AFL Draft 2020: South Australia’s top prospects and where you can see them in opening round of the SANFL
With the SANFL kicking off this weekend, South Australia’s most-talented teenagers will finally get to show AFL recruiters what they’ve got. Here are the state’s top prospects and where they will be playing in Round 1.
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The SANFL is back and so are South Australia’s AFL Draft hopefuls. From West Adelaide’s No.1 pick contender Riley Thilthorpe to Central’s Brent Harvey-like prospect, we look at some of the state’s hottest prospects and where you can watch them in Round 1.
Riley Thilthorpe (West)
Key-forward/ruck
17, 201cm, 102kg
LEAGUE v North Adelaide, AO, 12pm Sunday
South Australia’s top AFL draft prospect will line up at full-forward for West Adelaide on Sunday, in what will be his seventh senior appearance after booting eight goals from six matches last year.
Bloods’ coach Gavin Colville confirmed the 18-year-old will also spend plenty of time in the ruck this season after an impressive trial game performance against Norwood’s Sam Baulderstone.
Given his athleticism, endurance and ball-winning ability for a 201cm big man on the ground, Thilthorpe is well-and-truly in the top-pick conversation among AFL recruiters. But it’s not just on-field traits which have caught the eye.
“He’s got elite athletic ability for a guy who is 200cm but what people probably haven’t seen yet is his dedication to football is just first-class,” Colville said of the way Thilthorpe handled the shutdown period.
Thilthorpe turned his backyard into a mini gym and put on 2kg of muscle while the competition was on hold. But it’s his ability to cover the ground which will catch the eye on Sunday.
“We’re hopeful Riley is going to have a solid year of league football,” Colville said on SANFL radio.
Lachlan Jones (Eagles)
18, defender
184cm, 85kg
(Power NGA prospect)
LEAGUE (Extended bench) v South Adelaide, AO, 2.40PM Saturday
First-year Eagles coach Jade Sheedy has picked the Port Adelaide Academy gun, who he describes as ‘a ripper’, in his 25-man squad for Saturday’s clash with the Panthers.
“He’s someone we will only have for 12 months, he’ll go high in the draft,” Sheedy said of the likely first-round selection this year.
“He can play tall, he can play small and he’s still eligible for under-18s but won’t play there too much.
“He’ll be really good for us.”
The strong defender with a booming right-foot rated elite for Champion Data ranking points, disposals, contested possessions and intercepts in the SANFL under-18s last year.
Jones, from Paskeville on the Yorke Peninsular, makes good decisions and likes to take the game on from defence. But Eagles talent manager Darren Hams believes the 18-year-old, who boasts elite acceleration, can “develop into a pretty good midfielder long-term”.
Zac Dumesny (South)
18, halfback/wing
186cm, 78kg
LEAGUE v Eagles, AO, 2.40PM Saturday
The highly-skilled Dumesny will make SANFL League debut on Saturday after being named on a wing in South’s side to take on the Eagles.
But the former Sacred Heart College student boasts terrific versatility which could see him feature at either end of the ground at senior level this year.
“He’s your modern-day, medium-sized, half-forward/half-back running player,” SA Under-18 coach Tony Bamford said.
“He’s very good in the air, has elite kicking skills and has the versatility to play behind or in front of the ball.”
South Adelaide agree with Chief Executive Neill Sharpe declaring the club’s top AFL draft chance “can play just about anywhere”.
And Dumesny will bypass the reserves after averaging 122 Champion Data ranking points in the SANFL under-18s last season
Corey Durdin (Central)
17, midfielder/small-forward
173cm, 172kg
LEAGUE v Sturt, AO, 11.50AM Saturday
After winning the Kevin Sheehan Medal as the best player at the national under-16 championships two years ago and booting five goals in three league games with the Bulldogs last season, Durdin has already caught the eye of AFL recruiters.
But, after spending most of his junior career as a midfielder, a season playing forward at the top level will further enhance the 173cm speedster’s draft credentials, which new coach Jeff Andrews describes as “really promising”.
“We certaintly expect Corey to be playing forward, he’s one for the Doggies fans to get really excited about,” Andrews said.
