SA’s Greatest School Footy Teams: We reveal Blackfriars’ and Findon High’s all-time best 22s

Today, we name Blackfriars Priory School and Findon High’s all-time best 22s, which feature a host of AFL and SANFL stars. Plus see the full list of teams ranked from 20-1.

Two of Adelaide’s favourite past-times are football and asking ‘what school did you go to?’

The Advertiser is combining them again this week as it relaunches its SA’s Greatest School Footy Teams series.

Three years ago, sports reporter Matt Turner selected the all-time 22s of Prince Alfred College, St Peter’s, Sacred Heart, Rostrevor, Brighton Secondary, Henley High, Immanuel and St Michael’s with the help of SANFL historians, colleagues and theschools.

Another eight schools’ best ever sides were chosen in 2019: Pembroke, Pulteney Grammar, Unley High, Woodville High, Le Fevre, Norwood Morialta, Adelaide High and CBC.

Now, we are revealing the next last two schools for the series in 2022: Blackfriars Priory and Findon High.

Blackfriars boasts a relatively modern line-up for a school that will turn 60 in 2023.

Nine players have featured in the AFL and three members of the side are still active in 2021.

Since overlooking the school for the first two instalments of the series in 2018 and 2019, several people have asked: “Have you thought about doing Findon High?”

It was easy to see why Findon High kept getting brought up once we started looking into its list of former students who became SANFL or VFL/AFL footballers

SEE BLACKFRIARS PRIORY SCHOOL AND FINDON HIGH’S TEAMS BELOW

The selection criteria is again based on players’ post-school careers, not their First XVIII performances.

Playing state league is considered a minimum requirement.

Achievements trumped ability, meaning present-day players at the start of their careers were often overlooked despite the possibility of future stardom.

Helping pick the sides were Rino Cialini, club historians, colleagues such as Andrew Capel, the SANFL’s Zac Milbank and theschools.

Statistics came from Cialini, the late Mark Beswick, Barry Dolman, John Storer, John Althorp, John Duggan and australianfootball.com.

Selecting the teams and comparing eras were again excruciatingly difficult tasks that prompted long discussions about players or teams.

The updated line-ups are on an interactive module that allows readers to toggle between the 20 schools and click on any player to see their career statistics.

HOW TO USE THE GREATEST SCHOOL FOOTY SELECTOR

Click the school logos below, to see our pick of the best 22 players.

Click each player’s name to reveal their key stats and accomplishments

See highlights for every squad and read a breakdown of each team.