Team of the Year reveal: Eleven debutants named in best SANFL side as ‘Big Three’ dominate

The gap between the top three sides and the rest has been reflected in the 2023 The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year. See the full side.

The big gap between this season’s standout SANFL teams and the rest has been reflected in The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.

Minor premier Glenelg and qualifying final combatants, Sturt and Adelaide, have provided 14 of the 22 players in the elite side, which includes 11 debutants.

The Tigers finished top at the end of the minor round, with a 15-3 win-loss record, ahead of the Double Blues (14-4) and Crows (13-5).

Central District was a whopping four wins back in fourth spot, with a 9-9 record, with its elimination final opponent Port Adelaide fifth – with eight wins, a draw and nine losses.

Glenelg boasts a team-high six players in the team of the year: captain Max Proud, who has been named skipper of the star-studded line-up after a standout year in the heart of the Tiger’s back six, fellow defender Toby Pink, key forwards Lachie Hosie and Liam McBean, and midfielders Matthew Allen and Corey Lyons.

Sturt and Adelaide have four players in the side.

Sturt’s Tom Lewis breaks clear of Adelaide’s Louis Sharrad at Unley Oval in Round 17. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

The Double Blues quartet includes midfield ball magnets Tom Lewis and James Battersby, small forward Josh Hone and first-year key defender Connor McFadyen.

Midfielders Harry Schoenberg and Jackson Hately, key forward Lachlan Gollant and ruckman Kieran Strachan are the Crows representatives.

Lewis tied for The Advertiser SANFL Player of the Year with Central District on-baller Harry Grant, who has been included in the team for the first time.

Three clubs have dominated the SANFL Team of the Year for 2023.

They polled 20 votes to win by three ahead of the super-consistent Battersby and electrifying Schoenberg, who played only 10 SANFL games but had a big impact in most of them, leading to his selection.

All four are expected to feature prominently in Magarey Medal voting.

Central District and Woodville-West Torrens had two players selected in the team of the year – Harry Grant, defender Jez McLennan, James Rowe and Joseph Sinor – while Port, Norwood, South Adelaide and West Adelaide had one.

Glenelg’s Max Proud marks strongly against Sturt at the Bay in Round 9. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

South Adelaide’s Keegan Brooksby in action against Central District in Round 14. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Illustrating his longevity, professionalism and talent is Panther’s ruckman Keegan Brooksby; being selected for a third time, five years after his previous nomination and 10 years since he first made the team in 2014.

The 33-year-old has been named vice-captain.

North Adelaide, which slumped from second last season to sixth this year, did not have a player selected after having a competition-high six in 2022.

First-year Glenelg coach Darren Reeves has been named coach of the year, highlighting the tremendous job he has done at the Bay, taking the club from fourth last season to the minor premiership.

The 11 team of the year debutants, who comprise half the side, are Pink, Lyons, Hone, McFadyen, Gollant, Hately, Schoenberg, Grant, McLennan, Port’s Jackson Mead and West’s Callum Park.

Small forward Hone finished third in the Ken Farmer Medal as SANFL leading goalkicker, booting a career-best 41 majors, while playmaking defender Park led the competition in disposals (492) and kicks (375).

Central District’s Harry Grant handballs under pressure from West Adelaide’s Michael Mattingly. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

The high-leaping Hosie claimed his first Farmer medal, kicking 52 goals, while Lewis was a runaway winner of tackles, laying 185 – 38 more than nearest rival Sinor.

Lewis also averaged the most Champion Data ranking points (140.9) while Brooksby led the competition in hit-outs with 660 at an average of 37.

Sturt captain Battersby is the most capped player in the side, earning selection for the sixth time.

The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year was selected by The Advertiser’s Andrew Capel and Peter Cornwall, the SANFL’s Matthew Duldig, Zac Milbank, Sean Toohey, Daniel Joyce and Channel 7’s John Casey.

2023 THE ADVERTISER SANFL TEAM OF THE YEAR

FORWARDS

Josh Hone (Sturt, 1st selection), Lachie Hosie (Glenelg, 2nd), Lachlan Gollant (Adelaide, 1st)

HALF-FORWARDS

James Rowe (Eagles, 3rd), Liam McBean (Glenelg, 4th), Jackson Mead (Port, 1st)

CENTRE

Matthew Allen (Glenelg, 2nd), Tom Lewis (Sturt, 2nd), Jackson Hately (Adelaide, 1st)

HALF-BACKS

Callum Park (West, 1st), Connor McFadyen (Sturt, 1st), Joseph Sinor (Eagles, 3rd)

BACKS

Max Proud (C) (Glenelg, 2nd), Toby Pink (Glenelg, 1st), Jez McLennan (Central, 1st)

RUCK

Keegan Brooksby (VC) (South, 3rd), James Battersby (Sturt, 6th), Harry Grant (Central, 1st)

INTERCHANGE

Harry Schoenberg (Adelaide, 1st), Kieran Strachan (Adelaide, 3rd), Corey Lyons (Glenelg, 1st), Nik Rokahr (Norwood, 2nd)

COACH

Darren Reeves (Glenelg)