West Adelaide signs Sydney Swans academy products Hamish Ellam and Kyle Martin for 2020 SANFL season
It’s been a lacklustre recruiting campaign for West Adelaide but with two new faces through the door and more to come, coach Gavin Colville has a different outlook.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- New Blood at West shows Cyril-like signs
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
It has been far from a blockbuster off-season for last year’s SANFL wooden spooners West Adelaide.
After a disappointing 2019 campaign, which yielded just two wins, Bloods fans grew restless over West’s lacklustre recruiting return while rival clubs snapped up big name ex-AFL talent.
But coach Gavin Colville has a different outlook.
And with two new faces through the door this week – promising Sydney Swans academy products Hamish Ellem and Kyle Martin – Colville said there is more to come.
“I get it from a fans’ perspective, particularly at Westies where we haven’t had a lot of success in recent years,” Colville told The Messenger.
Stream over 50 sports live and on demand with KAYO SPORTS. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly.
“If there was an easy fix we would certainly look at it.
“Having said that, we want to make sure we’re getting quality people and then it becomes my job to guide these kids and make them better players – and I back myself in that area.
“I think there will be one or two more that we haven’t announced yet, a couple of guys from Victoria, who will come in as well.
“To some extent, we’ve taken a bit of a different road this recruiting season.
“We’ve gone with more of a youth focus, which may not pay dividends in the immediate term, but we hope they’ll be long-term players at Westies.”
Colville believed Ellem and Martin – both only 18 – had the tools to make an impact at senior level this season.
Ellem, a 195cm, 105kg key forward, represented the Allies in last year’s under-18 national championships and was invited to the state draft combine.
Martin is a half-back who possesses smart decision-making, clean hands and good kicking skills.
Both played senior football with Sydney’s NEAFL side last year.
“Physically they’re quite developed and ready to play league footy, which is important,” Colville said.
“A lot of kids at 18 might have the talent, but just aren’t physically ready.
“Both of these boys are well built.”
They join fellow recruits Sam Davidson (Port Adelaide), Jordon Boyle (Adelaide/Salisbury North), Domonic Grant (NT Thunder), Josh Koster (Glenelg), Ed Allan (Sturt) and Stuart Taverner (Plympton) as new Bloods.
Colville said he couldn’t be happier with where his group was ahead of the season.
“The guys have done everything I’ve asked,” he said.
“(We’ve) got a great bunch of kids who have come through our 18s program who have been very well coached and are very determined.”
patrick.keam@news.com.au