SANFL Round 8: Coaches reveal the players they expect to lose, new power rankings leader

Who’s hot, who’s not, team of the week and all you need to know from Round 8. The Advertiser takes you behind the scenes of Australia’s best state league competition.

Andrew Capel

@andrewcapel

6 min read

May 31, 2022 - 5:00AM

SANFL

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SANFL clubs are bracing themselves to lose key players, including multiple from some teams, at Wednesday's contentious AFL mid-season rookie draft.

In what looms as a season game-changer, up to 10 SANFL players could find AFL homes, robbing their state league teams of some of their stars as the race for finals spots heats up.

Glenelg’s Brett Turner and Sam Durdin, Woodville-West Torrens’ Connor Ballenden and Zane Williams, North Adelaide’s Jacob Bauer, West Adelaide’s Josh Carmichael, Sturt’s Casey Voss, South Adelaide’s Jye Menzie and Mitch O’Neill and Norwood’s Harry Boyd are the players most likely to be pilfered from the local league, according to the SANFL coaches.

“I don’t like it but it is what it is,’’ Panthers coach Jarrad Wright said of the mid-season draft which could prove heartbreaking for some local clubs.

“It’s here to stay so we have to keep dealing with it, keep developing our players and hopefully still maintain a strong list of players for the back end of the season.’’

Wright said Tasmanian small forward Menzie is the Panther most likely to be handed a mid-season AFL lifeline.

“He’s had some discussions with clubs but whether or not he gets picked up we’re not sure but he’s certainly tracking in the right direction,’’ he said.

Glenelg assistant coach Brett Exelby, who filled in for senior coach Brett Hand (Covid) on the weekend, believes there is every chance the Tigers will lose midfielder Turner, who has been linked to the Crows, and former North Melbourne defender Durdin, possibly to Carlton.

“Everything you read says there’s pretty big talk about ‘Turns’ and ‘Durds’,” Exelby said.

“Obviously I would love to keep them but it’s great for them if they get the opportunity.’’

Dual Eagles premiership coach Jade Sheedy confirmed ruckman/forward Ballenden and small forward Williams were being considered by AFL clubs.

Former Brisbane Lion Ballenden has been linked to Hawthorn and Carlton and Williams to North Melbourne.

Woodville-West Torrens’ Connor Ballenden. Picture: Mark Brake.

Glenelg’s Brett Turner. Picture: Brenton Edwards.

“I think we’ll lose both of them,’’ Sheedy said.

“It’s great for our football club and will mean about a dozen players have gone in two-and-a-half years from our senior program, which is really good.

“It doesn’t make it any easier for us to achieve what we're trying to achieve but you’ve got to put the kid’s hat on.’’

North coach Jacob Surjan said he expects to lose exciting teenage forward Bauer.

“Bauer is the obvious choice,’’ he said.

“He is an exciting young kid who has a really bright future. If he gets taken he has our 100 per cent blessing, it would be an amazing achievement.

“We will miss him, he lights up the crowd and he does some great team things but we are thrilled for a kid to get an opportunity. It’s his dream.’’

West coach Brad Gotch indicated Victorian midfielder Carmichael, in his first year with the Bloods, would likely be taken.

“Clearly our guy is probably Carmichael,’’ he said.

“He’s had 27 (disposals) again (against South on Saturday) and, from what we are hearing, is a chance from our club. Whatever happens he’s been a great story.

“It’s not ideal for SANFL clubs but aren’t we here to promote AFL players and if they can get a bit of a go you should never deny that.

“If we can sell that to others (players) that we had this guy drafted then that looks good for the club.’’

ROUND EIGHT SCOREBOARD

Norwood 10.7 (67) d Adelaide 9.8 (62)

North Adelaide 12.16 (88) d Port Adelaide 5.11 (41)

Glenelg 8.9 (57) d Central District 3.7 (25)

South Adelaide 13.11 (89) d West Adelaide 8.11 (59)

Woodville-West Torrens 14.11 (95) d Sturt 6.10 (46)

POWER RANKINGS

1. North Adelaide

(7-1: The Roosters top the power rankings for the first time this season following their sixth win in a row, this time against Port at Alberton. A combination of experienced players in red-hot form and exciting youngsters have North well placed for a premiership tilt).

2. Adelaide

(6-2: Hurt by the late withdrawals of Luke Pedler and Andrew McPherson through illness, the Crows coughed up a late 13-point lead to lose just their second game of the season against the Redlegs).

