The Spencer Gulf’s top 30 footballers of the 21st Century ranked
The Spencer Gulf has been home to some of SA’s top local footballers throughout the 21st Century so we’ve drawn from the region’s two leagues to rank the top 30 players of the past 25 years. See who made the cut.
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The Spencer Gulf has been a region filled with top SA country footy talent throughout the 21st Century.
With the help of league insiders from the region, we’ve ranked our top 30 combined Spencer Gulf FL and Whyalla FL players of the past 25 years.
Footballing ability, achievements, awards and impact were taken into account when making selections.
Here is our list from 30 to 1.
30. RUSSELL SAWFORD
(Weeroona Bay)
One of Weeroona Bay’s greatest ever players, Sawford was dominant in the 90s but also produced strong footy in the 2000s.
A hard worker around the ground who won plenty of the contested footy and could find teammates with ease under pressure.
Won two league medals in the 90s and made multiple teams of the year in the 2000s.
29. TOM CLARKE
(Ports)
A standout player of the SGFL during his time with Ports.
Clarke often won games for his side through a tough and fearless approach to the contest combined with impressive distribution.
Won the 2009 medal and was a star in a strong Ports side.
28. NICK KRAEMER
(Proprietary/Risdon)
Kraemer has not been in the league for as long as others on this list but has already made a huge impact.
A tough, skilled and composed player through the middle who wins plenty of his own footy and finds teammates with ease or hits the scoreboard.
The former South Adelaide man won everything he could in season 2024, claiming the Madigan Medal as he led Lions to a premiership.
27. BRAD INGLIS
(Ports)
A dominant goalkicker for Ports.
Inglis is a strong and powerful forward who can explode off of the mark to take big grabs and kick important goals.
Named in multiple teams of the year and led the league in goalkicking twice.
26. KEVIN HARRIS
(South Augusta)
A four-time club best and fairest, Harris will go down as one of the SGFL’s top players of the 21st Century.
One of the best runners in the competition at his peak, Harris covered ground well, won plenty of the footy and opened teams up with creative disposal.
Helped South Augusta to two flags in the 2000s.
25. RYAN MORRIS
(Central Augusta)
A versatile and dangerous player at his best.
Morris could dominate a game up front for Central Augusta with his marking and goalkicking ability and his distribution also helped to create for others.
Led the league in goalkicking multiple times and won multiple premierships with Central Augusta, kicking five and six goals in the 2010 and 2011 big dances.
24. JIMMY MARTIN
(Quorn-Willsden)
A skilled and dominant player for Quorn-Willsden.
Martin was a great inside player who could find the ball with ease and deliver to teammates under pressure as efficiently as anyone.
Won a premiership in 2001 and claimed the league medal in 2003.
23. MARK TURNER
(Central Whyalla)
A key part of Central Whyalla’s dominance through the 2000s.
An elite ball winner with a high footy IQ and reliable skills in possession, Turner was one of the toughest to stop in the WFL.
Won the league medal in 2002 and multiple premierships.
22. MATT DOWNEY
(South Augusta)
One of South Augusta’s top players of this century.
Arguably the best ruck in the club’s history, Downey could tear a game apart with his tapwork athleticism and marking ability.
Won five flags with the Bulldogs, two club best and fairest awards and was runner-up in the Madigan Medal count in 2017 and 2018.
21. KIERON KEELER
(South Augusta)
A consistent star for South Augusta throughout the 2000s.
Keeler could play a number of roles, namely on the ball and up front, and used his athleticism, footy smarts and top drawer skills to damage opponents.
Won the 2001 league medal and multiple flags with the Bulldogs.
20. STEVEN JACKSON
(Weeroona Bay)
Jackson made his A Grade debut for Weeroona Bay at 14 years old and never looked back.
A mercurial midfielder who can also play across the forwardline, Jackson can do it all from laying big tackles, taking big marks, kicking goals and distributing.
Won the WFL medal in 2021.
19. JONATHON HAYES
(Solomontown)
A consistent star for Solomontown, Cats captain Jonathon Hayes has been a top player in the SGFL in recent seasons.
One of the hardest runners in the competition, Hayes has no trouble doing whatever is required for his side to win and often damages sides with his ability to find teammates anywhere around the ground.
Won the Madigan Medal in 2021 and led the Cats to their flag in 2022.
18. ADAM LATEMORE
(Central Whyalla)
A consistent performer for Central Whyalla through a number of successful years for the club.
Latemore was a force around the ground who boasted a big tank, tallied high possession counts and made the right decisions under pressure.
Won the league medal in 2004 and was a major part of the club’s dominant run of seven premierships in the 2000s.
17. MYLES MCNAMARA
(West Whyalla)
One of the most consistent players in the WFL throughout the 21st Century.
A supremely skilled and composed player who can play on the ball and as a forward, McNamara remains one of the hardest players to match up on in the competition.
Has been a key part of five premierships with the club and was best on ground in 2023.
16. HAYDEN WARREN
(West Augusta)
One of the SGFL’s greatest goalkickers.
Warren has been a strong and smart forward for West Augusta who boasts great marking ability and can finish from anywhere at any stage of a game.
Has over 600 goals in his career so far, has led the league in goalkicking three times and was a standout performer for the club in its 2013 premiership win.
