SFNL: The top 30 players ahead of the 2024 Division 1 season
From never-say-die defenders to clever forwards and star midfielders, we have ranked our top 30 ahead of the Southern league Division 1 season. See who made the list and where they rank.
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When Jack Lonie signed with Cheltenham in November, the report read: “the competition’s best just got better”.
The ex-Saint kicked 46 goals for Seaford in the Mornington Peninsula league last year while playing a predominantly midfield role.
With only one other player getting close to achieving that in the Southern league last year, it’s hard to not have Lonie at the pointy end of this list.
But is he a worthy No.1? He has to contend with the likes of Zak Roscoe, Michael Hibberd and Dylan Weickhardt for that position ...
*VFL-listed players have been excluded from the top 30*
THE TOP 30
30. Cale Love-Linay, East Brighton
Love-Linay had a superb 2023 for the Vampires, finishing third in the league best and fairest before taking out best-afield honours in the grand final. He won’t have any trouble with rising to Division 1 standard.
29. Chris Deluca, Port Melbourne Colts
After battling through some injury troubles last year, the ex-WAFL premiership star will lead the Colts as a co-coach this season. He can play a bit more of an outside role with some inside beasts, using his elite skills to high advantage.
28. Alex Windhager, Dingley
Windhager is an underrated defender who plays a very selfless role. A couple of performances head-to-head with Cranbourne’s Marc Holt really put him on some radars last season.
27. Nicholas Stathopoulos, St Paul’s McKinnon
One of the better small forwards in the competition, Stathopoulos will thrive in an improved St Paul’s McKinnon outfit this year. He kicked 29 goals last year, including 15 in his last six matches.
26. Eren Soylemez, Port Melbourne Colts
Clever, cunning and cheeky, Soylemez is everything you want in a small forward. He’s never far away from a bit of magic, which was obvious after his elimination final performance. The left-footer would likely be on a VFL list if it wasn’t for his work commitments.
25. Ryan Jones, Cranbourne
A classic wingman, Jones is so damaging when the Eagles get the ball on the outside. A number of coaches recognised his impact with run-with roles last year. He showed how good he can be during the second term of last year’s grand final.
24. Luke Verma, Cheltenham
The inside bull is hugely important to the Rosellas for doing the dirty work for his classy outside teammates. Verma’s productivity will even more vital this year with the absence of some key pillars to the VFL.
23. Nick Darbyshire, Cranbourne
Derbyshire is a smart player who often sneaks under the radar of opposition sides. His finals series was excellent, being named best afield in two of the Eagles’ three matches.
22. Tom Lamb, East Brighton
The former West Coast Eagle had a fantastic season for the Vampires last year, kicking 66 majors and being named in the Team of the Year. Lamb is too good of a footballer to not follow that year up in the league’s top flight this year.
21. Brayden O’Toole, St Paul’s McKinnon
One of the Bulldogs’ biggest recruits of the off-season. O’Toole kicked 36 goals last year – with a best of seven – for St Bede’s Mentone last year and was named among the best on five occasions.
20. Daniel Helmore, Springvale Districts
Helmore’s got pace, skill and loves the big moments. He’s a player who could finish this year much further up the list than where he currently ranks.
19. Brandon Osborne, Cranbourne
Osborne’s reputation on the last line of defence speaks for itself. Steve O’Brien doesn’t shy away from how important Osborne is to the Eagles and nor should opposition sides. He won’t have the captaincy this year, which is bad news for whoever he matches up on with his entire focus now on restricting them from getting a kick.
18. Jacob Edwards, Cheltenham
The ex AFL-listed ruckman is certainly a player to watch this season. He’s a product that obviously showed enough to win the attention of AFL recruiters but will be up against very seasoned frames in the ruck this year.
17. Harry Hunt, St Paul’s McKinnon
Hunt returns to St Paul’s McKinnon and immediately earns a place among the competition’s best players. From all reports, 17 will be far too low for the star defender.
16. Trent Dennis-Lane, Dingley
Dennis-Lane has rocketed up this list with an eye-opening pre-season. In the abundance of practice matches the Dingoes have had, the former-AFL forward has starred in each of them. With his Western Jets coaching commitments, he will play around 10 home-and-away games.
