Injury blow for Croweaters as star midfielder Tom Lewis ruled out of State game against VFL
Injury has hit a key midfielder as the SANFL names the State squad to play VFL at Glenelg Oval on Saturday.
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The SANFL has been dealt a massive blow for Saturday’s interstate clash against the VFL, with star midfielder Tom Lewis ruled out with a calf injury.
The tough Sturt ball magnet strained a calf muscle in the second quarter of last Thursday night’s SANFL season-opening game against Norwood at The Parade and did not reappear after halftime.
This left the SA selectors with no choice but to overlook him for the first SA versus Victoria State League clash in eight years, which will be played at Glenelg Oval as part of AFL Gather Round.
“The injury is a bad blow for Tommy and the team,’’ said SA selector and SANFL head of football operations Sean Toohey.
“But fortunately we feel we have good depth in the squad and that we have picked a strong, well balanced team.’’
Lewis was the main injury concern from the opening round of the SANFL before the selectors met to finalise their 25-man squad for Saturday’s 12.40pm game.
Glenelg premiership ruckman Cam McGree broke his collarbone against Port Adelaide but he was unlikely to have made the team.
In contrast, Lewis was considered a certainty.
While he has missed out, his new Double Blues teammate Will Snelling (recruited from Essendon) has been picked.
SA’s squad has a strong Glenelg flavour, with seven Tigers selected – club captain Liam McBean, last year’s premiership skipper Max Proud, reigning Ken Farmer and Jack Oatey Medallist Lachie Hosie, Luke Reynolds, Corey Lyons, Darcy Bailey and Matthew Allen.
Norwood, which upset Sturt in Round 1, has five players selected – standout ruckman Harry Boyd, Jack Heard, Jackson Callow, former Panther Mitch O’Neill and Baynen Lowe – while four clubs have three representatives.
They are Central District, North Adelaide, Sturt and Woodville-West Torrens.
West Adelaide has one player in the squad (full back Josh Ryan) while South Adelaide, Adelaide and Port Adelaide have none.
The State team will train at Glenelg Oval on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in preparation for Saturday’s 12.40pm encounter.
SA and Victoria will play 23 players with two emergencies.
“We’re very comfortable with our squad,’’ Toohey said.
“We have had a really thorough selection process and really like the quality and balance of the squad.’’
SA SQUAD
Aiden Grace, Harry Grant, Jez McLennan (Central District); Matthew Allen, Darcy Bailey, Lachie Hosie, Corey Lyons, Liam McBean, Max Proud, Luke Reynolds (Glenelg); Karl Finlay, Frank Szekely, Harrison Wigg (North Adelaide); Harry Boyd, Jackson Callow, Jack Heard, Baynen Lowe, Mitch O’Neill (Norwood); Will Coomblas, Will Snelling, Casey Voss (Sturt); Josh Ryan (West Adelaide); Riley Knight, James Rowe, Joseph Sinor (Woodville-West Torrens).
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