SA pair Luke Reynolds and Isaac Johnson’s great cricket-football juggling act
THEY are throwbacks from a bygone era. Dual sportsmen who play a high level of cricket in summer and football in winter. How do Luke Reynolds and Isaac Johnson juggle their talents? Plus see all the best efforts from weekend cricket.
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THEY are throwbacks from a bygone era.
Dual sportsmen who play a high level of cricket in summer and football in winter.
Once not uncommon but now a rarity, Luke Reynolds and Isaac Johnson are this year in a unique, two-man club, playing first grade SACA Premier Cricket and SANFL league football.
Reynolds plays cricket for Port Adelaide and football for Glenelg.
Johnson dons the blue and gold cricket colours of West Torrens and the red and black football colours of West Adelaide.
“It’s not easy because both sports have strong demands and the training crosses over a lot,’’ said Reynolds, 23.
“It is a tough balance and you have to have a strong awareness of how your body is coping while both parties, cricket and football, have to be comfortable with your commitments and the training that you are doing.
“But I love both sports and the different group of guys that you play and train with, so it’s something I want to continue to do while I can. ’’
Drafted onto AFL club Carlton’s rookie list in 2014 before being delisted after just one season, versatile forward Reynolds — a member of SA’s under-18 championship-winning team in 2013 — has played 42 league games and kicked 74 goals for the Port Magpies and Glenelg.
At cricket, he is an accomplished all-rounder with the Magpies.
Johnson, 20, a midfielder/forward, made his league debut for the Bloods against North Adelaide in round 12 this year and has played two games and kicked one goal.
A State junior cricket representative, the all-rounder was a member of the Eagles’ historic triple-premiership winning squad two seasons ago.
He plays cricket with one older other brother, Spencer, and football with the other, Ollie.
Left-arm speedster Spencer, 22, is in the Redbacks’ squad while Ollie, 24, is at the Bloods.
“It can be difficult to manage because when West resumes pre-season training (on November 7) I’ll be training five days a week between the two sports, with some gym thrown in between,’’ Johnson said.
“But I find it doable and think I’m handling it okay. I know I probably should choose one sport but I love both and while I’m playing them at a pretty high, semi-professional level I’ll do it while I can.’’
Reynolds, whose dad Lewis played 18 SANFL league games with West from 1978-80 before having his career ruined by a bad ankle injury, has not given up hope of reigniting his AFL career after a strong season with Glenelg.
“At 23 I don’t think I'm too old,’’ he said.
“If I was to be thrown an AFL lifeline, in this draft or later on, then obviously I would have to rethink my cricket commitments.’’
There was a time when the great all-rounders could play two sports at the highest level at the same time.
Two of SA’s finest sportsmen, Eric Freeman and Neil Hawke, played Test cricket and state football in the 1960s.
Crows footballer Alex Keath is the last man to play first-class cricket and AFL.
An Australian under-19 cricket World Cup winner in 2010, he was drafted by the Gold Coast Suns in 2009 but at the time focused on wielding the willow, winning a contract with Victoria and playing seven first-class games.
When his cricket career stalled with the Vics, Keath moved to Adelaide to try to become a Redback before being selected by Adelaide as a Category B rookie in 2016.
The key defender made his AFL debut two years ago and has played 12 games.
Star Redback and Australian limited-overs batsman/wicketkeeper Alex Carey joined expansion AFL club Greater Western Sydney in 2010 prior to its entry into the league before being cut and returning to cricket, where his game has blossomed.
But the pressure of the AFL draft has forced most teenagers to make a call on their futures at 18.
Victorian Sam Sturt and Western Australian Jordan Clark are the latest high-end talents to turn their backs on cricket to nominate for the draft in what has become a battle of the codes.
BEST WITH BAT
MEN
Kelvin Smith (WT) 162 no
Ben Hutchinson (TTG) 115
Tim Rouse (ND) 108 no
Tom Plant (Glen) 101
Jake Brown (Kens) 83
WOMEN
Lauren Ebsary (WT) 152 no
Tegan McPharlin (ND) 136 no
Samantha Betts (ND) 124 no
Tabatha Saville (ND) 120
Darcie Brown (ND) 117 no
BEST WITH BALL
MEN
Sam Kerber (Uni) 4/27
Tate Robins (ET) 4/28
Chris Marshall (ND) 4/38
Jimmy Kain (Adel) 4/46
Josh Macey (TTG) 4/50
WOMEN
Taylah Gregory (ND) 3/13
Gemma Kennedy (SD) 3/52
Ella Wilson (SD) 3/61
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cricket Warehouse
Kelvin Smith (West Torrens) 162 not out from 130 balls, including four sizes and 13 boundaries, to lead the Eagles to a three-wicket win against Glenelg.
CHAMPION PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Kookaburra
(Runs, 1 point; wickets, 20 points)
Player Club Points
Tim Rouse ND 412
Jake Brown Kens 236
Kelvin Smith WT 211
Tom Plant Glen 162
Aaron Sayers PA 137
andrew.capel@news.com.au