South Adelaide boom recruit Tom Highmore soaring after off-season move from Canberra
South Adelaide tall defender Tom Highmore is literally making his mark at the Panthers in 2020 after being recruited to Noarlunga from Canberra. SEE THE ROUND 7 TEAMS
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He is one half of South Adelaide’s dynamic defensive duo.
Two years after being spotted by the Panthers, athletic Canberra recruit Tom Highmore has quickly become a SANFL revelation.
After just six games for the club the 22-year-old leads the competition in marks, with 56 and has become one of the best rebounding defenders in the league.
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“Tom’s a good size (193cm and 92kg), strong, athletic, very courageous in aerial contests and he can mark and kick the ball well, so we always thought his package had him pointing in the right direction,’’ South coach Jarrad Wright said of his under-the-radar off-season NEAFL recruit.
“But with some more education and support around him, he’s flourished a lot quicker than we thought he would.’’
Signed from the Canberra Demons two years after the Panthers were alerted to his talent by their recruiting scouts, Highmore has formed a “double trouble’’ backline partnership with South’s other, more heralded running, jumping defender Joey Haines.
Haines – a state player last year – ranks second in the SANFL for marks this season, with 51. Between them they are hauling in an average of 17.8 marks a game (Highmore 9.3 and Haines 8.5) while each averaging 22 disposals.
“Joey was one of the boys who really took me under his wing when I came across and he’s been super for my development,’’ said Highmore.
“I get on really well with him off field but obviously we play similar roles on field and as one of the leaders in the backline he’s helped me fit in and play my role in the side.
“Fortunately for me, Joey gets a fair bit of the opposition’s attention which has allowed me to do my thing each week.’’
That might be about to change, with Wright acknowledging Highmore’s standout displays have not gone unnoticed by rivals. “Tom and Joey have become our dynamic duo in the back half and are as thick as thieves off the field too,’’ said Wright, whose team sits third with a 4-2 record.
“The beauty with them is that they can play a role defensively and shut a bloke down while still wanting to take the game on and be very offensive.”
Highmore, who made last year’s NEAFL team of the year and is a former GWS Academy member, said he spoke to most SANFL clubs before choosing South.
“South just sold the club really well and I could tell it was heading in a good direction,’’ he said.
Highmore models his game on GWS star Nick Haynes, who he trained alongside at the Giants Academy, and is still chasing his AFL dream.
“That’s every kid’s dream and I’m hoping by playing in a stronger comp in the SANFL I might be able to put my name forward,’’ he said.
ROUND 7 TEAMS
After Round 6 has been run and won, here are five things we learned about the SANFL moving into this weekend’s matches.
EAGLES TOP UP AT RECRUITING DEADLINE
High-flying Woodville-West Torrens has just become much tougher to dislodge from top spot and its premiership odds have been slashed.
Moments before Saturday’s home clash against Central District, the Eagles had confirmation
that star VFL medium forward Sam Lowson’s application to cross the Victorian border for work and football reasons had been approved.
It came days after the club won the right to have VFL team of the year midfielder James Tsitas also cleared by the SANFL mid-year signing deadline.
The two gun recruits greatly enhance an already powerful side which beat the Bulldogs by five goals without injured captain Luke Thompson, veteran playmaker Matthew Goldsworthy and star midfielder Jordan Foote.
“It’s an exciting time for our footy club,’’ said first-year Eagles coach Jade Sheedy, whose team has won its past five games after losing to South Adelaide in round one by a goal.
“Getting these players over mid-season is not something that you’d normally do.
“But they are both great gets and it gives them an opportunity to play footy which they have been denied in Victoria because of COVID-19.
“They are players we have been trying to get to our footy club for some time, especially Tsitas, who we’ve been in talks with for a couple of years.
“He happened to ring us this time and it would have been silly if we had knocked him back.’’
Tsitas, a tough, inside midfielder, finishes his 14-day quarantine period on Tuesday and Sheedy said he would join in the club’s main training session on Wednesday night.
The coach was uncertain whether he would jump straight into his league team for Saturday’s home clash against West Adelaide or be given the chance to find his feet through the reserves.
“He’s a tough mid and I’m really excited by what he can bring to the table,’’ Sheedy said.
“He has good leadership, being a former captain of Geelong’s VFL team, and he's been in the VFL team of the year, so he has some real quality.’’
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Sheedy said Lowson – a prime candidate to be drafted last year before suffering a serious ankle injury on the eve of the mid-season rookie draft – would add some real goalkicking quality to the club’s already potent forward line.
His application for a work (as a carpenter) and football permit in Adelaide had been originally knocked back before the club received SA Health approval at 7.30am on Saturday.
Lowson’s clearance had been processed with the SANFL before Friday’s 5pm deadline.
He arrives in Adelaide on Monday and will need to quarantine for two weeks before being available for selection.
“He’ll be available for the second half of the season for us, which is exciting for our footy club,’’ Sheedy said.
Sturt unveiled VFL ruckman Darcy Bennett against Glenelg on Sunday while small forward Jack Henderson – a VFL team of the year member – played in the reserves.
South Adelaide also has struck VFL gold, signing former Crows ruckman Paul Hunter and wingman Daly Andrews.
RAMPAGING REDLEGS FLEX THEIR MUSCLES
Rivals beware, sleeping giant Norwood has woken.
After being in a world of pain at 0-3 and nursing a long injury list, one of the pre-season flag fancies has bounced back in a big way.
Three consecutive wins has propelled it into the top four and the manner of the win against West Adelaide at Richmond Oval on Saturday had rivals turned heads.
Two weeks after upsetting premier Glenelg at home, the Bloods were dismantled by a seriously good-looking Norwood team to the tune of 67 points.
