Record six father-son players in Croweaters’ under-18 State side
A RECORD six sons of former state and national league players are in Brenton Phillips’ SA under-18 team - and one looks seet to become the Crows’ second father-son recruit.
EACH is a chip off the old block - six sons of guns who South Australian under-18 coach Brenton Phillips says are providing a flashback to the past.
In his 11th year as Croweaters coach, Phillips has never before had so many sons of former AFL or SANFL players in his elite team.
“We’ve had a smattering of them come through before but never to this extent,’’ said Phillips, whose side will play its only home game of this year’s AFL Under-18 Championships against the Allies at Adelaide Oval today.
“So it is a bit like a throwback to the past.’’
Phillips’ squad, which lost its championship opener to WA in Perth last week by a golden point, includes the sons of three former AFL players — Adelaide’s Tyson Edwards, Wayne Weidemann and Stephen Rowe — and three SANFL footballers, Norwood’s Andrew Pascoe, Woodville and Woodville-West Torrens’ Rob Lukosius and South Adelaide’s Rob Rozee.
Jackson Edwards is in line to be a Crows’ father-son pick this year, following his cousin Ben Jarman into the AFL system, while bottom-agers Jack Lukosius and Connor Rozee are already being talked about as being likely first-round selections at next year’s draft.
Rowe, Pascoe and Weidemann, who is sidelined from today’s game with a broken hand, also have draft claims.
“They are all talented in their own right but certainly have some traits of their fathers,’’ Phillips said.
“Mostly they are their own players but there are similarities between father and son, especially with James (Rowe).
“I can see a lot of the old man in him. He’s probably the closest in terms of being like his dad in terms of the way he plays with that hard-at-it, never-take-a-backward-step approach.
“And in the changerooms he’s always chirpy and bouncing around the group like his dad.’’
Asked why so many sons of former AFL and SANFL players had graduated to his elite junior s
ide, Phillips nominated both nature and nurture.
“Needless to say they’ve got good genes, which plays a part, but the other advantage is that from an early age they virtually live in football changerooms and know how football clubs tend to work,’’ he said.
“That in itself is an advantage and then the people that surround them, their friend networks, are probably usually footy-heads, so if they are half-smart they can learn a lot along the way.’’
James Rowe, whose dad Stephen played 29 games for the Crows from 1991-95 and won a premiership with Norwood in 1997, said being brought up in a football environment had “given me something to aspire to’’.
“And because Dad’s been in the system, he’s always been able to give me some good advice because obviously he knows what he is talking about,’’ said James.
“For all of us (father-son) boys that is a bit of an advantage.’’
Jackson Edwards, whose father Tyson is a dual Crows premiership player and has played the second-most games in club history (321) behind Andrew McLeod (340), said both dad and mum, Mandy, had been significant role models in his blossoming career.
“They’ve both been great support and obviously with dad’s background the advice he gave me in junior footy, in particular, was massive for my development,’’ Jackson said.
After losing a heartbreaker to the Sandgropers, SA needs to beat the Allies today in the 10.10am clash to keep its national title hopes alive.
Phillips says his side needs to tidy up its skills to get a positive result.
“This is a high-pressure competition and we gave the ball back to the opposition a fair bit last week so we need to show that we are capable of standing up under intense heat,’’ he said.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER
THE FATHER AND SON
Tyson Edwards Jackson Edwards
Age 40, 178cm Age 17, 186cm
Midfielder Midfielder
321 games, 192 goals for Adelaide 1995-2010 Glenelg
42 games, 9 goals for West Adelaide 1993-98
Andrew Pascoe Lachlan Pascoe
Age 46, 198cm Age 18, 191cm
Key forward/ruckman Tall defender
116 games, 190 goals for Norwood 1988-90, 1994-2001 Norwood
Stephen Rowe James Rowe
Age 51, 178cm Age 17, 172cm
Midfielder/forward Midfielder/forward
29 games, 24 goals for Adelaide 1991-95 Woodville-West Torrens
185 games, 206 goals for Norwood 1987-97
27 games, 31 goals for South Fremantle 1985-86
Rob Lukosius Jack Lukosius
Age 47, 191cm Age 16, 195cm
Tall forward/defender Key forward
4 games, 0 goals for Woodville 1990 Woodville-West Torrens
26 games, 22 goals for Woodville-West Torrens 1991-96
Wayne Weidemann Jake Weidemann
Age 50, 182cm Age 18, 190cm
Midfielder/utility Utility
68 games, 26 goals for Adelaide 1991-96 Woodville-West Torrens
19 games, 13 goals for West Torrens 1990
57 games, 28 goals for Woodville-West Torrens 1991-96
Rob Rozee Connor Rozee
Age 55, 178cm Age 17, 184cm
Midfielder Midfielder
5 games, 3 goals for South Adelaide 1982-83 North Adelaide
andrew.capel@news.com.au