Likely top SA draft pick, West Adelaide’s Riley Thilthorpe, stands out like a beacon at a cricket school
West Adelaide key forward Riley Thilthorpe was always known as ‘the tall kid’ at school, but now they’re noticing him for his footy talents.
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Standing out like a beacon at 201cm, Riley Thilthorpe said he had long been known at Adelaide High School as “the tall kid’’.
At a school more renowned for producing cricketers than footballers, multi-talented sportsman Thilthorpe’s growth as a footballer largely flew under the radar.
Until now.
“No-one at school really knew too much about my footy until this year when they’ve started to see some articles on me popping up on Facebook,’’ said Thilthorpe as he prepares to enter a season which will determine his AFL future.
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“Before that I was just known as the tall kid, which was fine by me.’’
The tallest student at Adelaide High this year, Thilthorpe, who turned his back on promising cricket and ice hockey careers to pursue football, is on track to be the first Croweater selected at this year’s national draft.
He has been touted as a possible top-five pick and, if he stays fit and enjoys a strong 2020 campaign, could even push to be taken first overall.
An athletic key forward/ruckman from West Adelaide, Thilthorpe is a tantalising prospect whose ballwinning ability has been likened to Collingwood superstar and fellow South Australian big man Brodie Grundy.
“I’ve heard that a couple of times, which is unreal, it’s pretty crazy to be compared to someone that good,’’ the laid-back, likeable 17-year-old said.
“But we’re a bit different in that I'm more of a forward than a ruckman, although I can pinch-hit in the ruck.’’
Thilthorpe made recruiting scouts stand up and take notice when he kicked three goals in just his second game of league football against Sturt in round 14 last season – just days after turning 17 and having bypassed reserves football completely.
He finished the year with eight majors from six matches, despite having his season interrupted by injuries to both shoulders and an ankle.
In a major personal blow and to the South Australian under-18 team, Thilthorpe’s badly sprained ankle in June saw him miss the AFL under-18 championships.
Now the strong-marking right-footer is injury free and eyeing a starring role with the Bloods and State under-18s.
“I was really disappointed to miss last year’s under-18 championships, so my main goal this year is to get my body right, stay fit and play a full, consistent season,’’ Thilthorpe said.
“I’m just trying to be the best I can and whatever happens from there happens.’’
Thilthorpe, in Year 12, described his draft hype and new found celebrity at school as “pretty crazy and surreal’’.
But the 100kg giant said there was no chance of him getting ahead of himself.
“My cricket mates won’t let that happen,’’ he said.
“They rip me to shreds all the time, keep me grounded.’’
Thilthorpe was in Adelaide High’s cricket program until Year 10 and played juniors to under-16 level at Adelaide Cricket Club.
Surprisingly for his height, he was an opening batsman and wicketkeeper who loved “swinging hard’’.
“I could hit a bomb, liked being a front foot bully who could clear the fence,’’ he said.
The son of former Australian ice hockey player Ben Thilthorpe, Riley also was good with a stick in his hands.
He represented SA at ice hockey until under-12 level.
But football won his heart.
“I was a naturally gifted runner and with my size and athleticism football was probably the best fit for me,’’ Thilthorpe said.
Bloods talent and development manager Paul Streatfield described him as “the ultimate football package’’.
“It’s a big statement but with his combination of attributes, talent and workrate, he’s as good as I’ve seen,’’ Streatfield said.
“He doesn't get beaten one-on-one in the air very often but his work at ground level, for a bloke his size, is just as impressive.
“His ability to adapt to multiple roles is probably the best that I’ve seen – he even likes his chances as an on-baller – and he’s very humble with the way he goes about his football.
“He sets good standards – he’s the first one at training and the last to leave – and ticks every box to get the best out of himself.
“If we had a whole footy club of people like him it would be a pretty special place.’’
A Crows supporter, Thilthorpe spent a week training at Port Adelaide in January as a member of SA’s AFL Academy Hub.
He models his game on star North Melbourne key forward Ben Brown, studying his running patterns and ability to take pack marks.
Thilthorpe has signed with the same player agent, Ben Williams from Players Ink, as fellow Croweaters Jack Lukosius (Gold Coast) and Connor Rozee (Port), who went at picks two and five respectively at the 2018 draft.
“There’s a lot of talk and hype about where I might go in the draft but the number doesn't concern me,’’ he said.
“Just to be drafted would be unreal but I know that’s just when the hard work begins.’’
Originally published as Likely top SA draft pick, West Adelaide’s Riley Thilthorpe, stands out like a beacon at a cricket school
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