Redleg Ned Bowman’s huge hanger sets tongues wagging and puts AFL clubs on red alert

A Norwood AFL draft prospect and St Peters College student has taken one of the best marks ever seen in SANFL under-18s competition. See the video.

Norwood under-18s coach Alex Newell says he has never seen a better mark.

“Obviously I’m biased but I don’t think they get much better than that, I certainly haven’t seen one as good,’’ he said.

“It’s the best mark I’ve ever seen.’’

When Redlegs 17-year-old Ned Bowman soared high on the shoulders of Woodville-West Torrens opponent Griffyn Hansen in a SANFL under-18s game on Sunday, spun in the air on top of a pack and held onto the ball as he crashed to the ground, he sent social media into overdrive.

The soaring, juggled mark midway through the final quarter at Woodville Oval had everything – remarkable height (it was estimated the mark was taken upwards of four metres off the ground), hang time, a mid-air twist and crunch landing.

“One of the best marks you will ever see,’’ proclaimed Fox Footy.

Commentator Adrian Pickles, calling the action for SANFL Now, said: “What a ride, Ned Bowman, you have just seen mark of the year in the SANFL under-18s competition’’.

Norwood’s Ned Bowman flies high to take a spectacular mark against the Eagles in the SANFL Under-18s competition. Picture: Supplied.

Bowman – the son of 1997 Norwood premiership defender Lachlan Bowman, who played 150 league games from 1991-2000 and was nicknamed “Wizard’’ – was helped from the ground after his heavy landing, where he was given a standing ovation from the small crowd following his extraordinary grab.

He was suffering leg cramps and returned to the action soon after as his side lost to the unbeaten Eagles by 56 points, 15.12 (102) to 6.10 (46).

“The video footage didn’t do the mark justice,’’ Newell said.

“I had a great view of it from where I was sitting in the coaches’ box (the mark was taken on the grandstand wing) and it was absolutely sensational.

“Some of the still shots show how high he actually got and it was unbelievable.

“I was a bit worried when he landed and didn’t get up, thinking he had suffered an injury, but fortunately it was just cramp in both calves.’’

Bowman, who hails from Orroroo in the mid-north region of South Australia and is a Year 12 student at Adelaide’s prestigious St Peters College, looms as an AFL draft wildcard this year.

Redleg Ned Bowman juggles the mark as he prepares for a crash landing. Picture: Supplied.

Playing as a high forward for the Redlegs, he played only one game last season because of stress fractures in his back but Newell said he had just completed his first full pre-season and had “hit the ground running’’.

“He had an unbelievable pre-season and in the first three weeks of the season has been our best player by far, no question,’’ Newell said.

“He has some serious X-factor, the mark highlights his leap, he hits the scoreboard and goes at high speed.

“He’s probably not quite fit enough yet to go into the midfield and I’m not comparing him to (Port Adelaide star) Connor Rozee in any sense, but he’s got a little bit of Rozee-type movement to him, a bit of that fishtail, a bit of that wiggle, and he’s just a great young man too.’’

Bowman kicked two of Norwood’s six goals against the Eagles and Newell said AFL clubs were starting to ask questions about him and that “this mark will probably help him a little bit’’.

Originally published as Redleg Ned Bowman’s huge hanger sets tongues wagging and puts AFL clubs on red alert