Five things we learnt from Round 7 of the 2021 SANFL season
A leg injury to South Adelaide forward Eamon Wilkinson has put his AFL mid-season draft hopes in doubt. That and more in our SANFL wrap for Round 7.
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Brilliant South Adelaide small forward Eamon Wilkinson’s AFL mid-season draft hopes could hinge on the results of an X-ray.
The classy 21-year-old goalsneak, who made his State debut for SA against WA last week, limped from Noarlunga Oval in the second quarter of Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash against Glenelg in the hands of two trainers and did not return.
He suffered shin damage after being crunched in a tackle and had scans on Monday, with the results to be known on Tuesday.
The club fears he might have suffered a fractured shinbone, which would sideline him indefinitely and almost certainly rule him out of mid-season draft contention.
The draft will be held next Wednesday, June 2, with nominations closing on Tuesday.
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While his former Panthers small forward sidekick Beau McCreery was shining with three goals for Collingwood against Port Adelaide at the MCG, Wilkinson’s damaged leg was put in a bandage after he was hurt in the second minute of the second quarter after a strong start against the unbeaten Tigers.
South coach Jarrad Wright believes Wilkinson is his club’s top mid-season draft candidate but that any significant injury, even one which could sideline him for a month, could cost him the chance to be picked up.
“Of all our players, he’s probably the one (who is in line to be drafted),’’ Wright said.
“He started the game really well and the injury was disappointing for him and for us.
“That may impact what happens next week, especially if he’s out for three, four weeks or more, but I guess we’ll have to wait to see what the results of the scans are and what happens with him from there.’’
Wilkinson, who celebrated his 21st birthday after SA’s 53-point win against WA last week, has been linked to several AFL clubs, including the Crows.
Norwood, meanwhile, is likely to lose State ruckman Michael Knoll to Gold Coast while teenage key forward Jackson Callow did his chances of an AFL mid-season call-up no harm with a standout performance against Adelaide at The Parade on Saturday.
The 18-year-old Tasmanian, who trained with Hawthorn in the off-season, produced an outstanding marking exhibition in the 48-point thumping of the Crows, hauling in 11 strong grabs, including seven contested, and having a season-high 24 disposals.
His kicking for goal let him down as he booted an inaccurate 3.7 but his marking was thrilling.
Callow recorded a stunning 184 Champion Data ranking points for his display.
“Two or three times we have seen here how good a contested mark he can be,” Redlegs coach Jade Rawlings said.
“We understand and accept it, the reality of the landscape (mid-season draft).
“When you play like that you command attention. Jackson is close to me and the family, we know him from Tassie and love the way he has progressed.
“It would not be for us to get in anyone’s way to achieve their objective individually.
“The concept, I’m not so sure about, but we support whatever happens to our players.”
No commentators curse could stop Jackson Callow from slotting it from the boundary 🎯
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1ï¸âƒ£ Nick Lange (@Ceeentrals)
2ï¸âƒ£ Jackson Callow (@NorwoodFC)
3ï¸âƒ£ Tom Keough (@WestAdelaideFC)
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Knoll, who was selected by Sydney at the 2019 mid-season draft after just seven games with South and a Fos Williams Medal as SA’s best player against WA in Perth, is understood to be high on the Suns’ recruiting radar after they lost number one ruckman Jarrod Witts for the season with a serious knee injury.
Premier Woodville-West Torrens also could be badly hit, with former Richmond and Crows small forward Tyson Stengle attracting the interest of a handful of clubs, including Collingwood.
He starred in last week’s State game, kicking 3.3 from 21 disposals, and booted another three majors against West Adelaide on Saturday.
Former Crows midfielder Riley Knight and State captain Jack Hayes are others Eagles being considered for a mid-season AFL call-up.
Coach Jade Sheedy said he had no inside knowledge of whether any of his key men would be selected.
“I don’t know because no-one really tells you anything,’’ he said.
“They’ve all been talked about but I’m not sure where it sits. It’s not ideal to lose a player at this time of the year, it can disturb you, but they are the rules so what do you do?
“It hurts SANFL clubs and if it happens, that we lose a player, someone else gets an opportunity.
“But if a player gets picked up I’d like it to be for at least 18 months, that a club commits for that long, rather than just six months.’’
Tasmanian midfielder Oliver Davis, who has been training and playing with Adelaide in the hope of winning a mid-season AFL call-up, did his chances no harm with a strong, 26-disposal, nine-tackle, seven-clearance display against the Redlegs.
TOP FIVE DONE AND DUSTED?
Could the SANFL top five already be set in stone?
That is a very real possibility after only seven rounds following the weekend’s results.
Grand finalist North Adelaide’s surprise loss to a depleted Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval has opened up a two-win gap between the top five and the rest.
