAL DISTRICT
Ins: Daniel Menzel (Sydney Swans), James Boyd (Woodville-West Torrens), Jackson Kelly (Wagga Wagga), Ben Kelly (Wagga Wagga), Chris Olsson (Norwood), Sam Hanna (returned/Gumeracha), Jai Nanscawen (Dandenong Stingrays), Mitch Bunworth (Palmerston Magpies), Joel Buderick (NT Thunder/Nightcliff), Brett Kennedy (South Adelaide), Ben Nason (Woodville-West Torrens)
Outs: Jydon Neagle (Wodonga), Jaxon Neagle (Wodonga), Tim Auckland (Clarence), Matthew White (Overseas), Brody Mahoney (country Victoria)
Analysis: It is a new, post-Roy Laird era at the Dogs and plenty will be riding on the name Menzel this season. Daniel joins brother Troy at the kennel and arrives as arguably the league’s top recruit this off-season. Boyd returns to the club as a solid veteran and some unproven prospects fill out the list of ins. But Central has not lost a lot either and come out of summer with a slightly stronger list.
GLENELG
Ins: Billy Stretch (Melbourne), Matt Allen (West Coast), Jack Hannath (NT Thunder), Jackson Edwards (Werribee), Curtis McCarthy (Geelong VFL/St Josephs), Tom Condon (Sturt), Luke Parks (Sydney Swans Academy), Mitch Martin (Horsham/Greater Western Victoria Rebels), Angus Cole (Bendigo Pioneers)
Outs: Jesse White (retired), Chris Curran (work/Renmark Rovers), Will Gould (Sydney Swans), Josh Scott (Jervois), Aaron Joseph (retired), Brad Close (Geelong), Ben Sawford (South Adelaide), Josh Koster (West Adelaide), Elliot Chalmers (North Adelaide), Sam Davis (North Adelaide), Tim Sumner (Waikerie)
Analysis: Six of the 21 players who led Glenelg to its drought-breaking flag will not be there to try and make it back-to-back. It’s a blow which has been softened by the returns of Stretch and Allen from AFL lists. Both have starred at state league level when playing in the VFL and WAFL respectively. Hannath provides some cover in the ruck for the departing White, especially at a time in recruiting when quality big men are in short supply.
NORTH ADELAIDE
Ins: Billy Hartung (St Kilda City) Andrew Moore (Box Hill Hawks), Robbie Young (St Kilda), Harrison Wigg (Gold Coast), Kym Lebois (Carlton), Cameron Hewett (Port Adelaide), Elliot Chalmers (Glenelg), Sam Davis (Glenelg), Will Combe (Crystal Brook), Sam Parsons (Box Hill Hawks)
Outs: Max Thring (retired/Keith), Aidan Tropiano (Perth), Maris Olekalns (Overseas), Billy Laurie (Work/Keith), Brock Castree (North Clare), Jake Keller (Mannum), Jared Deep (NSW), Max Lower (Port Macquarie), Mackenzie Slee (Kingston), Jack Blair (Werribee), Strato Agorastos, Darcy Ginever, James Schwarz
Analysis: The Roosters’ recruiting spree was so impressive it led new skipper Alex Spina to say the club’s 2020 list is “head and shoulders” the best he’s seen at Prospect Oval. Hartung could star, Moore provides serious grit and inside ball-winning ability to replace Tropiano while Young, Wigg, Lebois and Hewett all return to North with plenty of good football still ahead of them. Thring’s leadership will be missed but, outside of the ruck spot, the Roosters look to have come out of the off-season better.
NORWOOD
Ins: Richard Douglas (Adelaide), Ryan Bastinac (Brisbane), Emmanuel Irra (South Adelaide), Tom Pinyon (Mount Compass), Nik Rokahr (Bell Park), Codey Ellison (McLaren), Sam Johns (basketball), Brad Ficken (basketball)
Outs: Jace Bode (retired/Payneham Norwood Union), Alex Georgiou (retired/Lobethal), Ed Smart (retired/Onkaparinga Valley), Brady Dawe (retired/Lobethal), Dylan Stephens (Sydney Swans), Cam Taheny (Geelong), Chris Olsson (Central District), Josh Miller (Henley), Tom Forster (Melbourne), Mitch Carter
Analysis: Four premiership players departed but there was always little doubt Norwood – the perennial recruiting wizards – would match it with some big incomings. Douglas and Bastinac are genuine A-graders while Irra and Rokahr could provide added spark. The Redlegs will hope Pinyon and Ellison can fix one of their consistent issues in recent seasons – goals from tall forwards. Positionally, Georgiou could be the biggest blow with no direct replacement recruited, so Norwood will be relying on someone to step up and fill a key post in defence.
