Advertiser football writer Andrew Capel reveals his top 25 heading into the SANFL 2021 season
Returning AFL stars, Magarey Medallists, youngsters on the rise and proven SANFL veterans have made Andrew Capel’s pre-season top 25. But who has earnt the No. 1 spot?
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The big guns have rolled into town.
After a 2020 SANFL season affected by COVID-19, Adelaide and Port Adelaide are back in the competition and so are some big-name recruits.
2006 No. 1 AFL draft pick Bryce Gibbs has joined South Adelaide, triple Hawthorn premiership player Paul Puopolo has returned to Norwood and former Port Adelaide and Gold Coast midfielder-forward Aaron Young has rejoined North Adelaide.
All three deserve to be ranked among the top players in the SANFL for 2021.
But who are the best of the best?
Here’s Andrew Capel’s top 25 players for 2021.
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25. JAMES BOYD
Club: Central District
Position: Midfielder
Cops criticism for his defensive skills but is a ball magnet who runs all day, having more disposals (430) than any other player last season.
Key stat: In winning Central’s best and fairest award last year, he became the first player in SANFL history to win best and fairests at three clubs.
24. SAM WUNDKE
Club: Sturt
Position: Key defender
Lockdown key backman went from playing in Division 2 of the Adelaide Footy League for Glenunga to making The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year with Sturt.
Key stat: Finished runner-up by two votes to James Battersby for the Double Blues’ club champion award.
23. BILLY HARTUNG
Club: North Adelaide
Position: Midfielder
Injury restricted the former Hawthorn and North Melbourne speedster to only four games last season, including the grand final, but he showed in bursts just how explosive he can be.
Key stat: Had 19 disposals in the first half against Sturt in round 13 before being hurt.
22. JAMES TSITAS
Club: Woodville-West Torrens
Position: Midfielder
Clearance king joined the Eagles from VFL club Williamstown midway through last season and played a crucial role in their premiership, featuring in their best in six of his 11 appearances.
Key stat: Had 30 disposals and nine clearances in the preliminary final win against South.
21. HARRISON WIGG
Club: North Adelaide
Position: Midfielder/defender
Former Crow and Sun put several injury-riddled years behind him to star in his return to the SANFL last season, using his elite left-foot kick as a weapon for the Roosters.
Key stat: Led the SANFL in kicks last year with 270 while ranking fourth in rebounds 50s (74).
20. CAMERON CRAIG
Club: North Adelaide
Position: Key defender
Standout key defender marshalls North's defence with his ability to blanket opponents and take contested marks. Missed last year’s grand final through injury.
Key stat: Finished equal-fifth in the competition in marks last season, with 92.
19. RILEY KNIGHT
Club: Woodville-West Torrens
Position: Midfielder/forward
Classy utility is back with his original SANFL club after spending seven years and playing 55 AFL games with Adelaide, where he claimed his body didn’t stand up to the rigours of AFL training.
Key stat: Played a career-high 19 games, including the finals, in the Crows’ AFL grand final year in 2017.
18. RICHARD DOUGLAS
Club: Norwood
Position: Midfielder
246-game Crow shone in his first season with the Redlegs last year and, despite having just turned 34, remains a damaging midfielder who can hit the scoreboard.
Key stat: Finished third in the competition for disposals last season, averaging 25.8.
17. JOSEPH SINOR
Club: Woodville-West Torrens
Position: Midfielder
Not flashy but as hard as nails and very effective at the coalface, winning the Eagles’ club champion award in a premiership year.
Key stat: Averaged 22 disposals, six tackles, five clearances and four inside 50s in 2020.
16. BRAD McKENZIE
Club: Norwood
Position: Defender
Classy defender is strong overhead and an elite left-foot kick who sets up many Redlegs attacking forays from the back half.
Key stat: Ranked second in kicks (265) and rebounds 50s (102) and third in marks (101) last season
15. LIAM McBEAN
Club: Glenelg
Position: Key forward
Dual Ken Farmer Medallist has been the SANFL’s premier genuine key forward in the past two years, kicking a competition-best 92 goals.
Key stat: Ranked equal-fourth for contested marks last season, with 21.
