SANFL Round 4: Who made the State squad, team of week, winners and losers

He’s the reigning Magarey Medallist but Bryce Gibbs has been left out of the state squad, here’s the inside story as to why, plus all you need to know from Round 4.

Andrew Capel

@andrewcapel

7 min read

April 26, 2022 - 3:59PM

SANFL

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MAGAREY Medallist Bryce Gibbs is the shock omission from the SANFL State squad to play Western Australia in Perth next month.

The veteran South Adelaide midfielder, who tied with Woodville-West Torrens’ James Tsitas for last year’s Magarey Medal, was a standout in the Croweaters’ convincing 53-point victory against the Sandgropers at Adelaide Oval last season, having 31 disposals and taking 13 marks.

But the 33-year-old has been overlooked in this year’s initial 38-man squad, along with Panthers teammate Matthew Broadbent, who won the Fos Williams Medal as SA’s best player against WA last season.

Broadbent’s form has been only modest since returning from a pre-season leg injury.

Bryce Gibbs holding his 2021 Magarey Medal. Picture: SANFL Image/David Mariuz

2006 No. 1 AFL draft pick Gibbs, who was held to only 10 disposals by 2020 Magarey Medallist Campbell Combe against North Adelaide last Saturday but averaged 33 in the first two rounds, has made way for a host of younger players as the State selectors look to the next generation.

“The SANFL is thankful to Bryce and the positive contribution he has made and continues to make in our competition,’’ SANFL general manager football Matthew Duldig said.

“This year we have great depth through our midfield and we thought it was appropriate to give younger players the chance to play in a State match.

“But given squad selection is after round four, players can be added in the next two weeks.’’

Unbeaten Glenelg and two-win Norwood dominate the State squad, with each having seven players selected in the enlarged squad for the May 15 clash at Optus Stadium.

Matthew Allen, Bob Quinn Medallist Sam Durdin, Lachie Hosie, Liam McBean, Luke Partington, Max Proud and Brett Turner are the Tigers while Redlegs in the squad include

Harry Boyd, Declan Hamilton, Jack Heard, Ben Jarvis, Jacob Kennerly, Matthew Nunn and Nik Rokahr.

Reigning premier the Eagles has six players in the squad, where all eight standalone SANFL clubs are represented.

AFL-aligned clubs Adelaide and Port Adelaide do not have a representative.

Players new to the competition this year to earn selection include ruckman Billy McCormack from Central District, key forward Connor Ballenden from the Eagles, small forward Jye Menzie from South Adelaide and key defender Kaiden Brand from West Adelaide.

South Adelaide’s Eamon Wilkinson celebrates a goal against North Adelaide on Saturday. Picture: Dean Martin

Second-year State coach Jade Sheedy said he and fellow selectors Jade Rawlings (Norwood), Jacob Surjan (North Adelaide), Adam Hartlett (West), Duldig and Sean Toohey (SANFL) and Redlegs premiership player Stephen Rowe had picked a squad with good balance that could compete against a fast-paced WA side on its home turf.

“We’re only four rounds into the season so we’ve picked a squad based on players who are in good form now but also players who have been really good in our comp over the past 18 months,’’ Sheedy said.

“We’ve weighed all that up, we’ll be pretty role-driven and we want to make sure the team has the right balance.

“Obviously going over to the wide spaces of WA presents us with another challenge, so we have to get our inside-outside mix right.’’

The squad will train on Tuesday nights at Thebarton Oval in the lead up to the clash.

2022 SANFL STATE SQUAD

Billy McCormack, Kyle Presbury, Travis Schiller (Central District); Matthew Allen, Sam Durdin, Lachie Hosie, Liam McBean, Luke Partington, Max Proud, Brett Turner (Glenelg); Campbell Combe, Mitch Harvey, Keenan Ramsey, Alex Spina, Harrison Wigg (North Adelaide), Harry Boyd, Declan Hamilton, Jack Heard, Ben Jarvis, Jacob Kennerly, Matthew Nunn, Nik Rokahr (Norwood); Jye Menzie, Mitch O’Neill, Hayden Sampson, Eamon

Wilkinson (South Adelaide); Will Coomblas, Tom Lewis, Casey Voss, Patrick Wilson (Sturt);

Kaiden Brand, Tom Keough (West Adelaide); Connor Ballenden, Riley Knight, Rory Lehmann, Daniel Menzel, Jo Sinor, Zane Williams (Woodville-West Torrens).

ROUND FOUR SCOREBOARD

North Adelaide 8.11 (59) d South Adelaide 6.12 (48)

Adelaide 14.17 (101) d Central District 11.10 (76)

Sturt 9.9 (63) d Port Adelaide 7.8 (50)

Norwood 19.13 (127) d West Adelaide 9.5 (59)

Glenelg 13.6 (84) d Woodville-West Torrens 12.7 (79)

POWER RANKINGS

1. Glenelg

(4-0: Relied on a last-gasp goal from Reid Kuller to beat the Eagles by five points in a thrilling Anzac Day grand final rematch. Is the only unbeaten team after four rounds, including the big scalps of the Eagles, Sturt, Adelaide and Norwood).

