Top 25 Yorke Peninsula Football League players of the 21st Century ranked
There has been no shortage of talent in the Yorke Peninsula Football League this century so we’ve ranked the best of the best. See our top 25 players of the past 25 years.
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The Yorke Peninsula Football League has been stacked with top talent for decades.
With the help of league insiders, we’ve ranked our top 25 players of the past 25 years with season 2025 just around the corner.
Footballing ability, achievements, awards and impact were taken into account when making selections.
Here is our list from 25 to 1.
25. GREG WHEARE
(Ardrossan)
A legend of the Ardrossan Football Club and a YPFL life member.
Wheare was a tough and tireless player who won the contested footy and could damage opposition around the ground with his distribution and creativity.
A star leader of the Kangaroos, Wheare played an important role in the club’s 2004 premiership.
24. GREG DYETT
(Central Yorke)
One of Central Yorke’s top players this century, Dyett had major influence around the ground for the Cougars.
A strong player in the contest who read the play as well as anyone and could damage opposition with his disposal and smart decisions.
Was the club’s star player through the early 2000s and would help to set it up for eventual premiership success in 2007.
23. CHRIS LANGFORD
(Bute, Central Yorke)
One of the top YPFL players throughout the 21st Century, Langford impressed with Bute before becoming a Central Yorke star.
A multiple time team of the year member and a club best and fairest, Langford’s ability to win the footy and quickly distribute to teammates or create goalkicking opportunities made him almost impossible to stop.
22. BILL TRENGOVE
(Bute)
A Roosters icon, Trengove has been a huge asset for the club throughout this century.
Trengove is known as a tough player who could control games with his ability in the contest and his elite hand and foot skills.
Was dominant for a number of seasons, is a club champion and has been part of teams of the year despite no premiership success in the 2000s.
21. DAVID WESTBROOK
(Kadina)
A dominant player for Kadina in the early 2000s, Westbrook had a major impact on the club.
Covered ground as well as anyone, found plenty of the ball and was one of the most dangerous distributors in the competition.
Won the Mail Medal and premiership in 2003 and was dominant in multiple years.
20. JACK BARLOW
(Southern Eagles)
Currently the president of Southern Eagles, Barlow has been one of the competition’s top players for a number of years.
A consistent player through the middle who can produce in a number of roles, Barlow is a ball magnet who wins a number of contests and finds teammates well under pressure.
Is a club champion, team of the year member and helped lead the Eagles to their 2019 premiership.
19. ADAM JOLLY
(CMS Crows)
A star captain of CMS Crows during a number of successful seasons.
Jolly has been a versatile player for the Crows but has spent most of his career as a dominant forward who covers ground well, takes strong marks, boots goals and sets up teammates.
Has booted nearly 600 goals for the Crows and led his side to two consecutive flags in 2012 and 2013.
18. WILLY SEARLE
(Kadina)
One of local SA footy’s top goalkickers, Searle had a dominant stretch for the Bloods in the YPFL.
A strong and smart forward with safe hands and a booming leg, Searle could take full control of games up front and single handedly win them for Kadina.
Won two flags with the Bloods and booted 607 majors from 2009 to 2015 including 14 in one game.
17. ZAC BATES
(Central Yorke)
Bates has played three seasons since returning to Central Yorke from Geelong and has been a top player in the competition during that period.
Swapping between half-back and the midfield, Bates is a potent player with ball in hand and his leg speed and lethal left boot makes him difficult to stop.
Is a multiple time club best and fairest and team of the year member.
16. JAKE VON BERTOUCH
(Kadina)
Von Bertouch only played two seasons with hometown club Kadina after his retirement from the SANFL but was undoubtedly one of the competition’s top players through that period.
A dominant and skilled forward, Von Bertouch completely transformed the Bloods side with his ability to have an impact up the ground, take big marks, damage with his distribution and kick goals from anywhere.
Led the club to its 2022 premiership while booting 173 goals in 37 games from 2022 to 2023, including 101 in 2023 and would be higher with more seasons under his belt.
15. ADAM PITT
(CMS Crows)
A longtime star for CMS Crows, Pitt has been a major part of his club’s success in the 21st Century.
Pitt has been a dominant asset around the ground for the Crows, winning aerial and ground level contests, finding his own footy and dealing to teammates efficiently.
Has played in three premierships and was best on ground in the Crows’ 2021 triumph.
14. NATHAN ALLEN
(Southern Eagles)
Southern Eagles’ captain has starred for the club recently and throughout the 21st Century.
A strong, big bodied midfielder known for his courage in the contest, Allen is an excellent distributer by hand and leads by example each week.
A multiple time club best and fairest, Allen has led the Eagles to a number of successes and was a major part of their 2019 premiership.
13. LUKE TRENORDEN
(Central Yorke)
Playing-coach of Central Yorke in recent seasons, Trenorden has been dominant throughout the 21st Century.
