SANFL Team of the Year 2020 announced, with South Adelaide’s Joel Cross at the helm
Dual Magarey Medallist Joel Cross has been named captain of The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year for the first time as seven players earn their first selections. SEE WHO MADE THE TEAM
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Dual South Adelaide Magarey Medallist Joel Cross has another feather in his cap, being named captain of the The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year for the first time.
Co-captain of the preliminary final-bound Panthers with the injured Matt Rose this season, Cross’s remarkable consistency has earned him an eighth team of the year selection, putting him among the all-time greats.
The 33-year-old midfielder/forward, recruited from Victorian Eastern Football League club Scoresby, also made the star-studded team in his first season in the SANFL in 2011, followed by 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
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This is his first year as captain and comes in a season where he has South on the verge of its first league premiership since 1964.
A strong chance for a third Magarey Medal this year, Cross spent much of the season at half-forward, averaging 24 disposals and kicking 15 goals in 14 games.
He is one of four Panthers named in the elite team, along with dashing defender Joey Haines, former Power half-back Matthew Broadbent and former Crows rookie-listed ruckman Paul Hunter, who joined mid-year after the VFL season was cancelled because of COVID-19.
Hunter was the highest ranked SANFL player, averaging 135 Champion Data ranking points in his seven games, and starring in South’s first semi-final win against premier Glenelg.
There are seven debutants in this year’s team of the year, where players will be awarded State guernseys for the first time.
This comes after the state game between SA and Western Australia was cancelled because of the coronavirus.
They include Norwood veteran Richard Douglas, who had a standout first year for the club after playing 246 AFL games for the Crows, Sturt key defender Sam Wundke, who was a revelation after signing from Adelaide Footy League Division 3 club Glenunga, Hunter and Broadbent and North Adelaide trio Cameron Craig, Campbell Combe and Andrew Moore, who have played major roles in the Roosters making the grand final.
Redlegs ruckman Sam Baulderstone, who retired after the final minor round, has been selected for the fifth time.
Wooden spooner West Adelaide is the only club without a representative.
The Eagles and North boast the most players, with four.
Joint Ken Famer Medallists Liam McBean (Glenelg) and James Rowe (Eagles), who kicked 38 goals in the revamped 14-round home-and-away season, sit alongside each other in the forward line.
This year’s coach will be the premiership coach, given Jacob Surjan (North), Jade Sheedy (Eagles) and Jarrad Wright (South) have all taken their clubs from outside the top five to be the last three teams standing.
The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year was selected by The Advertiser’s Andrew Capel and Peter Cornwall, the SANFL’s Matthew Duldig and Zac Milbank, Channel 7’s Mark Soderstrom and, in the absence of the annual State match, State chairman of selectors Stephen Rowe.