WATCH: All Schools Cup football preliminary final between Sacred Heart and Henley High
The state’s best young footballers battled it out as Sacred Heart took on Henley High in the All Schools Cup preliminary final. Catch all the action here in our full REPLAY.
Live Stream
Don't miss out on the headlines from Live Stream. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- REPLAY: Hearts take home intercol win over Rostrevor
- Want more local footy? Sign up to our newsletter
AFL draft prospects from Sacred Heart’s First XVIII and Henley High’s open side are ready to battle it out in the All Schools Cup preliminary final.
The high-flying schools will square off in the do-or-die clash in a bid to meet Prince Alfred College a week later for the title of state champion.
Tuesday’s match, to be hosted at Thebarton Oval, will be live streamed on advertiser.com.au from 1.15pm, as part of a new era of school footy in SA.
The All Schools Cup competition is a School Sport SA event, funded by the Department for Education.
National draft combine-invitee Xavier Robins, ruck/midfielder Riley Holder and defender Cooper Beecken, who has been likened to ex-Sacred Heart scholar and former Geelong star Andrew Mackie, will be among those to watch from the college side.
Hearts finished the Messenger Shield college competition second on percentage after beating Rostrevor in their intercol on Saturday.
Coach Jon Symonds said his side was entering the clash against Henley blind, not knowing too much about the opposition.
But he was thrilled to have an opportunity to play in the prelim, having just missed out in the past two season.
“We are very excited,” Symonds said.
“The last couple of years we’ve been able to have a pre-season trial against Henley, but it wasn’t possible this year with COVID and the timing of the seasons.
“It’ll be something new for us.
“We think we are good enough to win the game, but know we have to play at our absolute best to do so given there is a lot of talent in the Henley side that we have to overcome.”
Henley meanwhile, downed Faith Lutheran in the State Schools Pool A final to advance.
The public school also has plenty of potential draftees.
Taj Schofield, son of Port Adelaide premiership midfielder Jarrad Schofield, and Jase Burgoyne, son of Power star Peter Burgoyne, are among the standouts.
Henley mentor Ben Kane said captain Bailey Chamberlain was also attracting interest from AFL recruiters.
“We love coming up against the colleges and giving it a crack,” Kane said.
“Jase has had an exceptional year with us and with Woodville-West Torrens’ under-18s.
“He’s really improved his game over the past 12 months.
“He’s a Year 11 so will play with us again next year.
“Taj has had a really solid year as well. He’ll come through as a small/forward midfield role and we know what he can do.
“Our skipper has had an exceptional year and he’s played a lot of reserves footy with West Adelaide.
“We’ve also got Caleb Poulter who’s been playing consistent reserves footy at the Eagles and potentially could go relatively high in the draft.
“We’ve actually got quite a few and I’ve been getting a lot of phone calls lately (from recruiters) asking about quite a number of our guys.”
Kane, also an assistant coach with the state under-18 team, had been keeping a close eye on Hearts’ top talents.
“I am pretty aware of who their dangerous players are and they are a pretty good outfit and coached very well,” Kane said.
“No doubt it’s going to be a tough match.”
Prince Alfred gained direct entry into the All Schools Cup grand final by finishing top of the Messenger Shield standings.
PAC defeated Henley by eight points in last year’s decider. It was the third meeting between the teams in as many years.