Six To See: South Australia vs Allies Review
On Sunday, South Australia welcomed the Allies to Thebarton Oval for Round 1 of the 2024 Marsh AFL National Championships. After a seesawing game, South Australia held on to record a 13.9.87 to 11.9.75 win. Here are the best six players for both sides.
South Australia
#3 Ben Camporeale:
27 disposals, 5 marks, 5 clearances, 473 metres gained, 5 score involvements.
Using his elite running capabilities, Camporeale was influential in South Australia’s attack of half back. When South Australia went to the outside, Camporeale used his elite distribution to put the ball to advantage of his forwards, going at 74.1% disposal efficiency.
Camporeale is tied to Carlton, his Dad, Scott, played 233 games, and won the 1995 premiership with the Blues. Ben and his brother, Lucas, will cost Carlton an absolute buffet of Draft Value Index points in November, but both promise to add a little bit off class to the Melbourne club’s list.
Projected Draft Rank in May: 15-30
#5 Evan Bradley:
10 disposals, 3 goals, 2 I50s, 6 Score Involvements, 70% disposal efficiency.
Evan Bradley was electric inside forward 50, he kicked three incredible goals, but it was more than that. Bradley’s pressure inside forward 50 was his massive selling point, he had 7 contested possessions and laid 2 tackles inside 50, which was an equal game high.
He has kicked 10 goals in seven games for the Roosters this season and has 12.6 average disposals at 57% efficiency. He attacks the ball hard and his pressure rating is off the chart.
The North Adelaide prospect looks like his ability as a small pressure forward could be very useful at AFL level. Bradley, along with his underage teammates, Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier and Sam Cumming, (who are both eligible in 2025), offer plenty of reasons to watch North Adelaide in the U18s. Expect Bradley to rise up the draft boards in the coming months.
Projected Draft Rank in May: Late-Rookie
#11 Phoenix Hargrave
18 disposals, 3 clearances, 5 marks, 1 I50, 4 Score Involvements.
South Australia’s A1 midfielder, Hargrave began the championships like he ended last years. He was in and under the packs and ended the day with eight contested possessions.
He also set up shots on goal with his delivery inside forward 50 and can offer an option moving forward, he did trouble the scorers, but unfortunately it was only a behind.
See Hub Adelaide’s exclusive chat with Phoenix here, via the ‘From the Stands’ Podcast
Projected Draft Rank in May: 15-30
#19 Harley Barker:
8 disposals, 1 R50s, 5 marks, 1 I50, 87.5% disposal efficiency, 2 Score Involvements.
Barker’s statistics aren’t the biggest on the ground, however Barker’s impact was ever present. The Sturt prospect did clever things to keep the ball moving forward and was involved all over the park in important times for the SA team. He cut the Allies off at half back multiple times and was pivotal in a couple of attacks in the second half for the SA team.
Projected Draft Rank in May: Illegible, (2025)
#24 Dyson Sharp:
25 disposals, 9 clearances, 5 marks, 7 tackles, 6 I50, 6 Score Involvements.
An underage player who’s going from strength to strength. The reigning under 16’s premiership captain at the Bulldogs in South Australia, Sharp looked a class above the older players. He was winning the ball out of the stoppage when he attended the centre bounces, but also delivered the ball on a platter for his forwards.
Sharp set up the first goal of the game for SA. He sent the ball to the top of the square, before the forwards brought the ball to ground and Bradley’s clever finish kick started the SA team.
Projected Draft Rank in May: Ineligible, (2025 draft)
#42 Tyler Welsh:
6 disposals, 3 goals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 5 Score Involvements.
Son of 129-game Crow, Scott, Tyler Welsh looks set continue the legacy his father created at West Lakes. He was dominant in the win over the Allies, with three goals. Adelaide have found their Tex Walker replacement in this young man, with him already playing three league games with Adelaide SANFL’s side.
However, while Welsh’s ability in the air is well publicised and was on display again at Thebarton Oval. However his work at ground level was also present, one of his three goals came from him waiting down and snapping the ball around his body, in a classic small forward move.
