Adelaide’s 29-man SANFL development squad has been finalised ahead of the 2018 season.
There are a wide variety of players in the squad, including 15 returning players and 14 new additions.
The development squad plays alongside those on the Adelaide Crows list who aren’t playing in the AFL team, ensuring a full team is fielded each week.
Midfielder Joey Brown, ruckman Brady Zwar, wingman Ryan Marini, utility Josh Wittwer, defender Sam Tharaldsen and forward Blake Launer are among the returning players in the development squad.
The 14 new players come from a variety of backgrounds, including having previously played SANFL at other clubs, such as Michael McMahon who played for North Adelaide and Doug Hadden from Sturt.
Last year, Lachlan Murphy moved from Melbourne to Adelaide to be a member of the development squad, and went on to receive the Dean Bailey award after an outstanding season for the SANFL Crows.
As a result, Murphy was drafted by the Crows in the AFL Rookie Draft.
Others are now following in his footsteps, with 20-year-old James Loneragan moving from Sydney to be in the development squad in 2018.
State League coach Ryan O’Keefe said the squad is well balanced.
“I’m really happy with the squad this year,” O’Keefe said.
"We’ve got a couple of guys that have been on the list for a year or two now, so they know the system which is really good.
“We’ve got some younger guys that have shown so much improvement, if they get an opportunity, I’m sure they will lap it up.
“We’ve also had a big turnover of new players, we think we’ve got a lot of depth.”
The SANFL team’s first trial match is against West Adelaide at City Mazda Stadium on Saturday, March 10.
Adelaide will kick off it’s SANFL season on Saturday, March 31, against Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval.
PLAYER | CLUB | HT (CM) | WT (KG) | DOB |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aron Asfaha | Glenunga | 177 | 65 | 13/5/97 |
Aaron Baker | Westminster Old Scholars | 185 | 82 | 10/1/96 |
John Boxer | Golden Grove | 168 | 64 | 12/9/89 |
Joey Brown | Kapunda | 174 | 67 | 24/7/96 |
Adam Connelly | Trinity Old Scholars | 173 | 74 | 11/2/96 |
Corey Davey | Solomontown | 188 | 83 | 30/5/97 |
Louis De Michele | RMFL Imperials | 193 | 88 | 11/9/94 |
Samuel Ferguson | Henley Sharks | 186 | 99 | 30/6/93 |
Doug Hadden | Rostrevor Old Collegians | 177 | 70 | 28/3/94 |
Damon Hill | GAZA | 186 | 82 | 14/4/97 |
Tyson Irlam | Willaston | 176 | 85 | 26/11/94 |
Blake Launer | Eudunda Robertstown | 171 | 85 | 14/9/97 |
James Lean | Henley Sharks | 181 | 81 | 13/2/95 |
Matthew Leigh | Athelstone | 184 | 87 | 17/12/92 |
James Loneragan | Adelaide University | 189 | 88 | 24/1/98 |
Ryan Marini | Adelaide University | 186 | 85 | 16/9/95 |
Michael McMahon | Glenunga | 186 | 83 | 18/7/94 |
Mitchell Mins | Reynella | 186 | 91 | 4/1/97 |
Brad Oats | Mypolonga | 194 | 82 | 30/3/96 |
Aidan Offe | Adelaide University | 176 | 68 | 9/12/94 |
Rupert Peake | Sacred Heart | 190 | 85 | 15/9/92 |
Tom Pinyon | Mount Compass | 197 | 94 | 30/8/92 |
Harry Slee | Meningie | 186 | 86 | 7/7/96 |
Sam Tharaldsen | Flagstaff Hill | 188 | 88 | 5/3/94 |
Josh Vandermeer | Flagstaff Hill | 189 | 85 | 1/3/96 |
Sam Venning | Brighton | 184 | 83 | 17/10/91 |
Sam Webster | PHOS Camden | 181 | 83 | 4/2/98 |
Josh Wittwer | Paskeville | 177 | 81 | 18/3/92 |
Brady Zwar | Southern Flinders | 194 | 104 | 7/1/96 |