Fabulous Finn dazzles on debut

By ZAC MILBANK

There’s little doubting it was a fairytale Hostplus SANFL League debut for Port Adelaide’s Finn Wakelin on Saturday night.

Not only did Wakelin’s Magpies cause arguably the upset of the season with a 24-point win against Woodville-West Torrens at Alberton, the 20-year-old bagged a game-breaking haul of 6.1 from his 13 disposals and seven marks.

Unsurprisingly, it was enough to earn the 190cm key forward the Round 15 Powerade Breakthrough Player nomination such was his dominance.

But after SANFL Historian Dave O’Hara scoured the history books, Wakelin’s performance has gained even more prominence given it was the first time since Glenelg great Liam McBean burst onto the SANFL scene in Round 1 of 2017 that a player had kicked six goals on debut.

”There were some awesome (inside 50m) entries from the boys,” Wakelin told Channel 7 after the match.

”I was pretty nervous coming into the game, not sure what to expect. I came out a week before the cut off to start training with a look towards maybe playing next year and ended up getting a spot and here we are now.”

Wakelin, who came through Sturt’s junior program before starting his senior career with Rostrevor Old Collegians, is the son of former Central District utility Michael Wakelin and nephew of the Power’s 2004 premiership defender Darryl Wakelin.

”They said just keep being me and do what I do best, don’t change anything coming into the game,” Wakelin said with a laugh when asked what advice his father and uncles had given him.

Most Goals on Debut
Everard Leske (Sturt) – 12.6 in Round 1 1945 at Unley Oval
Clement Rosewarne (Glenelg) – 11.3 in Round 1 1933 at Adelaide Oval
Allan Wilkinson (West Adelaide) – 8.4 in Round 1 1945 at Adelaide Oval
John Hewett (West Torrens) – 7.6 in Round 1 1940 at Prospect Oval
Allen Jakovich (Woodville) – 7.3 in Round 1 1989 at Richmond Oval

6 Goals on Debut
Darren Bradshaw (West Adelaide) – 6.5 in Round 2 2003 at Richmond Oval
Nick Prokopec (Central District) – 6.1 in Round 2 2004 at Glenelg Oval
Finn Wakelin (Port Adelaide) – 6.1 in Round 15 2026 at Alberton Oval
Liam McBean (Glenelg) – 6.0 in Round 1 2017 at Glenelg Oval
Patrick Wiggins (West Adelaide) – 6.0 in Round 1 2005 at Richmond Oval