15. Luke Tapscott, Chelsea Heights
Tapscott is coming off another best-and-fairest winning season after a super 2023. He will float across half back this season, calmly rebounding the footy and using his experience to direct traffic.
14. Kristan Feehan, Dingley
The versatile Dingley defender locks down one of the opposition’s best forwards while also counterpunching himself. He averaged 20 disposals last year and was a crucial cog in the Dingoes’ back six.
13. Sean Downie, East Brighton
The East Brighton star was crucial in the Vampires’ Division 2 flag last year. Downie has the ability to not only match Division 1 but be one of the competition’s top players. With the addition of Kyle Hutchison, Downie will be able to have more a split between midfield and forward.
12. Kyle Hutchison, East Brighton
Hutchison is a must-watch this season. Crossing from Frankston YCW – where he won seven premierships – Hutchison has reportedly had an impressive pre-season and is raring to take on Mordialloc in Round 1. Give him time and space at your own risk, he can change a game in an instant.
11. Lucas Walmsley, Dingley
As one of Dingley’s most consistent players, it’s hard to not have Walmsley closer to the top of this list than the bottom. He averaged around 30 disposals last year, highlighted by a 53-possession game.
10. Jarryd Barker, Cranbourne
Barker’s top-10 finish could be a surprise for some but he is very close to announcing himself as one of the best players in the competition. He is rated highly internally by the Eagles, which is proven by his best and fairest-winning record. Barker is only young, and coach Steve O’Brien thinks the world is his oyster.
9. Justin Taylor, Port Melbourne Colts
Taylor enjoyed a phenomenal year last year, averaging 32 disposals, 10 tackles and seven clearances. He won’t have his right-hand man Billie Smedts this season but Michael Hibberd is a more-than-handy replacement. He led the Colts terrifically and will need to do so again in 2024 as co-coach.
8. Matt Wetering, Springvale Districts
At his best, Wetering is easily a top-10 player in the competition. He has committed to the interleague side later this year and if he can stay injury free, the dynamic forward will kick 50 plus goals. The addition of Tatupu to the Demons’ midfield should translate to more delivery to a leading Wetering.
7. Nathan Freeman, Dingley
There’s a lot of questions surrounding Freeman’s availability but he will play and when he plays, he’s one of the best midfielders in the competition. He averaged more than 40 disposals last year and if it wasn’t for his Survivor cameo, he would’ve walked the league medal in.
6. Sam Dunell, Cheltenham
Dunell will be one of the recruits of the year for Cheltenham for his ability to play across any line. He crosses from Bonbeach where he won the peer-voted Most Valuable Player award in the MPFNL. You would expect the Rosellas use his experience and deceptive size forward of centre in a bid to source another avenue for goal.
5. Shem Tatupu, Springvale Districts
If Tatupu can recapture the form he showed during the first half of last year’s Southern league season, he will accelerate Springvale Districts’ chances of a premiership. He averaged an impressive 28 disposals, 15 clearances, 31 hit outs and 156 ranking points a game.
4. Dylan Weickhardt, Cheltenham
The Rosellas’ superstar ticked all boxes in 2023, taking home every honour on offer for a midfielder. With Cheltenham looking to cover the loss of Josh Fox forward, it will need a larger spread of goals from its stars, Weickhardt included.
3. Michael Hibberd, Port Melbourne Colts
With Hibberd’s role at Port Melbourne Colts likely to be vastly different to the one he played for 197 AFL games, his impact has a sense of mystery. The Colts will have to use the premiership defender as a midfield-forward to maximise damage, but he hasn’t played that role for over 15 years. If he thrives in that position, No.3 on this list will be too low.
2. Zak Roscoe, Cranbourne
Roscoe was unlucky to not walk away from 2023 with a wheelbarrow full of accolades after such an imposing year. He kicked 45 goals from the midfield and is realistically just hitting the peak of his career. The Eagles’ No.14 will take on the captaincy this year in what is another step in his development.
1. Jack Lonie, Cheltenham
The Rosellas’ boom recruit is going to be extremely difficult to stop this year. Lonie’s ability to hit the scoreboard is his trump card, having kicked 46 goals in his past two seasons at local level. With an already strong midfield at Cheltenham, opposition sides can’t risk giving the smooth-moving lefty too much attention.
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