SANFL release West End State Squad

By ZAC MILBANK

SANFL has released a star-studded 35-player West End State Squad to tackle the WAFL at Adelaide Oval in a twilight clash on Saturday May 15.

Seeking to retain the Haydn Bunton Junior Cup, the Croweaters will have significant representation from four SANFL clubs, with reigning premier Woodville-West Torrens and undefeated Glenelg having eight players included.

Ladder-leading South Adelaide has seven players chosen while last year’s grand finalist North Adelaide has six.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, West End State coach Jade Sheedy said he was pleased with the depth and balance of his squad, indicating that players could still be added should their form warrant selection.

‘’I’m very pleased. It’s very deep and we feel we have got a really good balance as well,’’ Sheedy said of his 35-player squad.

‘’We can still add to the squad as well because there are a couple more games left before we play. We will keep tracking players and continue to have a look at who else is out there.’’

South Adelaide’s Bryce Gibbs, Eagle Riley Knight and Port captain Cam Sutcliffe headline the list of those with recent AFL experience while the two latest Magarey Medallists – Campbell Combe and Luke Partington – have also been named.

There will be no shortage of leadership candidates, with seven current SANFL captains listed, including Sutcliffe, Luke Thompson (Eagles), Chris Curran and Max Proud (Glenelg), Alex Spina (North), James Battersby (Sturt) and Matthew Nunn (Norwood).

Three Panther young guns headline the exciting youth chosen in the initial squad, with AFL Draft prospect Jason Horne, wingman Hayden Sampson and goalsneak Eamon Wilkinson all providing plenty of pace as will classy Eagles forward Tyson Stengle, who has been providing plenty of candidates for Goal of the Week this year.

Eagles utility Jack Hayes will give Sheedy plenty of versatility given he has been playing in the ruck this year together with 2019 Fos Williams Medallist Michael Knoll and North premiership bigman Alex Barns.

Training will begin at Thebarton Oval on Tuesday night, with the match now confirmed as the curtain-raiser to the Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs match at Adelaide Oval.

A start time for the contest with the Sandgropers, who won their last meeting against the West End State team at Adelaide Oval in 2018, is still to be confirmed.