Eagles coach Jade Sheedy says Lachlan Jones is better than Chad Wingard and Jack Trengove
Woodville-West Torrens coach Jade Sheedy says AFL draft hopeful Lachlan Jones is a better prospect than former top 10 picks Jack Trengove and Chad Wingard.
SANFL
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WOODVILLE-West Torrens young gun Lachlan Jones has been rated as a better draft prospect than two former Sturt stars selected in the top six.
In a stunning endorsement of the explosive teenager’s ability, Eagles coach Jade Sheedy said he rated Jones – a Port Adelaide Next Generation Academy prospect – more highly than two young stars he played with at the Double Blues, Jack Trengove and Chad Wingard.
Trengove was selected by Melbourne with the No. 2 pick at the 2009 national draft while Wingard went to Port Adelaide at No. 6 in 2011.
A serious foot Injury stopped midfielder Trengove from reaching the heights expected of him while forward/midfielder Wingard was named an All-Australian in 2013 and 2015 before falling out of favour at the Power and being traded to current club Hawthorn.
“I was fortunate enough to play with Jack Trengove and Chad Wingard at Sturt and Lachie, in my opinion, is better than both of them,’’ said first-year Eagles mentor Sheedy, who has overseen Jones’ development this year.
“That’s how highly I rate him because he's explosive, aggressive, quick and he can kick the ball a long way.
“He’ll play round one footy next year at AFL level, wherever he lands, because he’s ready-made, he’s built strongly and he can play on talls and smalls.
“One day I think he’ll venture into the midfield and be a long-term player there.’’
Jones, 18, stood up on the big stage of the SANFL finals on Sunday, being one of the minor premier Eagles’ best players in their shock second semi-final loss to arch rival North Adelaide.
He had 19 disposals and was composed in the air and at ground level in the wet conditions.
Jones, 186cm and 87kg, did not test at the SA AFL Draft Combine last week as he rested a sore ankle in preparation for the finals.
But the passionate Port supporter’s name is certain to be called in the first round of this year’s draft, forcing the Power, which at this stage does not own a first-round selection, to package later picks to match a bid for him.
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Sheedy cheekily suggested if the wooden spooner Crows have the top two selections – they could be compensated with pick two for losing ace midfielder Brad Crouch to a rival – they should seriously consider taking Jones with one of them to keep Port honest.
West Adelaide tall Riley Thilthorpe has been linked to Adelaide with its first selection.
“If the Crows get picks one and two, I would seriously consider taking Jones with one of them, just to give Port Adelaide something to think about,’’ he said.
Adding Jones to the young stars it has picked in the past two drafts, who include 2018 selections Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma and 2019 picks Mitch Georgiades, Miles Bergman, Dylan Williams and Jackson Mead, would be a coup for the Power.
PANTHERS ‘BEST IN 10 YEARS’, SAYS CROSS
South Adelaide is daring to dream, with dual Magarey Medallist Joel Cross describing his preliminary final bound side as the best he has played with in his 10 years at the club.
Within two wins of breaking a 56-year premiership drought, veteran skipper Cross said the red-hot Panthers might have had some better players in the past decade but they had never gelled so well as a team.
“We might have had better individuals at different stages but we’re in a position now where we don’t rely on anyone,’’ he said after leading South to its first preliminary final since 2014 following its 25-point first semi-final triumph against premier Glenelg on Sunday.
“We have so many good young players coming through and if one of us falls over, someone else picks up the slack.
“While we have some really good individual players, Mal Karpany stood up with four goals on Sunday, ‘Broggsy’ (Matthew Broadbent)) stands up when he needs to and so does (ruckman) Paul Hunter, we don’t rely on them.
“We rely on the team, the method and everything else that has been happening for us.
“We have great team love, chemistry and belief in each other that we can get the job done, no matter what circumstances we are dealt.’’
Cross, 33 and a strong chance to win his third Magarey Medal this year, has played in four finals series – 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2018 – since joining South in 2011 from Victorian Amateur League club Scoresby.
The deepest he has ventured into the finals was third in 2014, when the Panthers lost the preliminary final to Port Adelaide by 20 points.
Cross was one of only two South players in Sunday’s team who played in that game, along with full forward Sam Overall.
He said while he felt some pressure to help the Panthers end their long flag drought, the side’s young players were not concerned with history and played without fear.
“I’ve been here for 10 years so it (flag drought) can sit with me a bit but the young fellas have no fear about it at all, they don’t care about it one little bit,’’ said Cross, whose team will play minor premier Woodville-West Torrens in Sunday’s preliminary final at Adelaide Oval.
“We have eight or nine blokes aged under 21 so it doesn’t matter to them, they just go out and play footy.
“They dance and listen to music before games while I’m sitting there in the corner all nervous because I’ve been burnt so many times before.
“That connection between the older and younger guys, which is something we’ve all embraced, has been important in our success this year.’’