SANFL state team decimated by injury, unavailability ahead of game against WAFL

The SANFL has been forced to go back to the drawing board for Sunday’s state clash against WAFL as big names bite the dust because of injury.

The SANFL state team has been rocked by a raft of injuries to key players, forcing selectors to pick a new-look line-up and leaving it vulnerable against the WAFL in Perth on Sunday.

South Australia hasn’t lost to Western Australia at state league level since 2018, winning the past four encounters, but it faces a massive test this time after its best side was ripped in half.

The Croweaters have frustratingly drawn a line through 12 of the 23 players who combined to beat the VFL at Glenelg Oval last month, mainly through injury and soreness but also because of some unavailability and form issues.

Those out of the 23 who beat the Vics include star key forwards Lachie Hosie (broken hand) and Liam McBean (soreness), who combined for six of SA’s 10 goals against the VFL, gun midfielders Will Snelling (soreness), last year’s Magarey Medallist Harry Grant (knee) and Riley Knight (calf), No. 1 ruckman Harry Boyd (university studies) and defenders Darcy Bailey and Josh Ryan (hamstrings) and Max Proud (soreness).

Tall utility Karl Finlay is sidelined with an ankle injury while key forward Jackson Callow was not considered after just returning from a strained hamstring.

Glenelg’s Lachie Hosie, celebrating one of the four goals he kicked against the VFL, has been ruled out of the game against the WAFL through injury. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

“We can only deal with what we can control and we are still really comfortable with the squad we have selected,’’ said SA selector and SANFL head of football operations Sean Toohey.

“The injuries are obviously disappointing but we’ve picked a squad on form and with a bit of experience as well.

“That gives us confidence that we are going into the game with players who are in good touch and are really keen to represent their state and put their best foot forward.’’

Key defender Jack Heard was omitted from the team and replaced by his Norwood teammate Tom Donnelly.

Star Sturt on-baller Tom Lewis, who missed the game against the VFL with a calf injury, also is unavailable after missing the Double Blues’ past two matches with “general soreness’’.

Only 11 members of the side that beat the VFL by 14 points have been selected in SA’s 26-man squad, although the two emergencies for that game, Central’s Aiden Grace and Sturt’s Will Coomblas, are in.

Newcomers to the 26-man squad, which will be trimmed to 23 for the game, include Glenelg veteran Chris Curran, 33, who had previously retired from the SANFL and played in the Adelaide Footy League before returning to the state league competition this year.

Veteran Eagles ruckman Jarrad Redden, who also returned to the SANFL this season after a stint in country football, had been considered for a state call-up before being ruled out with a perforated eardrum.

Riley Knight is helped from Glenelg Oval after being injured in the state game against the VFL. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Ruckman Harry Boyd contests the ruck for the SANFL against the VFL last month. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

The new-look squad has created opportunities for a host of other players.

Apart from Curran, Grace, Coomblas and Donnelly, they include Glenelg’s Riley Holder, Woodville-West Torrens’ Luke Beecken, North Adelaide’s Mitch Harvey and Campbell Combe, Norwood’s Matthew Ling and Billy Cootee, West Adelaide’s Kobe Ryan, South Adelaide’s Eamon Wilkinson, Sturt’s Connor McFadyen and Amos Doyle, Central’s Brinn Little.

The game will be played at Perth’s Optus Stadium at 2.15pm SA time as a curtain raiser to the West Coast versus Melbourne clash.

Despite the swag of personnel changes, Toohey said SA was still confident of continuing its winning streak against the Sandgropers.

“We have won our past four against the WAFL and we play a brand of footy that stacks up in these games,’’ he said.

“We have had different personnel every time we have played, so this shouldn’t be any different.’’

The 26-man squad is:

Aiden Grace, Brinn Little, Jez McLennan (Central District), Matthew Allen, Chris Curran, Riley Holder, Corey Lyons, Luke Reynolds (Glenelg), Campbell Combe, Mitch Harvey, Frank Szekeley, Harrison Wigg (North Adelaide), Billy Cootee, Tom Donnelly, Matthew Ling, Baynen Lowe, Mitch O’Neill (Norwood), Eamon Wilkinson (South Adelaide), Will Coomblas, Amos Doyle, Connor McFadyen, Casey Voss (Sturt), Kobe Ryan (West Adelaide), Luke Beecken, James Rowe, Joseph Sinor (Woodville-West Torrens).