Unbeaten Glenelg sits top with a 7-0 win-loss record followed by South Adelaide
and Norwood at 5-2 and premier Woodville-West Torrens and Port at 4-3.
Then there is a two-win gap to the bottom five, North, Sturt, Central District, Adelaide and West Adelaide, who have all won two and lost five games.
The Roosters’ strong percentage of 54.5 – third-best in the league.- leaves them with the best chance of forcing their way into the top five.
But they will need to get moving fast after a bitterly disappointing start to a season they started as one of the flag favourites after retaining the core of last year's squad and adding star former AFL midfielder Aaron Young to their list in the off-season.
“We are going to have to make some pretty hard decisions to get the group back to playing North Adelaide football, which we aren’t doing at the moment,’’ coach Jacob Surjan said after last Saturday’s eight-point defeat.
ROOSTERS’ SHINING LIGHT
There was a shining light from North Adelaide’s disappointing loss to Port Adelaide, with the continued good form of young forward Dyson Hilder.
The 195cm, 20-year-old booted three goals opposed mainly to experienced Port pair Jarrod Lienert and Tyson Goldsack.
Used as a defender last year, Hilder has spent this season at the goalfront and coach Jacob Surjan spoke highly of his performance on a difficult day for the Roosters.
“He’s a ripper,’’ Surjan said.
“He played really well, presented well and did a lot of the right things. He has been a shining light for us this year.”
A standout SA under-18 player, Hilder has played 16 league games and has nominated for next month’s mid-season rookie dtaft.
“I’m really pleased for Dyson and would love to see him go in the mid-season draft,” Surjan said.
“I think he is good enough but if no-one takes him we are more than happy to have him for the rest of the year and beyond.’’
FREDERICK’S BIG DAY OUT
Speed machine Martin Frederick was the catalyst for Port Adelaide’s stirring win against North Adelaide at Alberton Oval, providing a much-needed spark for an inexperienced Magpies line-up.
He finished with 29 disposals and six marks in an eye-catching return to SANFL footy after
being omitted from Port’s AFL side after a month at AFL level.
Magpies coach Matthew Lokan said Frederick’s standout performance was pivotal in his team’s come-from-behind win and paid credit to the 21-year-old’s professionalism.
“He was disappointed to get dropped from the AFL side but to come back and play the way he did was a credit to the young man he is,” Lokan said.
“With his run and carry, he played a very important role for us on the wing and he was really important for us in crucial situations at the back end of the game as well. “
Frederick’s performance was just one of several impressive outings for players looking to push their claims for AFL selection.
Ruckman Sam Hayes continued to present his name for AFL selection, with 14 disposals, eight marks and 34 hit-outs as he gave the Maggies first use of the ball around the ground.
“Hayes has been in outstanding form and was dominant in the ruck,” Lokan said.
Midfielder Sam Mayes also impressed with 32 disposals and eight clearances while small forward Boyd Woodcock booted three goals from 18 disposals in three quarters before having his game time limited due to AFL squad commitments.
SCHILLER STEPS UP
Talk about leading by example.
Central District’s first-year co-captain Jarrod Schiller has provided plenty of inspiration for his young side this season but he seemed to step it up another notch as the Bulldogs shattered a couple of longstanding Sturt hoodoos at Unley Oval on Saturday.
Central ended a run of 11 successive losses against Sturt to wreck Double Blues champion Zane Kirkwood’s farewell celebration with a gutsy, hard-fought 10-point win.
Thomas’s men refused to be sidetracked by Kirkwood’s big game – although they paid wonderful tribute to the dual Magarey Medallist before and after the clash – or the fact the Doggies had not won at Unley since 2014, instead focusing on what they have been working on.
They achieved that by playing consistent footy for longer, withstanding everything the Blues threw at them, always seeming to have the answer as they finally gained reward for effort after five successive losses this season.
“I thought Jarrod Schiller, first year as captain, really stood up in those moments when we needed him,” coach Paul Thomas said of his hardworking midfielder, who crashed in all day, getting his hands on the ball first and applying crunching tackles at crucial times.
“He’s done it all year but I suppose it’s amplified because you win … but he’s been doing it every week. He’s been superb.”
The dual club best-and-fairest picked up 25 possessions, along with 11 clearances and 10 tackles, in his best-afield performance, gaining outstanding midfield support from brother Travis, Darcy Pisani, Harry Grant and Jackson Kelly.
Fraser Fort doesn’t always get the credit he deserves but he stood tall down back with nine telling marks.
“Fraser’s been in excellent form all year,” Thomas said.
“He had a good summer, got the work done, gets his training load into him and he just loves the footy club.”
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Originally published as Five things we learnt from Round 7 of the 2021 SANFL season
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