How haul of recruits could shape SFNL’s first-choice interleague side in 2025
The Southern league has had a flood of recruits ahead of 2025, many of whom would be in the first-choice interleague side set to face Western. We take a look at how it could shape up.
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Southern league General Manager of Operations Josh Rhodes hopes the competition’s booming influx of top players will be reflected in the 2025 interleague side.
Southern made a successful return to interleague in 2024, pipping the Riddell District league in an overtime thriller.
The Des Ryan-coached Southern is now set to take on the Western Football Netball League away on Saturday, May 17.
With players like Ben Reid, Alex Keath, Jackson Sketcher, Kyle Martin, Chris Horton-Milne and Robbie McComb all joining the Southern league this off-season, the competition – and the potential interleague side – have received a major boost.
Rhodes made note of how “stacked” the side could be with the addition of several ex-AFL men but was just as pleased by the similar number of long-term Southern players.
“My immediate thought is: super stacked,” Rhodes said.
“I think what is exciting for us is that there’s a lot of Southern boys in that as well, which is what we built in 2024 and what we want the program to be.
“We want it to be aspirational for players coming through the ranks and we want them to want to play interleague.
“We weren’t benefited by a lot of ex-AFL guys against Riddell but the really positive thing was we had a lot of players who had been with Southern for a while.
“It’s a stacked side but it’s good that the balance is there as well.”
It’s unrealistic for the first-choice side to be accessible for the match with injuries, unavailability and VFL commitments all in consideration.
But Rhodes says the opportunity for younger players to learn off the seasoned veterans is priceless.
“Using Alex Keath as an example, he’s played a lot footy, you’ve got Sean Lai lined up next to him, he’d (Lai) learn so much from someone like him (Keath) even in that limited exposure over a couple of weeks,” he said.
Not included in the projected squad is Sean’s twin, Cheltenham livewire Josh Lai, who is training with Port Adelaide for a SSP spot.
The Southern league wants its showpiece matches, like interleague and grand finals, to be a stage for its stars to take the next step.
“We want it to be in a position where it can be a platform for them to go forward with their footy, not just getting onto VFL or AFL lists but learning from coaches involved,” Rhodes said.
“We had TDL (Trent Dennis-Lane) involved last year who has obviously played AFL footy and then some of those players you’ve listed, even from a couple sessions they’d learn so much from someone like an Alex Keath or Jackson Sketcher.”
Trent Dennis-Lane, who kicked five goals and was best-afield last year as an assistant coach, won’t be in the side due to his new role at Greater Western Sydney.
His absence leaves room for not only a forward but an assistant coach.
St Paul’s McKinnon coach Andy Scott was rumoured to be among the candidates for the position but it has not been confirmed.
Zach Horsley (Dingley) and Kris Thompson (Springvale Districts) will continue as Des Ryan’s other assistant coaches.
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