SA U16 Team – Game 1

By ZAC MILBANK

South Australia has announced its leadership group ahead of its first outing in the 2025 Marsh AFL U16 National Championships on Saturday. 

Sturt key defender Harvey Chapman will captain the Croweaters, who are preparing to tackle Western Australia in Perth for Game 1 of their three-match campaign.

Chapman, who was a member of last year’s SA U16 team as a bottom-ager, will be joined in the leadership group by his Double Blues’ teammate Taj Garrett and Norwood’s Charlie Best.

Garrett and Best, who were also in the SA U16 squad in 2024, will be joint vice-captains.

To be coached by SANFL’s Heath Younie, SA will also have championship-winning SA U16 coach Julian Farkas as one of Younie’s assistant mentors, together with Norwood premiership coach Ben Warren and Brett Hudson while former Central District midfielder Brendan Dew will be the team’s runner.

West Adelaide’s Percy Burgoyne, the son of Port Adelaide and Hawthorn great Shaun Burgoyne, and Central’s Archie Faulkner, the son of former Bulldog Cameron, are among the familiar surnames to watch for SA.

Bulldog Billy Nicholls is the younger brother of Charlie Nicholls, who was selected from Central by Fremantle in last year’s AFL Draft while South’s Lucas Marshall is the younger sibling of current Port SANFL defender Kyle Marshall.

After facing the Sandgropers, SA will head to Queensland for clashes against Victoria Country at People First Stadium on Tuesday July 15 and Victoria Metro at Fankhauser Reserve on Friday July 18.

SA is aiming for its seventh U16 championships crown and first since 2022 after previous successes in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2018.

2025 Marsh AFL U16 National Championships
Saturday June 21
Game 1 at HIF Health Insurance Oval, Joondalup Perth
Western Australia v South Australia from 11am (SA time)

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

F: Brayden Whimpress (Central), Josh Jarrad (Glenelg), Zemes Pilot (South Adelaide)

HF: Carter Gallasch (Sturt), Archie Simpson (North), Billy Nicholls (Central)

C: Archie Faulkner (Central), Taj Garrett (Sturt), Charlie Best (Norwood)

HB: Zane Rooney (Glenelg), Dene Hatedakis (West), Riley Both (Central)

B: Harvey Chapman (Sturt), Thomas Gribben (Norwood), Lucas Marshall (South)

R: Hugo Semmler (Central), Oliver Glover (Sturt), Laurence Andriani (West)

INT: Tate Sampson (Eagles), Percy Burgoyne (West), Jack Evitts (Glenelg), Oliver Easton (Norwood), Andrew Crispe (West)