15. NORM WOMBAT
(Ports)
A big game player for Ports throughout his time with the club.
Wombat was a versatile player who boasted reliable skills in the air and at ground level and could hit the scoreboard or damage with his disposal.
Won multiple flags with Ports and was a top performer in both the 2007 and 2008 victories.
14. LEE SCHMIDT
(South Augusta)
A key player for South Augusta during a strong period for the club, Schmidt has been one of the stars of the competition this century.
A strong and skilled player who found his own footy, applied relentless pressure to the opposition and was lethal in possession.
Won the 2012 Madigan Medal and multiple flags with South Augusta.
13. TYLER ECKERT
(Proprietary/Risdon)
A consistent star for Proprietary/Risdon through the 2010s and now 2020s, Eckert has been one of the region’s top players this century.
A smooth moving and tireless worker around the ground who can drop behind the footy or produce on the ball with his ability to rack up possessions and cut up opposition with his distribution.
Has won four premierships with Lions and been among the top performers multiple times.
12. CLAYTON MESECKE
(Roopena)
Mesecke solidified himself as one of the top players in SA country footy throughout his time with Roopena.
A strong and explosive midfielder who wins a high number of contested possessions each week, kicks goals and creates for teammates.
Mesecke won the league medal in 2022 and played a major part in his side’s 2024 premiership.
11. MARK FULLER
(Central Augusta)
Fuller made his Central Augusta senior debut at just 15 years of age and has since forged one of the great SGFL careers.
A classy midfielder with impressive hand and foot skills, Fuller found plenty of his own footy and was one of the most reliable distributors in the league.
Won the league medal in 2008 and also won three premierships with the club.
10. KRISTON THOMPSON
(South Augusta, West Augusta)
Former North Adelaide player Thompson will go down as one of the Bulldogs’ greats.
A longtime captain-coach of the club, Thompson is a mercurial player who can produce in a number of roles with his clean skills and high footy IQ.
Played a major part in three consecutive flags with the Bulldogs from 2018-2020.
9. DARCY KILDEA
(South Augusta)
A star premiership captain for South Augusta, Kildea will go down as one of the top players in the club’s history.
A versatile player who can put his stamp on a game in the contest as a tough and hardworking ball winner, Kildea boasts top drawer hand and foot skills.
Also won two league medals in 2017 and 2019.
8. JORDAN FULLER
(Proprietary/Risdon)
One of the SGFL’s top athletes.
Fuller has been a longtime star for Prop/Risdon and has often won games for his side through his ability to find the footy, take safe marks and find opponents efficiently.
Won the Madigan Medal in 2016 and has been a key part of multiple Lions flags.
7. KYLE CROMPTON
(Roopena)
While Crompton has only played a few full seasons with Roopena, the former Glenelg man has undoubtedly been one of the Whyalla FL’s top performers this century.
A versatile star who can control a game in the contest or move up front to boot goals, Crompton damages opposition with his strength and athleticism.
Has won two consecutive league medals in 2023 and 2024 and helped the Roos to a flag last season.
6. TYRONE PRICE
(Solomontown)
One of Solomontown’s top players this century, Price will go down as a consistent superstar for the Cats.
An outstanding midfielder with the ability to take over a game through the contest by winning the footy, providing run and carry and creating for teammates.
Won two Madigan Medals in 2010 and 2011 and was a key part of his side’s 2014 premiership.
5. NIC COLLINS
(West Augusta)
A star rover who knocked back multiple clubs to stay with West Augusta in the SGFL, Collins has gone down as one of the region’s top players since 2000.
Often took control of games with his ability to win the footy and find teammates while under pressure and produced a number of top big game performances.
Won the league medal in 2015 and was a star in his club’s 2013 premiership win.
4. MATT KEATLEY
(Central Augusta)
Keatley produced a stellar career with Central Augusta through the 2000s and sits comfortably among the Spencer Gulf’s top players of the century.
A smooth mover who always found plenty of the footy as a dominant rover, Keatley could also do damage while resting up front, either kicking goals or setting up teammates.
Won two Madigan Medals in 2005 and 2007 and was in multiple teams of the year.
3. RAY MCINTOSH
(Roopena, North Whyalla, South Whyalla)
A triple WFL medallist, McIntosh produced a number of impressive seasons for Roopena, North and South Whyalla.
McIntosh was a versatile force for his three clubs, often performing at his best in multiple roles around the ground but always able to rack up disposals and create opportunities through his disposal.
Won the league medal with Roopena in 2006, South Whyalla in 2008 and North Whyalla in 2015 while also playing in multiple North Whyalla premierships.
2. COREY DAVEY
(Solomontown)
A versatile superstar for Solomontown, Davey has been the SGFL’s top player in recent years.
Heading back to the Cats after time in the SANFL and as a Crows top-up player, Davey has produced as a big-bodied midfielder who can win the contested footy, deliver to teammates efficiently and also move up front to bag goals.
Has won two Madigan Medals in 2022 and 2023 and led his club to a premiership in 2022.
1. CRAIG TEE
(Solomontown)
A legend of the Solomontown Football Club, Tee put together one of the most dominant careers in the SGFL this century.
Tee was a force in the ruck with his ability to release midfielders through top drawer tap work and also move around the ground to take big marks and distribute efficiently.
Won three consecutive Madigan Medals in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
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