Frighteningly, the Redlegs star-studded midfield – boosted by the inclusion of former star AFL on-baller Ryan Bastinac in the past two weeks – had its way with West.
Norwood was so dominant it had 10 players have 20 disposals or more while it racked up a staggering 168 marks.
There were some huge numbers.
AFL-experienced players Richard Douglas (35), Lewis Johnston (34), Mitch Grigg (32), Brad McKenzie (31), Bastinac (29) and skipper Matt Panos (27) won the ball at will while the sometimes unheralded Matthew Nunn had 33 possessions.
Johnston and McKenzie both took 16 marks.
Throw in the influence of veteran ruckman Sam Baulderstone and a solid defence where Cam Shenton adds some aggression and run and the recipe is there to be a major player this season under coach Jarrod Cotton.
A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK AT BULLDOGS
Sydney Swans Brownlow Medallist Paul Kelly was one of the hardest players the game has seen and one of his sons, Jackson, didn't let him down in his league debut for Central District on Saturday.
Kelly, 23, had a solid 11 disposals and laid three strong tackles on the wing in the loss to the Eagles while showing his dad’s trademark tough approach on the ball.
His debut came five weeks after his 22-year-old brother Ben debuted for the Bulldogs in round one before hurting a calf.
The pair joined Central this year from the Wagga Tigers.
New Dogs coach Jeff Andrews was happy with Jackson’s debut.
“He was serviceable, he’s been working hard on his game and he’s a player we're seeing some growth and improvement in,’’ he said.
“We saw a little bit of that (against the Eagles) but it’s certainly a lot different tempo to the reserves.
“He’s got a bit of pace and a few positives that we want to see him bring to the fore but he defended well and we think there’s a player there.’’
Ben returned from injury in the reserves on Saturday after a month out and Andrews described him as “big, raw, tough and hard’’ and said he looked forward to the day the brothers could play together in his senior side.
“They are a couple of hard nuts who can run, so that will suit us down to the ground,’’ he said.
ROOSTER EXCITEMENT MACHINE STEALS THE SHOW
When mercurial North Adelaide forward Lewis Hender is on song, special things happen.
Rooster fans were treated to a spectacular Hender highlights package against South Adelaide on Saturday, with the left footer’s three-goal burst in the second and third quarters having a major influence on his team's eight-point win.
Alongside the goals, Hender almost pulled in the mark of the year in the second term and then found a teammate on the boundary line with a deft, Matthew Scarlett-like toe poke in the third.
“He’s definitely exciting and mercurial,” North coach Jacob Surjan said.
“As a coach you don’t want to take that out of his game. That’s one of the things I try to promote, play to your strengths.”
Former Tiger Hender has kicked a team-high 15 goals this season.
PANTHERS GRIN AND BEER IT IN NORTH ROOMS
South Adelaide is impressing on the field and showed on Saturday that it is also prepared to do its bit off the field.
After losing a close contest to fellow top-four aspirant North at Prospect Oval, the Panthers players popped into the Roosters’ clubrooms after their narrow eight-point loss, resurrecting the good old days of players having an after-match ‘coldie’ with their opposition.
North was so impressed that it vowed to return the favour the next time the teams meet.
SCOREBOARDS
GLENELG 3.3 6.6 7.7 12.10 (82)
STURT 0.1 4.7 5.12 8.16 (64)
BEST – Glenelg: Snook, Curran, McBean, Partington, Proud, Nicholson, Motlop. Sturt: Battersby, Davis, Colquhoun, Kirkwood, Harms, Fahey-Sparks, Slimming.
GOALS – Glenelg: McBean 5, Reynolds, Partington, Motlop, Kluske, Yates, Hannath, Stretch. Sturt: Fahey-Sparks, Kirkwood 2, Hone, Morrison, Voss, Slimming.
UMPIRES – M. Scott, G. Lewis, R. Hundertmark.
CROWD – 3004 at Glenelg Oval.
NORWOOD 6.3 9.5 16.6 19.10 (124)
WEST ADELAIDE 3.1 5.5 5.8 8.9 (57)
BEST – Norwood: Douglas, Johnston, Grigg, Nunn, Bastinac, McKenzie, Panos.
West: Stevens, Anderson, Boyle, Willsmore, Hill.
GOALS – Norwood: Panos 4, Pinyon, Douglas 3, Grigg, Wilson, Bastinac 2, Johnston, Richards, Irra. West: May, Waite 2, Cleeland, Ellem, Johnson, Karpany.
UMPIRES – T. Bryce, D. Sobieraj, C. Bowen.
CROWD – 1635 at Richmond Oval.
EAGLES 5.6 6.6 9.13 11.13 (79)
CENTRAL 0.0 4.4 5.4 7.7 (49)
BEST – Eagles: J. Hayes, Redden, Sinor, Toumpas, Von Bertouch, McNeil. Central: Habel, Boyd, T. Menzel, Hoskin, Gillard, Montgomerie.
GOALS – Eagles: Von Bertouch 3, Carcuro, J. Hayes 2, N. Hayes, Rowe, McNeil, Sinor. Central: T. Menzel, Gillard, O’Brien 2, Durdin.
UMPIRES – M. Schramm, A. Bennett, H. Hughes.
CROWD – 1548 at Woodville Oval.
NORTH ADELAIDE 1.1 5.5 8.8 9.12 (66)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 2.4 3.6 5.8 8.10 (58)
BEST – North: Moore, Wigg, Allmond, Hender, Craig, Szekely. South: Broadbent, Cross, Haines, Highmore, Brown.
GOALS – North: Hender, Moore 3, Harvey 2, Young. South: McCreery, Cailotto, Overall 2, Cross, Sampson.
UMPIRES – T. Burke, A. Crosby, M. Harris.
CROWD – 1662 at Prospect Oval.