Sturt’s Will Snelling on track for back-to-back Magarey Medals as SANFL mid-season team of the year revealed

How far would you go to secure SA footy’s highest honour? This SANFL star can literally count the kilometres he’s racking up as he chases double dreams.

A season on from one of the most emotional Magarey Medal wins in SANFL history, Sturt’s Will Snelling is on track to make it a case of Double Blue.

The 27-year-old midfielder has enjoyed a second consecutive standout season in the SANFL since being cut from the AFL by Essendon, despite hardly training with Sturt this year - and travelling more than 500km a week - as he studies medicine in the Riverland.

At the halfway mark of the 2025 campaign, Snelling is joint leader in The Advertiser SANFL Player of the Year voting, having polled 13 votes, along with another former Bomber, Woodville-West Torrens’ midfielder Kobe Mutch.

The super-consistent Snelling has polled in six of the eight games he has played, missing the Round 8 clash against Central District with calf soreness.

His stellar form for unbeaten Sturt has come despite him spending his weekdays in Renmark and making the round trip to Adelaide for games.

Sturt's Will Snelling jumps high to spoil in the club’s thrilling four-point win against Norwood at Unley Oval on Monday. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

He trains twice a week with Riverland club Renmark Rovers to maintain his fitness and touch.

If Snelling continues to put his best foot forward, he could become the 21st player to win multiple Magarey Medals and first since Norwood’s Mitch Grigg went back-to-back in 2017-18.

Last year he was crowned joint Magarey Medallist with Redlegs ruckman Harry Boyd just two months after the shock death of his dad, Paul.

Snelling and Boyd polled a staggering 34 votes each to tie for the SANFL’s highest individual honour.

It was the highest tally since Magarey voting changed back to the 3-2-1 system from 1986.

Snelling thanked Sturt for allowing him to continue to play in the SANFL this year without training regularly at the club because of his studies, and while he was satisfied with his form, he said he had “lacked a bit of polish’’ because of the unusual circumstances.

“I’m always trying to find another level with my footy, that’s just my personality, so I feel there’s been a bit of polish I’m missing by not training with the team back in Adelaide, especially given the changes we’ve had this year with injuries, which makes it harder to find that niche,’’ he said.

“But being able to train with the guys at Rovers has been awesome, just to have a kick and a catch during the week.

Will Snelling during this year’s Magarey Grove plaque unveiling at Adelaide Oval. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Kobe Mutch has enjoyed a standout season for the Eagles after rejoining the club from South Adelaide. Picture: Supplied

“In a couple of weeks, when my current semester finishes, I’ll get to have three-or-four weeks back training at Sturt, which will be good, before returning to my Renmark schedule in late July.’’

Snelling is averaging more Champion Data ranking points than any other SANFL player this season, with 149.

His season averages of 28 disposals, 11 tackles and seven clearances are identical to his 2024 numbers.

Snelling and Mutch, a Woodville-West Torrens premiership player who has returned to the Eagles after two years at South Adelaide, have a one vote lead in a crowded leaderboard in The Advertiser SANFL Player of the Year voting ahead.

Snelling’s on-ball teammate Tom Lewis is second on 12 votes, ahead of Glenelg midfielders Matthew Allen and Jarryd Lyons and Eagles on-baller/forward James Rowe on 11.

Norwood’s Nik Rokahr is next on nine votes, ahead of new Port Adelaide midfielder Mani Liddy, who was drafted from Central District in the AFL mid-season draft, and Adelaide ruckman Lachlan McAndrew, on eight.

Of players to have played at least six games this season, Lewis ranks second behind Snelling in ranking points, averaging 134.

Sturt's Tom Lewis tries to shrug off a tackle against Glenelg. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Glenelg's Matthew Allen celebrates kicking a goal against Sturt at Unley Oval in Round 5. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

The nine player of the year vote leaders headline The Advertiser’s SANFL 2025 mid-season team of the year, chosen at the halfway mark of the season, where the eight standalone SANFL clubs have played nine games and the two AFL reserves teams, Adelaide and Port, have played eight.

Selected by The Advertiser’s Andrew Capel and Peter Cornwall and the SANFL’s Zac Milbank, the star-studded side is dominated by players from the top two clubs, Sturt and Glenelg.

The top-of-the-table Double Blues and second-placed Tigers have a competition-high five players selected in the team.

Third-placed Adelaide has three AFL-listed players picked - emerging ruckman Lachlan McAndrew, veteran defender Brodie Smith and forward/midfielder Lachie Murphy - after they met the qualification period of having played at least six games in the SANFL in the first half of the season.

SANFL MID-SEASON TEAM OF THE YEAR

F: Liam McBean (Glenelg), Lachie Hosie (Glenelg), Josh Hone (Sturt)

HF: James Rowe (Eagles), Jackson Callow (Norwood), Jarryd Lyons (Glenelg)

C: Matthew Allen (Glenelg), Tom Lewis (Sturt), Kobe Mutch (Eagles)

HB: Brodie Smith (Adelaide), Dyson Hilder (North), Casey Voss (Sturt)

B: Will Coomblas (Sturt), Max Proud (Glenelg), Rhett Montgomerie (Central)

RUCK: Lachlan McAndrew (Adelaide), Angus Schumacher (North), Will Snelling (Sturt)

INT: Mani Liddy (Central/Port), Jack Watkins (Port), Nik Rokahr (Norwood), Lachie Murphy (Adelaide)

NUMBERS GAME

9

Adelaide wins from its first 13 games - it’s best start to an AFL season since beginning 9-4 in 2017.

1313

Points scored by the Crows - ranked No. 1 in the AFL.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“We were probably a bit lucky. We have been a bit unlucky in the last three or four years.’’ - Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks after the five-point win against Brisbane.

“That was a game we should’ve won, in my view.’’ - Lions coach Chris Fagan on the loss to the Crows.

Originally published as Sturt’s Will Snelling on track for back-to-back Magarey Medals as SANFL mid-season team of the year revealed