2023 Hostplus South Adelaide Pocket Profile

SANFL’s ZAC MILBANK breaks down all you need to know about the Panthers heading into the 2023 Hostplus SANFL League season.

Saturday March 4
South 16.6 (102) d West 5.12 (42)  at Flinders University Stadium

Saturday March 11
North 15.13 (103) d South 6.13 (49) at Thebarton Oval

Saturday March 18
Central 12.11 (83) d South 5.8 (38) at X Convenience Oval

South Adelaide set tongues wagging when it announced the shock signing of Woodville-West Torrens premiership midfielder Kobe Mutch in mid September.

The Panthers’ season had barely finished but Mutch landed at Noarlunga much to the delight of coach Jarrad Wright, who can add the 25-year-old to his onball brigade.

”He’s lifted the bar of our training standards,” Wright said of Mutch, who played four AFL games for Essendon.

”He’s a true professional the way he goes about it, almost to the point he almost over trains a little bit with the way he competes and runs – he doesn’t like losing.

”He’s been the bunny at the front of our group with all of our conditioning and is dragging younger players along with him.”

A member of the Eagles’ 2021 premiership side, Mutch averaged 22 disposals last season to prove he is one of the competition’s most effective ball-winners on the inside and outside of the contest.

This time last year, Liam Nye was sent back to his local club Willunga, after playing 11 Reserves games in 2021.

But after showing promising signs with the Demons in the Great Southern Football League, Nye was recalled to Noarlunga, ahead of making his SANFL League debut against Glenelg in Round 14.

On that occasion, the 20-year-old played a successful role as a defensive forward on Tiger Darcy Bailey.

After having a strong pre-season, Nye is now eyeing off a new role at League level, according to Panthers coach Jarrad Wright.

”He did an outstanding job on Bailey that day and he hasn’t looked back since then really,” Wright said.

”His running power is quite strong and he’s the ultimate professional, he is really neat with the ball.

”You will probably see him play a little bit higher up the field on the wing this year as he has had a great summer.”

Torrens University SA U18 coach Tony Bamford profiles the Panthers’ players in 2023

Jack Delean
Jack finished Year 12 last year and has spent some time in the senior program at South Adelaide during preseason.

He is also in the AFL National Academy alongside 29 other players from across Australia.

Jack is a very gifted footballer who is still learning how to be consistent with all aspects of his game. Jack has proven to be very dangerous in the front third of the oval in offence, with his natural ability to impact in the air and hit the scoreboard.

He was given some midfield exposure last year as an U17 at U18 level and as a consequence, has improved his ability to win his own ball in traffic and defensive reaction times. Jack has been working on improving his repeat high-speed running and ground level impact to complement his aerial craft.

Tom Wheaton
Tommy is juggling South Adelaide’s U18 program while boarding at Westminster College as he complete his Year 12 study this year.

He is coming off an injury-interrupted past 12 months but has set some very high standards during the Talent Hub program, winning both 2km time trials during preseason.

He is the modern, bigger-body midfielder who wins the ball in the stoppages to set up the outside runners while also being an effective forward deep inside 50m.

He is the kind of player who loves training hard and often does extras on his own. He has taken on some feedback and advice over the past six months and has now developed a more balanced training routine.