SANFL Selectors finalise West End State Team

By ZAC MILBANK

West End State Coach Jade Sheedy has hailed the hunger and desire of SANFL’s superstars to ensure the Haydn Bunton Junior Cup is retained at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

The final team of 23 players – littered with premiership stars, Magarey Medallists and best-and-fairest winners – illustrates the Croweaters’ commitment to the cause against the WAFL.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, Sheedy is delighted with his blend of youth and experience, together with outside pace and inside ball-winning ability through the midfield.

With 2019 Fos Williams Medallist Michael Knoll set to lead the ruck, the midfield group will feature the past two Magarey Medallists in Luke Partington and Campbell Combe together with Norwood skipper Matthew Nunn and former Crow Riley Knight.

AFL experienced pair Bryce Gibbs and Cam Sutcliffe could also roll through the centre square while also offering coach Sheedy plenty of versatility, a feature of arguably the competition’s most flexible player – Eagle Jack Hayes.

Glenelg trio Liam McBean, Lachie Hoise and Luke Reynolds will form a formidable structure in attack with pacy pair Tyson Stengle and Eamon Wilkinson ready to pounce around the goals while applying defensive pressure.

In defence, Eagles captain Luke Thompson will link up with Glenelg co-skippers Max Proud and Chris Curran while South’s Joe Haines and Bob Quinn Medallist Sam Rowland are set to play specific roles in the back half.

The leadership group for the West End State Team will be announced in the next 24 hours while the squad will train at Thebarton Oval on Tuesday night before having a run at Adelaide Oval before a team dinner on Thursday night.

Starting at 3.35pm, the match will be the curtain-raiser to the Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs AFL clash and will be live-streamed at theadvertiser.com.au and broadcast on SEN SA and WA.