PORT ADELAIDE
Ins: Tyson Goldsack (Collingwood), Miles Bergman (Sandringham Dragons), Mitch Georgiades (Subiaco), Dylan Williams (Oakleigh Chargers), Jackson Mead (Woodville-West Torrens), Jake Pasini (Swan Districts), Trent Burgoyne (Woodville-West Torrens), Sean Samblich (Sturt), Harrison Thornton (Sturt)
Outs: Matthew Broadbent (delisted/South Adelaide), Aidyn Johnson (delisted/Richmond VFL), Jack Trengove (delisted/Prince Alfred OC), Billy Frampton (Adelaide), Cameron Hewett (delisted/North Adelaide), Kai Pudney (delisted/Woodville-West Torrens), Sam Davidson (West Adelaide)
Analysis: Collingwood premiership defender Goldsack’s experience and leadership will be invaluable for the Magpies and is a strong addition as its SANFL marquee player. With Port tipped to hand AFL debuts to draftees for the second year running, namely Mead and Bergman, some experienced Power players could find themselves in the SANFL.
SOUTH ADELAIDE
Ins: Keegan Brooksby (West Coast), Matthew Broadbent (Port Adelaide), James Rose (Sydney Swans), Ben Sawford (Glenelg), Tom Highmore (Canberra)
Outs: Brad Crabb (retired), Nick Liddle (retired/Yakallilla), Abe Davis (Sturt), Emmanuel Irra (Norwood), Mark Noble (Werribee), Brett Kennedy (Central District)
Analysis: The Panthers made two big splashes by luring Broadbent and Rose down to Noarlunga instead of returning to their original SANFL clubs. Liddle and Davis are big losses but a new midfield role for Rose and the addition of Bays ball-winner Sawford will help fill the void. Brooksby far and away the most important signing however. The best ruckman in the league on his day, the 29-year-old’s return transforms South into a serious contender.
STURT
Ins: Dean Gore (Geelong VFL), Jordan Houlahan (Essendon), Abe Davis (South Adelaide), Harry Morrison (Sydney University), Sam Smith (NT Thunder), Ashley Johnson (Scotch OC), Sam Wundke (North Adelaide)
Outs: Jack Stephens (retired/Sydney), Fraser Evans (retired/Kapunda), Aidan Riley (retired/Lobethal), Danyle Pearce (retired), John Greenslade (retired/Onkaparinga Valley), Josh Dodd (Kapunda), Ed Allan (West Adelaide), Tom Condon (Glenelg), Sean Samblich (Port Adelaide SANFL), Harrison Thornton (Port Adelaide SANFL)
Analysis: A stack of experience – and premierships – walked out the door with the Double Blues’ off-season departures. Gore, Houlahan and Davis are strong additions as Sturt got its business done early in the off-season. The defence will be the toughest aspect for coach Nathan Grima with star pair Stephens and Evans gone. Sam Smith was hoped to be a replacement before rupturing his ACL at training, now ex-North defender Wundke has been brought in from Adelaide Footy League club Glenunga for the big job.
WEST ADELAIDE
Ins: Josh Koster (Glenelg), Sam Davidson (Port Adelaide), Jordon Boyle (Adelaide/Salisbury North), Domonic Grant (NT Thunder), Ed Allan (Sturt), Hamish Ellem (Sydney Swans Academy), Kyle Martin (Sydney Swans Academy), Matthew McKenzie (St Albans), Hayden Elliot (St Albans), Stuart Taverner (Plympton)
Outs: Chris Schmidt (retired/Eudunda-Robertstown), Jono Beech (Broadbeach), Errin Wasley-Black (Aspley), Hugh Haysman (Essendon VFL), Will Day (Hawthorn), Dustin Head (retired), Nigel Osborn (work)
Analysis: Some quality has left and the ins don’t – on face value – appear to be enough for Bloods fans to be shutting down the phone lines at Richmond for membership requests. Koster, Boyle and Davidson could thrive with more opportunity but the rest of the recruiting class’ ability to make an immediate impact remains unknown.
WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS
Ins: Kai Pudney (Port Adelaide), Jake Johansen (returned), Pierce Seymour (Adelaide/Payneham Norwood Union), Liam Buxton (Casey Demons), Rhyan Mansell (North Launceston), Damien Hill (Myponga-Sellicks)
Outs: Scott Lewis (retired), James Boyd (Central District), Seb Guilhaus (retired), Kysaiah Pickett (Melbourne), Harry Schoenberg (Adelaide), Jackson Mead (Port Adelaide), Josh Morris (Hawthorn), Michael Frederick (Fremantle), Trent Burgoyne (Port Adelaide), Jack Gaffney (Port Districts), Cooper Gaffney (Port Districts), Joe Heinjus (Brinkworth Spalding Redhill), Isaac Moller (Brinkworth Spalding Redhill), Xavier Redden (Strathalbyn), Ben Nason (Central District)
Analysis: The Eagles appear to have addressed a few needs while backing in the majority of the 2019 senior side to get the job done. Pudney was cut from the Power list after just one season but is still developing and adds some run to first-year coach Jade Sheedy’s side. Experienced campaigners Lewis and Boyd depart but provide an opportunity for some young Eagles to step up to the plate.