Former Sydney midfielder James Rose quits South Adelaide before playing a game
South Adelaide has been dealt a significant blow, losing a key recruit after he opted not to return to the Panthers following the break because of the coronavirus.
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South Adelaide midfielder James Rose has turned his back on the Panthers and opted not to front in the SANFL this season.
Delisted by Sydney Swans last year after five seasons and 14 AFL games, Rose signed with the Panthers rather than return to Sturt where he played his junior football.
The No. 37 pick in the 2014 national draft did the pre-season with the Panthers, but has told the club he wants to concentrate on his employment.
His decision has proved costly for the Panthers after they paid the Double Blues a $25,000 transfer fee.
“While it is disappointing that James will not be playing this season, the reality of the current situation is that some players will not be in a position to play,” Panthers chief executive Neill Sharpe said.
“James has a good career opportunity in an industry that has also been impacted by COVID-19 and has chosen to focus on that.”
The loss of Rose for the season follows the announcement former North Melbourne and Brisbane midfielder Ryan Bastinac won’t front for Norwood this year.
COVID-19 has also prompted Liam Buxton, a ruckman with Casey Demons last season, to alter his plans and he won’t be joining Woodville-West Torrens.
Buxton had an opportunity to secure work opportunities in Melbourne, a situation not guaranteed in Adelaide.
The Double Blues will be without high-marking Josh Patullo after he became a casualty of the coronavirus outbreak.
Patullo returned home to Victoria when the season was postponed and has decided against playing in Adelaide this year.
However, the Double Blues have picked up a prized recruit after former Port Adelaide forward Johnson approached coach Nathan Grima last week.
Johnson was delisted by the Power last year and had intended playing with Richmond in the VFL, only to return to Adelaide because of the uncertainty hanging over that league.
The Double Blues have also secured former Adelaide state league player Hamish Latchford.
Central District has lost Matthew Neagle, who has informed the club he could return in 2021 after deciding to stay with his family in Albury this year.
“Given his employment situation, Matthew had no alternative but to stay in Albury after finding employment there,” Bulldogs chief executive Kris Grant said.
“It is disappointing because he is a terrific lad and we like the way he goes about his football. But we totally understand.”
Crows development gun returns to Bays
Matt Merrett, Adelaide Football Club’s best development player last year, has returned to Glenelg as a result of the Crows losing their place in the 2020 SANFL competition season because of COVID-19 restrictions.
An AFL ruling banned players not selected for their AFL teams to play in second-tier competitions meaning players like Merrett did not have a team to play with.
But Merrett, 26, who played 18 games as a top-up player with the Crows’ SANFL side and who won the Dean Bailey award after a consistent season, said it was an easy call to return to the Bay.
“We (Crows) were all set for a trial game when the COVID hit,’’ Merrett said.
“It was a bit unreal but it was an easy call to return to Glenelg even though I had a few calls from other clubs.
“The Crows were fantastic for me and it was a brilliant atmosphere. Learning from coaches Heath Younie and Brent Brent Reilly was just great.
“It was weird playing for the Crows in the (preliminary) final against Glenelg last year. One part of me was sad for us but another part of me was happy for the guys I knew who had busted a boiler for Glenelg for a long time.’’
Merrett said he expected to play in defence for the Tigers with the loss of Aaron Joseph, Chris Curran and Will Gould.
Glenelg Head of Football Paul Sandercock said Merrett would be a welcome addition to the Bays’ stocks in 2020.
“He will certainly help us. He’s a decent bloke to have around the club,’’ Sandercock said.
Merrett played mainly with Glenelg Reserves in 2017 and joined the Crows SANFL development squad last year, splitting his time with the Crows and his home club Penola in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League.
Merrett, who is not far away from completing studies as a chartered accountant, joined the Crows development squad at the start of the 2019 pre-season with two of his brothers Brad, 23 and Chris, 21.
Gun SANFL signing will not play in 2020
Norwood has been dealt a significant blow with confirmation gun recruit Ryan Bastinac will not play for the club this year, just as an SANFL season in 2020 began to appear more likely.
The former AFL midfielder signed a two-year deal with the Redlegs in the off-season, but The Messenger revealed last month Bastinac had returned to Brisbane indefinitely following the COVID-19 outbreak.
Norwood announced on Tuesday the ex-North Melbourne and Brisbane Lions onballer would not return to Adelaide to play in the SANFL in 2020.
In a statement, the club said Bastinac went back to Brisbane for personal reasons with its blessing.
“Since returning to his home we have had regular correspondence with Ryan in the anticipation he would return to play as our season got closer to resuming,” the statement read.
“Unfortunately, Ryan’s personal situation has changed dramatically from when he initially signed to play at the Redlegs for season’s 2020/21 and although he and the club have left the door ajar to return it is unlikely to be this year.”
Norwood football manager Mark Ross said the door was still open for Bastinac to return but it would be unlikely this year.
Bastinac, who spent four seasons at the Lions, returned home to Queensland after his Brisbane house was hit by flood damage and the coronavirus pandemic began.
“There was no football happening and it was sensible for him to return to Brisbane so we said ‘go’,” Ross said.
“But since then his personal circumstances have changed and it was only about a week ago he informed us he wouldn’t be coming back this season.
“We would like him to come back next year and his contract is still there for next year, but we also don’t know what 2021 in the SANFL will look like at this stage.”
In April, Ross said the club was confident the 28-year-old would come back to play.
Bastinac, who played 164 AFL games from 2010-2019, was one of the league’s most high-profile SANFL recruits in the off-season.
The Victorian-born midfielder told The Messenger in November he joined Norwood to reunite with former Kangaroos teammate Brad McKenzie and explore opportunities off-field.