Here are the 20 biggest SA local footy signings in 2019/20 including Jack Trengove, Danyle Pearce and Lindsay Thomas
Big names are on the move in SA local footy this off-season and we’ve named the top 20 amateur and country league signings from across the state. See who made the list.
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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.
Here are Local Footy SA’s big name country and amateur signings this off-season:
#1 JACK TRENGOVE
(Port Adelaide to Prince Alfred Old Collegians)
It is still somewhat difficult to believe former AFL captain Jack Trengove, who averaged 30.8 touches per game in the SANFL last season, will be lining up in the Adelaide Footy League this year.
The 28-year-old will undoubtedly garner more attention than any other player in the competition following a 89-game career at the elite level with Melbourne and then Port Adelaide.
He and his Prince Alfred Old Collegians teammates will hope they can go one better in 2020 after the Reds fell to Payneham Norwood Union in last year’s division one grand final.
Trengove said in November the competitive juices were still flowing.
“The boys obviously lost the granny the year just gone so they’ve got some extra motivation to get success and I’m certainly wanting to jump in and try to help them get that,” said Trengove.
“No doubt there’s some competitive juices that still remain that you want to play at the top level, but I’m just looking forward to going back and playing with some old school mates and having a bit of fun with it.”
FULL STORY: TRENGOVE JOINS OLD REDS
#2 DANYLE PEARCE
(Sturt to Edwardstown)
Edwardstown will be the hottest ticket in division three of the amateurs with former AFL rising star winner and 258-gamer Danyle Pearce running around.
The Towns, who made the fourth tier grand final last season but lost to CBC Old Collegians, have been promoted and lured former junior Pearce back to the club after his SANFL retirement.
Pearce, 33, is coming off a season with the Double Blues and should be a class above the competition.
#3 LINDSAY THOMAS
(Portland to Yankalilla)
Former North Melbourne and Port Adelaide forward Lindsay Thomas made waves last year when he went from the AFL to division three amateur side Portland.
Now Thomas has switched to the Great Southern Football League where he will take on a playing coach role with Yankalilla.
And Thomas is not the only big name signing for the Tigers, who have finished eighth and ninth on the ladder the past two seasons and have not win an A grade premiership since 1985.
#4 Paul Stewart
(Lucindale to Tanunda)
Reigning Barossa, Light and Gawler premiers Tanunda have added former Port Adelaide defender Paul Stewart to its already stocked list as it shoots for back-to-back flags.
Stewart, 32, played 101 AFL games for the Power before returning to the Eagles, his junior club, for two seasons.
He played five games for Lucindale in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League last year, including the losing grand final.
The Magpies’ 2019 premiership squad featured several former AFL or SANFL-listed players, including Dean Terlich, Matthew Westhoff, Angus Kurtze, Matthew Prior, Riley McFarlane, Lachlan Earl and Josh Trembath.
#5 NICK LIDDLE
(South Adelaide to Yankalilla)
With five South Adelaide best and fairests and seven The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year selections to his name, few resumes in the GSFL can better Nick Liddle’s.
The star Panther will play at Yankalilla under Lindsay Thomas in 2020 after calling time on his state league career.
Originally from Victoria, Liddle has been a consistent high performer in South’s midfield over the past decade and will take some stopping at this level.
#6 JACE BODE
(Norwood to Payneham Norwood Union)
One of several big name SANFL players to combine a player/coach role, Jace Bode will be looking to continue the great work of Falcons premiership mentor Garry McIntosh.
The three-time Redlegs flag winner will provide PNU with stacks of experience as it looks to replicate 2019’s successful campaign.
Bode, who played 156 games for Norwood, 39 with Sturt and nine AFL appearances with Melbourne, told Local Footy SA in October he was planning to feature heavily on-field for the Falcons while coaching.
FULL STORY: BODE TO TAKE OVER FALCONS
#7 FRASER EVANS
(Sturt to Kapunda)
Sturt’s 2017 Jack Oatey Medallist Fraser Evans is another set to test himself in the coaching ranks in a dual role at Barossa, Light and Gawler club Kapunda.
The 28-year-old defender will also take the field for the Bombers and said in September he was keen to test his credentials in the northern league.
“I’ve spoken to a few people who said the Barossa league is probably the best outside the SANFL and I was still keen to challenge myself at a good level,” Evans said.
FULL STORY: NEW CHALLENGE FOR JACK OATEY MEDALLIST
#8 CHRIS SCHMIDT
(West Adelaide to Southern Saints)
Former West Adelaide captain Chris Schmidt cut his teeth playing for the Robertstown Football Club and he returns this year as player coach of the Southern Saints.
Schmidt, who went back to the Bloods for the 2019 season after a year away from the SANFL, has signed on for the dual role at the North Eastern Football League club, which was formed from a merger of Robertstown and Eudunda.
The 30-year-old 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.
#9 AIDAN RILEY
(Sturt to Lobethal)
Come winter the man with the nickname “Pig Dog” will be like a you-know-what in mud in the heavily contested competition that is the Hills Football League.
Riley is one of a few impressive signings for Lobethal as it attempts to rise up the ladder following an eighth-placed finish in 2019.
The 28-year-old’s fierce attack on the football made his opponents think twice when going into the contest at SANFL level and he should thrive in the HFL.
#10 MAX THRING
(North Adelaide to Keith)
Captain Max Thring’s departure from North Adelaide was a significant blow for the Roosters but a massive coup for Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara club Keith.
