SANFL super Sunday: Panthers v Bloods, Redlegs v Tigers live stream from 2.10pm Sunday

It’s a SANFL super Sunday, as high-flying South Adelaide travels to face West Adelaide and Norwood hosts ladder-leader Glenelg in our live stream game from 2.10pm on Sunday.

South Adelaide key recruit Sam Skinner during his time in the AFL with Brisbane Lions. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Sam Skinner would have been forgiven for thinking enough is enough.

By age 20 he had been brought to his knees three times in three years, forced to deal with the pain, heartbreak and draining rehabilitation of three knee reconstructions.

The injury horror show would have been enough for anyone to give football away and focus on something else.

But Skinner is no quitter.

“Did it cross my mind, throwing it all in, absolutely it did after the third reco,’’ said the Panthers’ 198cm key forward recruit, who will line up in Sunday’s clash with West Adelaide.

“I was fine mentally after the first two, got through them and thought I’d be all right, but the third one knocked me around a fair bit.

“It made me question whether it was all worth it.

“But then I looked around and saw there were other players who had come back from three knee recos and still played some good footy.

“One of them was (former Geelong and Sydney AFL forward and current Woodville-West Torrens player) Daniel Menzel, who had four, and was able to get back, so that encouraged me to keep going.’’

High-flying South’s trip to face second-bottom West at Richmond is one of two tantalising Sunday fixtures this weekend.

Finals aspirant Norwood hosts undefeated ladder-leader Glenelg in the other, a clash that will be live streamed on advertiser.com.au from 2.10pm.

Glenelg forward Liam McBean will look to extend the Tigers’ unbeaten record when they face Norwood at the Parade in a clash live streamed by The Advertiser. Picture: Mark Brake

Victorian-born Skinner’s tale of woe began when he ruptured the ACL in his left knee at the 2015 AFL under-18 championships while representing Vic Country against Western Australia in Perth.

His knee buckled while chasing a loose ball alongside an opponent.

A year later, Skinner, who had been selected by the Brisbane Lions at pick 47 at the 2015 national draft from TAC Cup side Gippsland Power despite being just six months into his rehabilitation, was overjoyed when he was named for his first AFL game against Port Adelaide at the Gabba.

But two days before the round 19, 2016 clash, Skinner was undertaking some extra marking practice on a jumping bag following the club’s final training session of the week when he landed awkwardly and his left knee again buckled.

“The timing was very unfortunate, it was an emotional rollercoaster,’’ Skinner, now 23, said.

The resilient Skinner would finally get to make his long-awaited maiden AFL appearance, debuting against West Coast at Subiaco Oval in round 19, 2017.

He kicked two of the Lions’ six goals and had nine disposals in a 68-point loss before being surprisingly dropped the next week.

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Two weeks later he shredded his right knee in a NEAFL match against GWS in Sydney in an innocuous incident much like his first setback.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t tough, but I looked at the Menzel situation and some others and decided I would try to keep going,’’ Skinner said.

“Mentally I decided I would try to turn all the negative things that had happened to me into a positive by working on strategies to improve myself as a person and footballer.’’

Skinner had to wait three years to play his second AFL game, finally being chosen for the round nine, 2020 clash against Essendon at Metricon Stadium, where he had 10 disposals and kicked a goal.

He retained his spot for the round 10 game against Richmond before being dropped and delisted at the end of the season.

“It was tough finishing up at the Lions because I enjoyed it there but when you only play three games in five seasons it’s hard to make a case to keep your spot,’’ Skinner said.

He hoped to be thrown an AFL lifeline when he trained with North Melbourne over summer, but it was not to be.

Refusing to give up on his AFL dream, Skinner, with support from partner Charlotte, joined the strongest league outside the AFL, the SANFL, signing for the Panthers

“It’s been a nice little chapter for me in terms of living a more normal life again, with work (as an SSO teacher at Christies Beach High School) and uni studies, and if I can string some good games together then you never know, I could potentially get another shot at the AFL,’’ he said.

“But first I’d love to help South break its long premiership drought (its last flag was in 1964). That would be pretty special.’’