“(but) he’s played his whole junior career as a midfielder so there’s no doubt we will be utilising some of his attributes in there at times.”
James Borlase (Sturt)
17, key defender
191cm, 88kg
(Crows NGA prospect)
RESERVES v Central, Elizabeth Oval, 11.30am Sunday
The rapidly-developing defender played eight reserves game for Sturt last year and also impressed at the MCG in the Under-17 Futures game on Grand Final day where his intercept marking was a highlight.
“He’s improved out of sight in the past 18 months. He’s really good in the air and his contested marking has been a real big improvement,” Sturt Centre of excellence manager Michael Higgs said.
At 191cm, the 17-year-old, who is tied to Adelaide’s Next Generation Academy given he was born in Egypt, may not have the actual height but he has the reach to play a key-position in defence. And it’s where he will start on Sunday, named at full-back for the clash with Central.
Henry Nelligan (Norwood)
18, midfielder/small forward
171cm, 70kg
RESERVES v Glenelg, Glenelg Oval, 11.30am Saturday
Norwood football boss Mark Ross described Nelligan, who averaged 152 rankings points in the under-18s last year, as “your old Sam Mitchell type” while St Peter’s coach Sam Elliot compared him to former student – and now one of the AFL’s best midfielders – Lachie Neale.
“He’s not very quick but he’s really smart and has no trouble finding the ball. He also uses it well and is clever around goal,” Ross said of the 18-year-old who has been named in defence for the Redlegs’ reserves side on Saturday.
Jamison Murphy (North)
17, midfielder/defender
181cm, 82kg
UNDER-18s v West Adelaide, Prospect Oval, 2.10pm Saturday
The former elite-level cricketer, who was captain of the Australian under-16 side, has plenty of upside after only last year concentrating on football.
And in 2019, his elite foot skills and decision-making were on show across half-back. But Murphy, who will captain North Adelaide’s under-18 side, will develop his midfield craft this year.
“He models his game a bit on Luke Hodge in that role but I see him playing a lot of midfield,” SA coach Tony Bamford said in 2019.
And like Hodge, Jamison, who is strong at the contest, is a terrific leader.
Taj Schofield (Eagles)
17, midfielder/forward
177cm, 74kg
(Power father-son prospect)
UNDER-18s v South Adelaide, Woodville Oval, 11.30am Sunday
The son of Power premiership player Jarrad Schofield is a smart midfielder, who is clever in traffic and precise by foot on the outside.
The 17-year-old, who showed off his clean hands and skills in the AFL grand final curtain-raiser, isn’t a big accumulator of the footy but his efficiency and ability to go forward sets him apart.
Luke Edwards (Glenelg)
18, halfback/midfielder
187cm, 78kg
(Crows father-son prospect)
UNDER-18s v Norwood, Glenelg Oval, 2.10pm Saturday
Glenelg head of football Paul Sandercock said the club wants to see Edwards play senior football but, despite playing three reserves game late last season, the Crows father-son prospect will start the year in the under-18s.
The son of dual Adelaide premiership player Tyson spent time at half-back as a bottom-age member of SA’s national carnival side in 2019, but his balance, ability through traffic and excellent vision should see him shine as a tall-midfielder.
Tariek Newchurch (North)
17, Midfielder/forward
185cm, 72kg
(Crows NGA prospect)
UNDER-18s v West Adelaide, Prospect Oval, 2.10pm Saturday
After an impressive first season at North, there’s plenty of excitement around the Crows NGA prospect, who has moved to Adelaide to go to Henley High this year. Newchurch is quick with terrific goal sense but it’s his upside as a game-breaking midfielder which will have many watching closely in 2020.
MISSING
Despite playing two-and-a-half quarters of a recent trial match, highly-touted Glenelg forward Kaine Baldwin won’t play this weekend after missing most of the 2019 season with an ACL injury.
Eagles ruckman Henry Smith is another draft prospect who won’t feature in the opening round, with the 202cm talent sidelined with a quad complaint.
OVERLOOKED LAST YEAR
Jed McEntee (Sturt) League
Callum Park (Glenelg) League
Frank Szekely (North) League
Jordan Moore (Glenelg) Reserves