Tigers, Eagles revealed as SANFL’s top AFL breeding grounds
When it comes to producing AFL talent, the numbers show two SANFL clubs do it better than the others, writes Andrew Capel.
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Glenelg and Woodville-West Torrens have been revealed as the modern-day SANFL kings when it comes to developing AFL talent.
Of the 120 former SANFL players currently on AFL lists, the Tigers and Eagles have produced the most, with 20 each.
They are earning reputations as AFL talent factories.
In a massive tick to their development systems, the two clubs could nearly field their own teams of AFL players.
Their AFL-listed products are headlined by superstar Lachie Neale, who was drafted from Glenelg by Fremantle in 2011 before winning two Brownlow Medals and a premiership with Brisbane, and Kysaiah Pickett, who was selected by Melbourne from the Eagles in 2019 and last month signed a monster nine-year, $12m contract to stay with the Dees.
Illustrating just how important the SANFL has become to the AFL as a breeding ground, all eight standalone state league clubs have at least 10 of their former players currently on AFL lists.
Most were developed through their junior programs, while some mature-age prospects arrived from interstate clubs looking to develop their games in a stronger competition - the SANFL is regarded as the best league outside the AFL - to push their AFL draft cases.
While the Tigers and Eagles lead the way in producing AFL talent, Sturt - flying high at the top of the men’s league premiership table with a perfect 11-0 record - North Adelaide and South Adelaide rank next, with 15 players each.
Then comes Norwood (13), West Adelaide (12) and Central District (10).
Apart from Neale and Pickett, Sturt products Jordan Dawson (Adelaide) and Brodie Grundy (Sydney), West’s Riley Thilthorpe, Izak Rankine (both Crows) and Will Day (Hawthorn), North’s Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide) and Callum Wilkie (St Kilda), Glenelg’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (Saints) and South Adelaide’s Jason Horne-Francis (Power) are among the stars currently plying their trade in the AFL.
While SANFL clubs are completely opposed to the AFL mid-season draft because it can rob them of key players in the middle of a campaign and seriously dent their finals and premiership hopes - the flag-chasing Tigers lost key defenders Oscar Adams (Gold Coast) and Harrison Ramm (Port) this year, while Central had Mani Liddy (Power) ripped from its midfield - they take great pride in producing AFL players and seeing them realise their dreams.
Dual Glenelg premiership coach Darren Reeves said that while SANFL clubs had to strive to achieve on-field success (the Tigers have won the past two flags), they also had to create environments where players could flourish and push their AFL claims.
“We’ve all got our opinions on the mid-season draft and how that affects (state league) clubs but at the end of the day most SANFL players play at the level because they harbour the ambition to play at the highest level,’’ he said.
“I encourage our guys to strive to do that, to have a great time while they are with us while we put our arms around them and do everything we possibly can to foster that (AFL) opportunity.
“If they get drafted, we are thrilled for them.’’
Reeves said the Tigers were proud of their record of being a SANFL leader in producing AFL players.
“Darren Trevena (talent manager) and Ben Kane (under-18s coach) do an incredible job with our junior program, continually producing guys who either get drafted or who are ready to come in and play senior footy for us,’’ he said.
“And then you get stories like Oscar Adams, who was lost (after being delisted by St Kilda at the end of 2023), came back to us as a 20-year-old, bought into our program, put his head down, did everything we asked of him, worked his backside off, became a premiership player (last year) and six months later he’s back in the AFL system.
“We’d love to still have him, of course, but it’s great to see him, and the others, do what they’re doing.’’
Fellow key defender Toby Pink is another mature-age success story.
Drafted by Sydney from Glenelg’s juniors in 2016, he spent three years at the Swans before being delisted without playing an AFL game.
Pink returned to the Bay and played in the Tigers’ 2023 premiership team and made The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year before being signed by North Melbourne as a delisted free agent.
The 26-year-old is now in line for a bumper new contract with the Kangaroos after this year producing career-best form which has seen him eclipse some of the AFL’s premier key forwards, including Carlton’s dual Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow.
Adelaide’s Darcy Fogarty, Alex Neal-Bullen and Mitch Hinge, Essendon’s Mason Redman, Geelong’s Brad Close and the Western Bulldogs’ Bailey Williams are among Glenelg’s other AFL products.
Eagles chief executive David Couzner said his club was “extremely proud’’ of its strong record of producing AFL players.
“We pride ourselves on our junior development programs, our centre of excellence, and see producing AFL players as a vital part of our role as a club,’’ he said.
“It’s great when you get to see players live out their dreams and you know your club has played a role in that.
“Apart from wanting to produce elite talent, the strength of the SANFL competition allows our clubs to attract players from interstate because they see the league, with its strong record, of being a place to get drafted from, which is of benefit to us too.’’
The AFL is set for another big injection of SANFL talent at the end of this year, following SA’s success in winning the AFL under-18 boys national championship on Sunday.
The Croweaters won all four of their pool games to secure their first title since 2018 and have a host of high-end talent, including their MVP, Central’s Dyson Sharp, his Bulldogs’ teammates Aidan Schubert, Matt LeRay and Cameron Nairn, West’s Mitchell Marsh, North’s Sam Cumming, Sturt’s Harley Barker and Louis Kellaway, Norwood’s Sam Ainsworth and Eagle Jack Cook.
SANFL PRODUCTS IN THE AFL
Glenelg 20
Eagles 20
North 15
South 15
Sturt 15
Norwood 13
West 12
Central 10
NUMBERS GAME
38
Mitch Georgiades goals for Port Adelaide this season - six behind his career best of 44 last year.
26
Dan Curtin disposals for Adelaide against Richmond - a career high.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“Some of the stuff he’s doing, I have to turn away and smile because he’s playing well above his age and experience.’’ - Crows coach Matthew Nicks on Dan Curtin’s standout, 26-disposal, two-goal performance against Richmond.
“We’re going to play our season out as strong as we possibly can, all the way through.’’ - Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley after the 50-point win against Carlton.
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