State’s best young footballer Oliver Davis set to join off-season player exodus and move to South Australia
Tasmania’s best young footballer is weighing up a relocation to South Australia in a move that would deliver another dagger to the credentials of the State League and talent pathways.
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THE standing of the TSL and Tasmania’s development pathway appears to have taken another massive hit with the state’s best young footballer set to leave for South Australia.
Last year’s Matthew Richardson medallist, Oliver Davis, is believed to be on the verge of relocating to Adelaide to play in the SANFL.
Davis, who was also crowned Clarence’s 2020 best and fairest, was selected in the TSL team of the year and captained Guilford Young College to the state premiership in a breakout campaign, was extremely unlucky not to get picked in last year’s national draft.
The Mercury understands the Crows have been in touch with the star onballer and could be considering the 18-year-old as a possible selection in the mid-season draft, which is slated to take place in June.
Should Davis — who polled two votes in the opening round of the State League and has been the Devils’ best player in their first two NAB League matches — make the move, it would continue the exodus of talent interstate and only add further fuel to the belief that national recruiters do not view the TSL as a high enough standard.
Last year Tasmania failed to have a player selected for the second consecutive national draft, with North Hobart’s Patrick Walker (North Melbourne) and Launceston bolter Isaac Chugg (Collingwood) picked up in the rookie draft.
In the off season, North Hobart’s Sam Collins, a former under-16 All-Australian defender, moved to Melbourne to join the Oakleigh Chargers, following fellow Devils teammate Jackson Callow who signed with SANFL club Norwood.
Other top-end TSL talent who departed over summer included Kieran Lovell (Kingborough to West Adelaide), Aiden Grace (Glenorchy to Central Districts), Jared Dakin (Launceston to Sturt) and Hamish Allen (North Hobart to Sturt).
Only two weeks ago North Hobart assistant coach Oli di Venuto declared more must be done to retain local players once they have finished under-18 state duties.
Clarence coach Jeromey Webberley was reluctant to comment on Davis’ future when asked after the Roos defeated North Launceston on Saturday, while Devils coach Cameron Joyce has not returned calls from the Mercury.
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