2. Sturt

(3-1: Huge come-from-behind win against Port after being wreaked by Covid health and safety protocols. Is proving to be the real deal and appears a genuine flag contender).

3. Adelaide

(3-1: Overcame a slow start to beat Central at Elizabeth. Only loss was against the unbeaten Tigers. Buoyed by a standout performance from gun SANFL recruit Nathan Freeman, who had a season-high 31 disposals and two goals).

4. North

(3-1: Continues to silence the doubters, this time overcoming a gallant Panthers outfit at Prospect. Has retooled and is getting standout performances from some of its younger players, including defender Harrison Magor).

5. Eagles

(2-2: Didn’t lose any admirers with its hard-fought loss to Glenelg. Has several premiership players sidelined by injury and Covid health and safety protocols and should only get better. Still very much a premiership threat as it chases a three-peat).

6. South

(2-2: Arguably had nearly half of its best side out against North because of injuries and health and safety protocols but was still super competitive. Is paying a price for some errant goalkicking and after consecutive defeats faces a big home game against the Crows this week).

7. Norwood

(2-2: Is building nicely and could argue that it could easily be 4-0 rather than 2-2 after close losses to Glenelg and the Eagles. Coach Jade Rawlings has his young side tracking nicely following a 68-point thumping of West in its country zone at Port Lincoln).

8. Central

(1-3: Trailed by only a goal at three-quarter time against Adelaide before being overrun. Is far more competitive than last season but needs to start turning some solid performances into wins).

9. Port Adelaide

(0-4: Was on top of Sturt in the third quarter at Alberton, leading by 14 points, before paying a heavy price for some poor skills and bad turnovers. Has been hurt by injuries to its AFL team but is quickly losing touch with the top five).

10. West Adelaide

(0-4: Was blown away by Norwood at Port Lincoln and lost star recruit and on-field leader Hamish Hartlett to a hamstring injury. Looks like another long year for the Bloods).

Eagle Daniel Menzel brushes off the attention of opponent Toby Pink to dive for a mark in Monday’s Anzac Day grand final rematch at Woodville Oval. Picture: Tricia Watkinson.

NUMBERS GAME

(Top 12 Champion Data ranking points)

Kyle Presbury (Central) 162

Patrick Wilson (Sturt) 161

Matthew Nunn (Norwood) 158

Travis Schiller (Central) 157

Oliver Davis (South) 156

Billy McCormack (Central) 141

Connor McLean (Norwood) 137

Harrison Magor (North) 134

Josh Thiele (Sturt) 133

Riley Knight (Eagles) 132

Sam Durdin (Glenelg) 130

Guy Page (Sturt) 129

THE STAT

Marks for Glenelg’s Bob Quinn Medallist Sam Durdin against the Eagles.

Glenelg’s Sam Durdin receives the Bob Quinn Medal from Quinn's son, Greg, on Anzac Day. Picture: Tricia Watkinson.

FLYING HIGH

(Play of the week)

Reid Kuller (Glenelg)

Twenty-year-old Reid Kuller kicked the most important goal of his 26-game career when he wheeled away from a pack and kicked truly from 40 metres with 30 seconds left in the Anzac Dat grand final rematch against the Eagles.

The late goal catapulted the Bays from one point behind to five points in front and maintained their unbeaten start to the season.

It was clearly the play of the round.

SAY WHAT

(Quotes of the week)

“It feels a bit surreal. It’s just a great moment, especially getting over these boys (the Eagles) considering what happened last year. I don’t always trust my skills but today I backed myself and fortunately got it done.’’

Glenelg’s Reid Kuller on his matchwinning goal against the Eagles.

“You could say it was soldiers out, soldiers in given the week we had. It was a very good win. There were a couple of lapses in the game where we didn’t quite get it right, but for the majority of the game we did. Rory Illman’s smother at a key point (late last quarter), were some of the really good efforts to hold strong.’’

Sturt coach Martin Mattner.

“Our club is genuine in its intentions with the Eyre Peninsula, the zone is so untapped, and to be able to show how much we care about it by playing a game here shows leadership by our management. It was always going to be an important week - you get one chance for a first impression. I’d like to think this is a regular fixture - at least one game each season.’’

Norwood coach Jade Rawlings.

“I thought we found our identity again as a footy club, we had 91 tackles which is the brand of footy we want to play, so we took a huge step forward. we just paid a price for some of our decision making going forward but the beauty for us is that we still have huge growth in us.’’

Eagles coach Jade Sheedy.

Sturt coach Martin Mattner flips the whiteboard in Sunday’s clash against Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval. Picture: Matt Loxton.

INSIDE WORD

Sturt defied a Covid outbreak to come from 14 points behind to beat Port at Alberton.

After losing Sam Wundke, Will Coomblas and Jack Penfold before selection on Thursday, coach Martin Mattner was forced to make a late shuffle to his team when key men Josh Shute, Steven Slimming and Daniel Fahey-Sparks were also forced out due to health and safety protocols, prompting Mattner to declare “it was a very good win’’.

There were plenty of strong tackles laid during round four but one of the biggest didn’t officially record a stat. Port’s Jake Weidemann brought down an onfield invader, who ran onto Alberton Oval just before half-time against Sturt, after he had evaded security staff who were in pursuit.