Blues brothers Tom Lewis and James Battersby ready to rumble

They are Sturt’s Blues brothers and they are ready to make a big impact in Sunday's SANFL grand final against the Tigers, writes Andrew Capel.

They are Sturt’s dynamic duo.

Two midfield stars who are the heartbeat of the Double Blues’ engine room and arguably the best one-two on-ball punch in the SANFL.

It’s a case of if one doesn’t get you the other one will.

Captain James Battersby and his midfield sidekick Tom Lewis have enjoyed standout seasons – finishing third and fourth in the Magarey Medal respectively – and loom large in Sunday’s grand final against Glenelg.

“I think it’s more about Tom really,’’ Battersby said of their on-field relationship.

“I just take a back seat to him. He just handballs to me and I kick it, but we have a good little thing going.’’

That good little thing saw Battersby, a dual Sturt premiership player, poll 23 votes in this year’s Magarey Medal count – four behind winner Harry Grant from Central District.

Lewis polled 21 votes and might have pipped Grant had he not missed three games with an ankle injury.

Sturt stars Tom Lewis (left) and James Battersby at Adelaide Oval this week. Picture: Matt Loxton

“Everyone loves Tommy,’’ Battersby said.

“He’s great to play with because you just know he is going to give 100 per cent every time and I don’t think too many opposition players like playing against him because he’s so bloody strong.

“He probably inspires me, motivates me, because there’s probably not a harder working player in the SANFL than Tom Lewis.

“He’s come on in leaps and bounds and just leads by example with his bullish ways.

“Tommy’s had to overcome some adversity in his career (with injuries) but he’s putting it all together now and has been awesome to watch.

“We complement each other really well and hopefully we can do it again on Sunday.’’

Lewis, 23, underwent a knee reconstruction in 2019 after being injured in a practice match and missed the entire season.

Last year, he suffered a ruptured spleen after being hurt in a Mother’s Day clash against Central District at Unley, playing out the game before bleeding internally and falling seriously ill.

He said things became so serious that if he had waited much longer for medical treatment he might have died.

Lewis returned to the field 90 days after his shocking injury and has this year produced a career-best season, averaging 24 disposals, 12 tackles and seven clearances.

Making The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year for the second time, he is a clearance and contested ball beast who was best afield in the Double Blues’ preliminary final win against the Crows.

Tom Lewis celebrates a crucial goal in Sturt’s preliminary final win against Adelaide. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

The 178cm ball of muscle had 24 disposals, laid a game-high 14 tackles and kicked an important goal after the halftime siren to will his side to a 17-point victory.

Battersby is a ball magnet who rarely plays a bad game.

His consistency and durability is illustrated in his outstanding Magarey Medal record, having finished third three times (2017, 2020 and 2023).

The 27-year-old was the most capped player in this year’s team of the year, with six selections.

Battersby has averaged 26 disposals, seven clearances and six tackles this season.

“He’s such a great leader on and off the field and someone I really look up to,’’ Lewis said of his 178cm skipper, who spent a year on Adelaide’s rookie list in 2014 but did not play an AFL game.

“While I’m intense and work myself up, he’s laid-back and sometimes I wish I could be as relaxed going into games as he is.

“His consistency for so long is incredible, despite the fact he’s battled a sore knee for a couple of years, and his running patterns are really good.

“He has the knack of being in the right place at the right time and is always in front of me ready for a handball.’’

The pair’s influence at Sturt has taken on greater importance in the finals, with the long-kicking Patrick Wilson ruled out of major round action with a bad knee injury.

Sturt’s James Battersby gets a kick away under pressure from Glenelg’s Luke Partington in the Round 1 encounter at Unley Oval. Picture: Cory Sutton

Battersby paid tribute to 22-year-old Jared Dakin for “standing up’’ in his absence while Josh Thiele also saw more midfield minutes and made the most of them.

“Unfortunately Patrick is not there but Jared has taken his midfield opportunity with both hands and has probably been one of our most consistent and best players in the finals,’’ Battersby said.

Asked how the Lewis-Battersby combination could be stopped in the grand final, Glenelg coach Darren Reeves said: “That’s a good question’’.

“They are elite players in the competition and I admire what they do week-in, week-out but we feel we have a couple of good old stagers in there who will go head-to-head with them, so it should be a great contest,’’ he said.

Lewis is in no doubt as to what style of game will be needed to upset the Tigers, who finished minor premiers, in the grand final.

“It will definitely be done on the inside, the contest, bringing the heat, the pressure, locking the ball in our forward line,’’ he said.

“We don’t want to flick it around too much because they are very good with loose-ball gets, they like to keep the ball alive, on the move, as much as possible, just like the Crows.

“They’ve got a few (midfield) bulls in there too, so it will be a good hit out but it will definitely start with the contest.’’