3. Glenelg

(6-2: Moved back into the top three by taking care of struggling Central in the puddles at Elizabeth. Yet to reach the grand heights of last year, when it won its first 17 games, but is positioning itself nicely).

4. Woodville-West Torrens

(5-3: Chasing a hat-trick of premierships, the Eagles made a statement against Sturt with a powerful 49-point win at Unley. It was easily their best performance of the season and illustrated, as long as they don’t get raided in the mid-season draft, that they will again be there when the whips are cracking).

5. Sturt

(5-3: Consecutive heavy defeats to North and the Eagles have seen the Double Blues slump from first in the power rankings to fifth. Is badly missing injured midfielder Tom Lewis).

6. Norwood

(4-4: Produced one of the comebacks of the season to kick three goals in three minutes to pinch Friday night’s game against Adelaide at The Parade. Fittingly, former captain Matthew Panos kicked the winning goal - one of his four for the game - in his comeback to league ranks after nearly two years on the sidelines following a serious knee injury).

7. South Adelaide

(4-4: Had to fight hard against a feisty West to square its win-loss ledger and stay in touch with the top five. Was boosted by the return from long-term injury of captain Matt Rose).

8. Port Adelaide

(2-6: Hasn’t fielded anywhere near its best SANFL side all season and has paid the price. Made a mid-game charge against the Roosters but the early loss of dangerous forward Orazio Fantasia through injury proved costly).

9. Central District

(1-7: Losing streak stretched to six games following a 32-point home loss to Glenelg. While conditions were terrible, the Bulldogs’ 3.7 was their lowest score against the Tigers).

10. West Adelaide

(0-8: The return of experienced stars Hamish Hartlett and Jono Beech has made the Bloods more competitive - they led South by a point at half-time on Saturday - but their 30-point defeat was their 21st on the trot).

Eagle Riley Knight dishes out one of his 26 handballs in his team's convincing 49-point win against Surt. Picture: Dean Martin.

NUMBERS GAME

(Top 12 Champion Data ranking points)

Riley Knight (Eagles) 204

Harry Boyd (Norwood) 165

Darcy Bailey (Glenelg) 149

James Battersby (Sturt) 149

Jye Menzie (South) 149

Aaron Young (North) 146

Jay Boyle (Adelaide) 145

Jay Rantall (Norwood) 145

Matthew Snook (Glenelg) 136

Patrick Wilson (Sturt) 134

Kieran Strachan (Adelaide) 133

Jo Sinor (Eagles) 131

THE STAT

Disposals for Eagles midfielder Riley Knight against Sturt.

The former Crow was dominant in his side’s emphatic 49-point win in the wet at Unley Oval, compiling 22 kicks, 26 handballs, nine marks, five tackles and four clearances to record a whopping 204 Champion Data ranking points.

Goalbound South Adelaide forward Eamon Wilkinson is tackled by West Adelaide’s Sam May at Noarlunga Oval on Saturday. Picture: Cory Sutton/SANFL.

FLYING HIGH

(Mark of the week)

Jase Burgoyne (Port)

The Port AFL father-son product jumped high over the back of the pack to take a screamer in the fourth quarter against North at Alberton Oval on Saturday.

The son of 2004 Power premiership midfielder Peter Burgoyne, Jase’s spectacular mark capped off a big day for the 18-year-old, who had a league career-high 34 disposals.

SAY WHAT

(Quotes of the week)

“That was our best performance for a long time. We’ve had some good games over the journey but from the first bounce to the last bounce I thought we were really switched on and the boys showed their fight, will and commitment to the footy club. We got some players back from injury this week and it was the best we’ve looked in terms of balance for quite a while and it enabled us to play with some consistency.’’

Eagles coach Jade Sheedy.

“I knew he (Matthew Panos) was a good player, but I hadn’t had any experience really watching him play. I knew a lot about him when I first arrived, but his input first up was significant. To cop the best team on a Friday night in a tough a game and come away with four goals and have the biggest play of the night, well, he is a terrific person, a real pro and he loves this footy club.’’

Norwood coach Jade Rawlings.

Norwood’s Jacob Kennerley is gang-tackled against Adelaide at The Parade on Friday night.. Picture: Kelly Barnes.

INSIDE WORD

Some SANFL chief executives are understood to be so disenchanted with the AFL’s treatment of the state league, including the mid-season rookie draft, that they are considering seeking a meeting with AFL officials.