Norwood Redlegs’ Tasmanian players on show as the SANFL club travels to Hobart for trial games

The Redlegs will this weekend take flight to strengthen its unique Tassie connection by playing two trial games in Hobart. See how many Tasmanians are on the playing list.

Jade Rawlings is gone but SANFL powerhouse Norwood’s strong and unique connection with Tasmania continues to grow.

After signing six Apple Islanders over summer, the Redlegs now boast so many Tasmanians on their men’s list (17) that they could almost field a team of them in the SANFL.

And they will strengthen their ties with Australia’s smallest state even further on the weekend when they fly to Hobart to play two trial games against Tasmanian representative teams.

In a historic double header, Norwood’s men’s team will play a combined Tasmanian side at Kingston Twins Oval at 2.15pm on Sunday, with its women’s team kicking off proceedings against their Tassie counterparts at noon.

“The connection clearly started with Twig (Rawlings) but it’s organically grown,’’ said Redlegs general manager of football Richard Kelly.

“After Twig moved on this year we were approached by a dozen Tasmanians wanting to come over and have a trial.

Norwood’s SANFL Tasmanian collection, from left, Oliver Sanders, Ben Simpson, Jake Cresswell, Dom White, Alec Wright, Tom Donnelly, Tom McCallum, Jackson Callow, Josh Gillow, Jack Aherne, Mitch O’Neill, Baynen Lowe, Mitch Nicholas, George McLeod, Connor Ling and Liam Ling. Absent: Khalen Matthews. Picture: Ben Clark

“They see the SANFL as a great competition and a couple of steps up from where they are and they want to put themselves in a great competition.

“The fact that some Tasmanians have had success with us has only seen their interest in joining Norwood grow.

“Their younger players are looking to improve their footy to give themselves the best chance of being drafted and our hope is that they love our club and become long term players for us.’’

The Redlegs’ Tasmanian connection is headlined by 2022 SANFL premiership stars Baynen Lowe and Tom Donnelly.

Other ace Tasmanians at The Parade include 2024 grand final men Jackson Callow, Mitch O’Neill, Alec Wright and Jake Cresswell, along with Ben Simpson, Oliver Sanders, Josh Gillow, Dom White and George McLeod.

Over summer, Norwood recruited North Launceston premiership stars Mitch Nicholas and Jack Aherne, their Bombers teammate Khalen Matthews and ace Glenorchy twins Connor and Liam Ling.

Another off-season recruit, delisted Port Adelaide AFL player Tom McCallum, also hails from Tassie.

The Redlegs also have two Tasmanians on their women’s list – rising star Candice Belbin and Ellie Poke.

Baynen Lowe celebrates kicking a goal for Norwood in last year’s SANFL grand final loss to Glenelg. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Norwood’s Tom Donnelly (right) spoils Glenelg’s Liam McBean during last season’s SANFL grand final at Adelaide Oval. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

The influx exploded during 2022 premiership coach Rawlings’ four-year reign at The Parade.

A proud Tasmanian with strong connections on the island, Rawlings quit Norwood after last season’s heartbreaking five-point grand final loss to Glenelg to join AFL club Fremantle as an assistant coach.

He has been replaced by dual Woodville-West Torrens premiership mentor Jade Sheedy.

The reasons for the Tassie trial games are two-fold.

They will help the Redlegs strengthen their Tasmanian ties and give something back to the state while supporting AFL Tasmania’s commitment to play more representative games this year as it prepares for the Tassie Devils’ VFL and VFLW entry next year.

Long-term, Tasmania is preparing to enter a team in the AFL in 2028.

“The games came about in October when AFL Tasmania approached us about playing matches over there and we jumped at the chance,’’ Kelly said.

“It’s a great experience for our players and it helps Tasmania have some marquee games until it gets things sorted with its VFL and AFL teams.’’

Norwood will on Saturday take a travelling party of 65 to Tasmania and train at Kingston Twins Oval in the afternoon before playing a double-header on Sunday and returning to Adelaide that night.

Tasmanian star Jackson Callow takes a strong mark for the SANFL state team during its win against the VFL at Glenelg Oval last year. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

The games will be livestreamed on AFL Tasmania’s YouTube account.

“I know some of our supporters are jumping on planes to go and watch the games and that our Tasmanian players will have a lot of their family and friends there to watch them play live in a Norwood guernsey,’’ Kelly said.

Star key forward Callow, who represented the SANFL state side last season after being drafted from the Redlegs to Hawthorn at the 2021 mid-season draft before being delisted, described returning to play in Tasmania as “special’’.

“It will be a proud moment for me and all of us Tassie boys when we head out onto the oval on Sunday,’’ he said.

“It’s special to not only represent Norwood but also the relationship the club and Tasmanian football have.’’