2026 Hostplus Pocket Profile – Sturt

SANFL’s ZAC MILBANK breaks down all you need to know about the Double Blues heading into the 2026 Hostplus SANFL League season.

COMING
Jed McEntee (returned/Port Adelaide), Ash Johnson (returned/Collingwood), Loch Rawlinson (returned/West Coast), Sam Hindes (South Adelaide), Hamish Anderson (Surfers Paradise AFC), Noah Prenzler (Hahndorf), James White (Tea Tree Gully), Felix Katsaros (Newtown & Chilwell), Louis Kellaway (Sturt U18), Eli Anders (Sturt U18), Tadhg Brophy (Sturt U18), Oscar Finnis (Sturt U18), Max Macdonald (Sturt U18), Noah Mennillo (Sturt U18), Jackson Moody (Sturt U18), Tom Turnbull (Sturt U18), Gillon Wakelin (Sturt U18), James White (Sturt U18), Sam White (Sturt U18)

GOING
Angus Anderson (Collingwood), Flynn Perez (Hawthorn), Connor McFadyen (cricket/Warrack Eagles), Henry Carey (retired/Coorong Cats), James Mathews (retired/McLaren Districts), James Battersby (North Adelaide), Joel Thiele (Glenelg), Heath Wingard (Brighton), Harley Barker (Geelong), Blake Thredgold (North Melbourne), Noah Roberts-Thomson (Richmond), Luke Giacometti (returning to Sydney), Jett Dahlitz (Norwood)

Friday March 6
Sturt 14.13 (97) d West Adelaide 8.5 (53) at Richmond Oval

Friday March 13
Sturt 9.11 (65) d Woodville-West Torrens 7.3 (45) at Richmond Oval

Sturt was quick to welcome Jed McEntee back to Unley with open arms after his delisting from Port Adelaide at the end of last season.

Selected in the 2021 AFL Mid-Season Draft, the 24-year-old showcased his defensive pressure across his 52 AFL appearances, chiefly inside the Power’s attacking 50m arc.

Measuring in at 176cm, McEntee is a fierce competitor who will also have the ability to spend more time through the midfield if coach Marty Mattner wishes.

Joins his younger brother Kobe, who made his Hostplus SANFL League debut last season, at Oxford Terrace as the Double Blues prepare to defend their crown.

Sturt’s Luca Slade has been building steadily, now he’s ready to explode. 

Preparing for his third season of senior footy, the 20-year-old showed promising signs in his seven Hostplus SANFL League games in 2025.

But after being squeezed out of the best 22 for the title-decider, the smooth-moving midfielder is desperate to become a fixture in Marty Mattner’s line-up in 2026.

The son of Central District premiership rover Matthew Slade, Luca has been ”flying” on the training track as he cut his 2km time trial after the Christmas break whilst also adding noticeable bulk to his 182cm frame.

SA U18 Coach Tony Bamford profiles the Double Blues’ players in 2026

Kale Matthews-Hampton
Kale is in his third year in the SANFL State pathway programs having been involved at U16 at state level and as a bottom age player in our U18 AFL National Championship-winning team last year. Kale was added to our 2025 SAU18 State team late that year after injuries to three of our defenders. He played a significant role in our back six for the final two games. He has the ability to impact in the air and at ground level as well as being able to defend talls and smalls.

Hugo Jaeschke
Hugo is in the SANFL State pathway for the first time after playing well last year as a disciplined, and tight-checking defender, for Sturt in his bottom-age year. He is a big, strongly-built athlete who has shown he has the focus and concentration level to take a very good forward out of the game. Hugo is still learning to identify moments in a game when he can leave his direct opponent and go back to the ball to contest and outnumber.

Harvey Chapman
Harvey is one of seven bottom-age players in our U18 State Academy. He played in our 2024 SAU16 State team as a key defender where we also won All-Australian selection. During the State Academy program Harvey has trained with our top age key backs working on his body work, and positioning in aerial contests while also competing against our top-age key forwards in game play. He is a beautiful kick and can intercept the ball in the air very well.

Taj Garrett
Taj is one of seven bottom-age players in our U18 State Academy. He played in our 2024 SA U16 State team as a winger where we also won All-Australian selection. Taj is already an elite runner and has a proven ability to find the footy at SANFL U16 level across the past two years. He won our 2km time trial on both occasions and has GPS numbers to suggest his athletic profile is well suited to AFL level. Taj must continue to invest time and energy into elevating his skill fundamentals and ball-handling skills as he progresses up the pathway.