Projected Draft Rank in May: 15-30
Honourable Mentions: #2 Lucas Camporeale, #7 Sid Draper, #8 Kade Herbert, #25 Charlie Nicholls
Allies
#2 Zeke Uwland:
15 disposals, 1 goal, 2 marks, 5 Score Involvements, 80% disposal efficiency.
A natural defender, but was deployed as a winger against SA, Uwland’s football IQ is very high. Multiple times throughout the day Uwland would wait at the back of the stoppage, ready to receive the ball as he went running past.
Footballing smarts in terms of his positioning won’t go unnoticed by recruiters, particularly those on the Gold Coast, where he is tied as an academy player. Those smarts lead to his goal that he kicked from the edge of 50 at a critical point in the game, again ready at the back of a forward stoppage for the Allies.
Projected Draft Rank in May: Ineligible, (2025 draft)
#8 Leonardo Lombard:
27 disposals, 1 goal, 531 metres gained, 5 Score Involvements
Part of the Gold Coast Academy, Lombard has played four games at VFL level. He has a powerful core and is incredibly agile. He is, in every sense, the AFL’s modern midfielder.
Against SA, Lombard was everywhere, nine I50s and six clearances, he was unstoppable. Defensively he also laid five tackles and worked hard with his two way running.
Projected Draft Rank in May: 1 –5
#12 Taj Stanley:
16 disposals, 1 goal, 6 tackles, 339 metres gained, 3 clearances, 5 Score Involvements
Another involved in forward movement for the Allies, Stanley ran hard all day to link up play for the Allies. His two-way running and tackling ability does make him defensively strong as well, and he also possess elite distribution by foot and hand as well.
Originally from the NT, he is playing WAFL colts, (U19s) for Perth. He played 14 senior games for Southern Districts in the Northern Territory at just 16 years old in 2023.
Projected Draft Rank in May: Late-Rookie
#16 Sam Marshall:
30 disposals, 3 I50s, 4 clearances, 7 marks, 2 R50s, 6 Score Involvements
A Brisbane Academy player and the leading disposal getter on the ground, Marshall is the definition of an in and under midfielder. His ability to get the ball to his teammates on the outside was positive for the Allies and will be his massive selling point at the draft. Marshall also has a strong aerial ability and can run hard both ways.
Projected Draft Rank in May: 30-50
#37 Josh Murphy:
3 goals, 8 disposals, 5 marks, 5 Score Involvements, 62.5% disposal efficiency
Josh Murphy was on fire in the opening term, he kicked the first and last goal of the term. He offered plenty in contest, competing well in the air. He also used his body to position himself in fantastic positions to take a mark.
He has a fantastic set shot routine, which was required for all three of his goal. His goals kept the Allies in the game.
Projected Draft Rank in May: 10-20
#40 Logan Smith:
24 hitouts, 11 disposals, 1 mark, 1 R50, 3 Score Involvements
In a partnership with Oliver Dean, the Giants prospect was able to beat the SA ruck trio lead by Ryan Borlace, to win the hit outs 32-24. Smith was a massive part of the contest in the centre, winning a majority of the hit outs on his own.
In the middle, Smith also won the ball out of the middle with three clearances. He was also sighted around the ground using his height to compete and bring the ball to ground.
Projected Draft Rank in May: Late-Rookie
Honourable Mentions: #1 Nicholas Andreacchio, #9 Joe Harrison, #11 Josaia Delana, #20 Daniel Annable
South Australia: 3.2 5.5 9.7 13.9.87
Allies: 5.4 7.5 9.7 11.9.75
Goalkickers:
South Australia: E, Bradley, (3), T. Welsh, (3), N. Howes, (2), J. Newton, (2), S. Cumming, H. Barker, C. Nicholls
Allies: J. Murphy, (3) O. Depaoli-Kubank, (2), O. Dean, J. Delana, T. Gallop, L. Lombard, T. Stanley, Z. Uwland
South Australia have home games against Western Australia and Victoria Metro on Sunday the 16th and Sunday the 23rd respectively at Alberton. While next week, South Australia travels to Ikon Park to take on Victoria Country.