2025 Hostplus Central District Pocket Profile

SANFL’s ZAC MILBANK breaks down all you need to know about the Bulldogs heading into the 2025 Hostplus SANFL League season.

Saturday March 8
Central District v Norwood at X Convenience Oval from 2.10pm

Saturday March 15
Central District v Glenelg at X Convenience Oval from 2.10pm

In the mix to have his name called by an AFL club in November, Ryan Lane-Ellis has hit the ground running at Bulldogs training in search of further development.

A silky-skilled half-back, the 18-year-old has impressed coach Paul Thomas with his decision-making in match simulation drills during summer.

Averaging more than 24 disposals in the SANFL U18s last season, Lane-Ellis is viewed as a long-term distributor from defence for the Dogs, setting up forays into attack.

SA U18 coach Tony Bamford profiles the Bulldogs’ players in 2025.

Dyson Sharp
Dyson played all four AFL U18 National games last year as a bottom age player and performed well. He was also exposed to SANFL League footy late in season 2024 and performed very well. Dyson is a highly-talented ball-winning midfielder with effective leadership skills, has strength in his core and torso and was in our top five in the 2km time trial.

His application, intensity and energy in our program during preseason has been both impressive and infectious. Dyson has been working on complementing his ball-winning ability with a more balanced approach to defensive transition while also doing more aerial craft work. Dyson is also in the AFL National Football Academy and will be heading to Melbourne for two camps/trial games in April.

Joshua Reichelt
Josh is a highly skilled lad who is able to do serious damage to the opposition with ball in hand. He plays as a rebounding defender who likes to create offensive rebound when his team wins the ball back. Josh recognised opportunities for growth in his game over late last year, in improving his contest work and one-on-one defending. He has invested time and energy into developing this aspect of his game during our program while also doing contest work with our midfield group. Josh has also improved his ability to train with more purpose, intent and attention to detail over the past four months.

Aidan Schubert
Aidan is a talented basketballer who is also a keen football player with huge potential. He has managed to combine his State Basketball commitments with our preseason training program over the past four months. Aidan is highly-organised and diligent for his young age (he is the youngest player in our Academy who isn’t turning 17 until December this year). He played as a key forward and second ruck in our SA U16 team last year. At national level, he was able to showcase his aerial ability and score impact. Aidan is still learning about ball-movement patterns, where to lead and when to lead while working hard to improve his field kicking and agility.

Matt LeRay
Matt has been a dual sport athlete in past years managing his football in and around his state & national cricket pathway programs. Matt made the decision to make footy his main focus late in 2024 and stepped away from his SACA cricket commitments. He plays as a taller midfielder who can play both inside and outside the contest. He marks the ball very well and has shown as an U16/17 player he can also impact as a forward. Matt is also in the AFL National Football Academy and will be heading to Melbourne for two camps/trial games in April.

Cameron Nairn
Cam is in the SANFL talent pathway for the first time after playing well as a mobile marking forward as an U17 for Central last year. He is a medium-sized forward who likes to get on the lead and use his strong hands in the marking contest. He will then roll onto his left foot and penetrate inside 50m. During the State Academy program he was able to further develop his aerial craft while also improving his ground level skills. He also improved his 2km time trial by nine seconds.

Dougie Cochrane
Dougie is a bottom age (U17) player who is highly talented and has come off a huge 2024 season where he was awarded the Kevin Sheehan Medal for best player in the AFL U16 National Championships. He is a tall utility type player who has been able to perform to very high levels as a defender, midfielder and forward. Like most highly talented young players, he is still learning to build more consistency into his training standards, role education and compliance. During the Academy program he was able to show his unique ability to find a way out of trouble and then use the ball at an elite level.

Jack Gordon
Jack is a bottom age (U17) player who performed well during the 2024 AFL U16 National Championships. He has primarily been played as a high defender who is able to balance his defence and offense well. Jack is also able to play as a ball-winning midfielder who loves to get the ball in his hands between the arcs. He has shown he can handle high intensity training and pressure situations during the Academy program as well as impressive leadership skills.