A star ruck/forward utility who can have a big impact in either position, the Cougars gun is a strong and athletic player who takes big grabs and can boot bags of goals.
Won the 2023 Mail Medal and is a club best and fairest.
12. GILES ELLIS
(Kadina)
One of the many weapons available at the Bloods, Ellis has starred in multiple positions for his club.
A skilled and smart player around the contest, the wiry midfielder can also play off half-back and has searing leg speed which damages any opponent.
Is a multiple time SA Country representative and has won two premierships with Kadina.
11. RYLEY MAITLAND
(Moonta)
Maitland has played three seasons with Moonta in the YFPL and has emerged as one of the competition’s top onballers throughout that period.
A tough onballer who fiercely attacks the ball, the former Kimba star is a pro at getting his arms free to distribute ball and can also find teammates lace out.
Won the 2024 Mail Medal and was also best on ground in Moonta’s grand final win.
10. GEOFF JAMES
(Wallaroo)
A player many consider to be one of the greatest in Yorke Peninsula FL history, James dominated the 90s but was also impressive in the 2000s.
A Mail Medallist in 1995, the Wallaroo spearhead and former Brisbane player was a star up front, using his strength, marking ability and reliable goalkicking to boot over 1,000 majors.
Was in a number of teams of the year and led the league in goalkicking multiple times.
9. DYLAN MANSELL
(Moonta)
Moonta champion Mansell has been one of the top back flankers in the YPFL.
A hard as nails half-back who never shirks a contest, Mansell can also be deployed for stints in the midfield where he wins his own ball and is reliable by foot.
Was the 2014 Mail Medallist and has won three flags with the Demons.
8. SAM TRENGOVE
(Bute)
Now former playing-coach of the Roosters, Trengove has been one of the YPFL’s most consistent players throughout the 21st Century.
A strong and athletic player in the contest who finds the footy for fun, delivers to teammates with precision and can also hit the scoreboard.
Won the 2010 Mail Medal and has been selected in a number of teams of the year.
7. STUART DANIEL
(Paskeville)
A longtime captain for Paskeville and a 300-game player, Daniel has undoubtedly been one of the YPFL’s top players this century.
A workhorse around the ground, Daniel’s ability to find the footy consistently through four quarters and deal to teammates made him a force for the Magpies.
Won the 2002 Mail Medal and has also been a major part of three premierships.
6. MALCOLM KARPANY
(Moonta)
One of the competition’s most skilled players in recent seasons, Karpany has been instrumental Moonta’s continued success.
A versatile player who can produce a top performance anywhere on the ground, the former South Adelaide and West Coast man boasts slick hand and foot skills and has been a big game player for the Demons.
Has won two flags with Moonta in 2022 and 2024 and was best on ground in 2022.
5. TROY CLEMENTS
(CMS Crows)
A star playing-coach during his time with CMS Crows, Clements was one of the toughest and most effective midfielders in the competition through the 2000s.
The former Norwood gun applied strong tackle pressure, won his own footy at a high rate and was one of the best distributors in the league.
Won the Mail Medal in 2006 and was instrumental in the club’s premiership during that same year.
4. JOSH LAWSON
(Kadina)
Lawson was undoubtedly one of the competition’s top players during his time with the Bloods.
A tough and tireless player who covered ground as well as anyone, won plenty of his own footy and found teammates with ease or booted goals himself when needed.
Lawson claimed the 2015 Mail Medal, finished runner-up a number of times and also won a premiership with Kadina in 2011.
3. TYLER ANDREWS
(Moonta)
One of Moonta’s star players throughout the 21st Century, Andrews will go down as a legendary figure for the Demons.
A star midfielder who has evolved into one of the YPFL’s top forwards with athleticism and reliable goalkicking, Andrews started playing senior football for Moonta when he was still at senior colts age.
Won the Mail Medal in 2019 and has been part of four premierships.
2. SHANE ADAMS
(Kadina)
A dual Mail Medallist in the 90s, Adams continued his dominance in the YPFL through the early 2000s for Kadina.
Boasted the ability to tear a game apart with his big motor, marking and goalkicking ability as well as his top drawer skills and distribution.
Won Mail Medals in 1997 and 1999 before also winning one in 2000 and was one of the top players in the competition throughout the 2000s.
1. MURPHY SHORT
(CMS Crows)
A superstar for CMS Crows throughout recent seasons, Short now sits among the very best YPFL players of the 21st Century.
Short has been a tough and hardworking midfielder for the Crows who wins plenty of the footy and uses his exceptional hand and foot skills to damage opponents with his distribution or goalkicking ability.
Has won two Mail Medals in 2021 and 2022 and was a key player in his club’s 2021 premiership.
Has won two Mail Medals in 2021 and 2022 and was a key player in his club’s 2021 premiership.
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