14. JAMES BATTERSBY
Club: Sturt
Position: Midfielder
Prolific midfield disposal winner starred in his first season as captain last year, finishing third in the Magarey Medal and winning Sturt’s best and fairest.
Key stat: Averaged 25 disposals, five tackles and eight clearances last season.
13. ANDREW MOORE
Club: North Adelaide
Position: Midfielder
Tall, tough on-baller with 60 games of AFL experience is a clearance king whose size (189cm, 87kg) and power make him a nightmare match-up for the opposition.
Key stat: Finished runner-up to Campbell Combe in North’s best and fairest last year.
12. CAM SUTCLIFFE
Club: Port Adelaide
Position: Utility
Tough-as-nails utility has been appointed the Magpies’ leadership player for the club’s return to the SANFL after previously leading them to the 2019 grand final.
Key stat: Played 113 AFL games for Fremantle and Port Adelaide from 2012-20.
11. PAUL PUOPOLO
Club: Norwood
Position: Small forward
Pocket dynamo, who is 33 and stands at just 173cm, returns to The Parade 10 years after being drafted by Hawthorn where he was a key member of three AFL premierships.
Key stat: Kicked 185 goals in 196 AFL games for the Hawks.
10. JOSEPH HAINES
Club: South Adelaide
Position: Defender
One of the competition’s best rebounding defenders, he is quick, a strong overhead mark and possesses a booming right-foot kick.
Key stat: Ranked third in the SANFL for rebound 50s (85) and fourth for marks (98) last year.
9. MATTHEW BROADBENT
Club: South Adelaide
Position: Defender/midfielder
Former Power backline playmaker was a revelation in his first season with the Panthers last year, winning the Knuckey Cup as best and fairest.
Key stat: Averaged 21 disposals and six marks in 2020.
8. PATRICK WILSON
Club: Sturt
Position: Midfielder
2019 Magarey Medal runner-up with the Crows returns to his former club, where he won a premiership in 2017, with a point to prove after playing just two AFL games in three seasons.
Key stat: Won Adelaide’s State League club champion awards in 2018 and 2019.
7. LUKE PARTINGTON
Club: Glenelg
Position: Midfielder
The 2019 Magarey Medallist can hurt rivals with his tough, contested ball winning ability on the inside and explosiveness and running power on the outside.
Key stat: Ranked second in the competition for inside 50s last season, averaging five a game.
6. JOEL CROSS
Club: South Adelaide,
Position: Midfielder
Dual Magarey Medallist turns 34 in May but shows few signs of slowing down, last season averaging 23 disposals and kicking 15 goals.
Key stat: Was named captain of 2020 The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year – his eighth selection in the side.
5. AARON YOUNG
Club: North Adelaide
Position: Midfielder/forward
100-game AFL forward/midfielder returns to Prospect where coach Jacob Surjan hopes his explosiveness and goalkicking power can take North one step further than last year.
Key stat: Kicked 37 goals for Port Adelaide’s AFL side in 2016 – one behind leading goalkicker Chad Wingard.
4. JACK HAYES
Club: Eagles
Position: Key forward/ruckman
Arguably the best and most versatile tall in the competition, he is equally dangerous as a goalkicking forward and athletic, strong-marking ruckman.
Key stat: Averaged 18 disposals, six marks and four tackles last year while kicking 16 goals.
3. BRYCE GIBBS
Club: South Adelaide
Position: Midfielder
The 2006 AFL No. 1 draft pick is back in the SANFL full-time for the first time since being drafted and will add class and leadership to the Panthers.
Key stat: His 268 AFL games are the most played by any player in the SANFL this season.
2. CAMPBELL COMBE
Club: North Adelaide
Position: Midfielder
Hard-as-nails on-baller won the Magarey Medal last year in his second season since returning to the Roosters from his home town of Crystal Brook.
Key stat: His 140 tackles in last season’s minor round were 27 more than his nearest rival.
1. MATTHEW SNOOK
Club: Glenelg
Position: Midfielder
2019 Jack Oatey Medallist, 2020 Magarey Medal runner-up and triple club champion is a super-reliable on-baller who wins the contested ball and uses it well.
Key stat: Averaged 27 disposals, eight clearances and eight tackles last season.
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