Sturt captain James Battersby facing SANFL finals heartbreak

Long-time Sturt captain James Battersby looms as the heartbreak story of the SANFL finals, with coach Martin Mattner admitting he faces a tough fight to regain his spot in the club’s best 22.

Sturt captain James Battersby looms as the heartbreak story of the SANFL finals, with coach Martin Mattner admitting he faces a fight to regain his spot in the club’s best 22.

Battersby – a dual Double Blues premiership player and captain of last year’s The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year – has spent the past two weeks in the reserves and is unlikely to feature in top-of-the-table Sturt’s league second semi-final in two weeks.

The 29-year-old midfield ball magnet and sixth-year skipper has battled leg injuries this season, which have restricted him to only three league games and five reserves matches.

After starting the season in the league side, Battersby was injured in Round 2 and returned through the reserves in Round 13.

He played three strong seconds games to earn promotion to the league team for the Round 17 clash against Woodville-West Torrens and performed well, gathering 22 disposals and having eight clearances.

But Battersby was dropped to the reserves for Sturt’s last two minor round games, where he averaged 28 disposals, and Mattner conceded he is no certainty to play any part in the club’s league campaign as it tries to atone for last year’s straight-sets finals exit.

Sturt captain James Battersby in action during last year’s SANFL finals. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

“It wasn’t an easy conversation to have (to drop him back to the reserves) but it’s a really hard one for us because he’s had a lot of time off this year,’’ Mattner said as the SANFL launched its 2025 finals series, which starts at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

“He didn’t do pre-season and then missed 12 weeks with his knee, he’s come back and played one game at league level, but it’s a really hard team to get into at the moment, it’s really tight for spots.

“We had a discussion about it, with the coaching group and ‘Batts’ (Battersby), and said it will be tough to get back in the side, given the fact he’s had a lot of time off.

“He’ll keep playing and will be up for selection and we’ll see what happens in a couple of weeks. But he’s still got a lot of work to do to get back in that (league) side.’’

Battersby is Sturt’s most experienced and decorated player, having played 218 games since debuting in 2013.

A former Crows rookie, he has been selected in The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year seven times and finished third in the Magarey Medal on three occasions.

But the Double Blues – hot flag favourites – are in red-hot form, having enjoyed one of the great SANFL seasons.

They won their first 17 games and fell just two points shy in their last minor round game against the Crows of becoming the first team in 111 years to complete a perfect home-and-away season.

Sturt was upset by fellow finals contender Adelaide at Unley Oval last Saturday and has two important players – ruckman/forward Daniel Fahey-Sparks and full back Luke Edmonds – to come back into its finals side after they were rested on the weekend.

Eyes on the prize: Norwood captain Jacob Kennerley (left), Adelaide captain Jack Madgen, Sturt vice-captain Tom Lewis, Glenelg captain Liam McBean and Central District vice-captain Aiden Grace with the SANFL’s Thomas Seymour Hill premiership trophy at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Sarah Reed/SANFL

SANFL finals coaches, from left, Norwood’s Jade Sheedy, Glenelg’s Darren Reeves, Sturt's Martin Mattner, Adelaide’s Matthew Wright and Central District’s Paul Thomas with the premiership cup. Picture: Sarah Reed/SANFL

Helping Battersby’s cause is that he will get a chance to continue to push his selection case through the reserves, with the Blues playing an elimination final against Woodville-West Torrens on Saturday.

Sturt, which is chasing its first flag since 2017, is desperate to atone for last year’s horror finals campaign and losing the 2023 grand final to Glenelg.

Mattner has this season changed the team’s game plan from a defence-first approach to being an explosive, high-scoring unit and is hoping that will prove a finals difference-maker.

“We can score more now,’’ Mattner stressed, noting the club’s average scores had risen from 74 points a game last year to 107 this season.

“That was the thing we noticed from last year, that we needed to improve offensively because the finals weren’t good enough.

“We feel we have really improved in that area and that we’re better equipped to attack this finals series.’’

Sturt will play the winner of Sunday’s qualifying final between Glenelg and Adelaide while Central District will meet Norwood in the elimination final.