The 2018 premiership skipper will link up with brother George, the Crows’ playing coach, this season.
Thring battled injuries through much of his 123-game Roosters career however Keith will hope he will be fresh to help the club get back to finals action in the KNTFL.
#11 CHRIS CURRAN
(Glenelg to Renmark)
How do you improve on winning the Riverland Football League flag?
In Renmark’s case, you go out and sign the SANFL premiership-winning skipper.
Outgoing Glenelg captain Chris Curran will line up for the Rovers in 2020 with his medical studies taking him to the country.
The 29-year-old, who led the Tigers to a drought-breaking flag in September, is still very much at the top of his game and was named captain of the 2019 Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.
But it may only be a one-season stint for Curran at Renmark, with his No.5 guernsey on hold at Glenelg.
#12 ALEX GEORGIOU
(Norwood to Lobethal)
Everyone loves a good homecoming and outgoing Norwood and former Melbourne defender Alex Georgiou’s return to Lobethal is one of those.
The 29-year-old lockdown backman brings seven games of AFL experience with the Demons and two SANFL premierships with him back to the Tigers.
Georgiou captained the Redlegs and will provide significant leadership at Lobethal playing under former Norwood teammate and Tigers coach Matt Fuller.
#13 SCOTT LEWIS
(Woodville-West Torrens to Angaston)
Angaston went from BL&G wooden spooners to grand finalists in one year on the back of some significant recruits and, after falling to Tanunda in the decider, they wasted no time in adding another big name.
Scott Lewis brings to the Panthers 205 games of SANFL experience with the Eagles, including a 2011 premiership medal and 2014 club champion award.
At 32 years of age, the left-footer will still be damaging in a Panthers guernsey.
#14 ED SMART
(Norwood to Onkaparinga Valley)
Another Redleg going back to his roots is speedster Ed Smart, who will lace up the boots for Onkaparinga Valley this year.
Smart – a two-time Norwood premiership player across 101 SANFL games – has long been on the radar of his junior club for a potential return.
Onkas were the HFL’s big improvers in 2019 as they made the grand final before losing to powerhouse club Hahndorf.
#15 JOHN GREENSLADE
(Sturt to Onkaparinga Valley)
The Hills Football League seems the place to be next season and Sturt’s John Greenslade is another significant signing in the competition.
Greenslade, 28, elected not to return to junior club Mount Barker in favour of a move to Onkaparinga Valley.
The Double Blues premiership player will be a valuable addition to the Dogs in midfield or half-forward where he showed a nose for goal, kicking 52 majors in 124 SANFL appearances.
#16 JAMES ALLAN
(Pembroke Old Scholars to Goolwa/Port Elliot)
While he will be restricted in the number of games he can play, three-time Magarey Medallist James Allan will be a welcome addition when he pulls on the boots for Goolwa/Port Elliot.
The former North Adelaide star and Norwood premiership player will be splitting his time coaching Rostrevor’s first XVIII side and the Redlegs’ midfield.
But Allan told Local Footy SA he hoped to still play where possible for the Magpies this season, under new coach and former Roosters teammate Todd Miles.
The 34-year-old would be higher on this list, if he was likely to turn out play regularly, but limited appearances and not having played since the 2017 season mean he slides down the rankings.
FULL STORY: ALLAN TO GUIDE ROSTREVOR’S NEXT GENERATION
#17 ALEX FORSTER
(Payneham Norwood Union to Pembroke Old Scholars)
After topping the Adelaide Footy League’s division one with 77 goals in 2019, former Fremantle Docker Alex Forster will be a force to be reckoned with in division four this season.
The Norwood product has crossed from division one premiers Payneham Norwood Union to Pembroke Old Scholars, which finished eighth in the fourth tier last campaign.
The 26-year-old forward is a Pembroke old scholar and will be a playing assistant coach at the club.
FULL STORY: PNU PREMIERSHIP GUN MAKES MOVE
#18 DARCY HOURIGAN
(Hahndorf to Nairne Bremer)
A gun 100-goal-a-year full-forward switching from the top side to the bottom club is very rare.
But that’s exactly what Darcy Hourigan has done after leaving back-to-back HFL premiers Hahndorf to play with brothers Jack and Lachlan at wooden spooners Nairne Bremer.
Hourigan booted 464 goals in 95 games for the Magpies after joining in 2015, including single-season hauls of 116 and 104.
#19 TRENT HEFFERNAN
(Port District to Nuriootpa)
Division one Adelaide Footy League stalwarts Port District suffered a massive blow with the departure of captain Trent Heffernan to Nuriootpa.
The midfielder, who has league experience with both Port Adelaide and the Crows SANFL side, signed on at the 2018 BL&G premiers in December.
Heffernan’s impressive resume includes captaining the amateur state side.
He was also named at No.2 in Local Footy SA’s top 10 Adelaide Footy League division one players last year.
#20 DANIEL NOBES
(Waikerie to Christies Beach)
Christies Beach’s scoring power received a massive boost when goal machine Daniel Nobes decided to return to the club from Riverland powerhouse Waikerie.
The full-forward last played for the Saints in 2016 where he booted 109 goals in 19 games.
Nobes booted more than 100 goals in his first two seasons with Waikerie as the Magpies won the last two of a three-peat of flags.
He fell just shy of the mark in 2019, with 90, after a knee injury limited his season.
Christies will hope Nobes can help power its rise up the SFL ladder, after a preliminary final appearance last year.