2025 Hostplus Pocket Profile – Sturt

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

Friday March 7
Glenelg 9.9 (63) d Sturt 8.10 (58) at the Summit, Mount Barker

Friday March 14
Sturt 8.20 (68) d North Adelaide 8.6 (54) at the Summit, Mount Barker

Sturt’s midfield was already a key strength and now it has been boosted even more with the addition of returning ball-magnet Mitch Crowden.

After playing 42 AFL games with Fremantle from 2018 to 2022, the 25-year-old established himself as one of the premier midfielders in the WAFL across the past two seasons.

Winning consecutive best-and-fairest awards with East Perth, the left-footer was also runner-up in last year’s Sandover Medal, the WAFL equivalent of the Magarey Medal.

Returning to Unley where he played his junior SANFL football and made his League debut in 2017, the Meadows Bulldog product will form a lethal combination inside the centre square with Will Snelling, Tom Lewis and captain James Battersby.

One of Sturt’s graduating U18 players into the senior group, Sam Waltham has been impressing coaches on the track in his first senior preseason.

Measuring in at 194cm, Waltham is an athletic forward blessed with a natural leap which has propelled him to take spectacular marks at under-age level.

Now he has the opportunity to translate his exciting talent into League level performance which could make a significant difference to the potency of the Double Blues in 2025.

SANFL Head of Development Heath Younie profiles the Double Blues’ players in 2025

Harley Barker
Harley is an experienced State pathway player representing SA in U16s in 2023 and U18s in 2024 as a bottom-age player. After an impressive SANFL season last year, Harley was selected in the AFL National program where he will represent the AFL in two games throughout the season. His strong physical attributes, and ability to impact games in all phases, allow him to play in several positions, however most of his football has been on the wing. During the Academy program, he worked on developing his ground level and aerial craft which are important fundamentals to his role. Harley has had a very strong preseason and is in a good position for the start of the season.

Jett Dahlitz
Jett has had no experience in the State Talent pathway before joining the State Academy program last November. He is a high defender who makes good decisions and kicks the ball well. He has trained with the defenders throughout the program, working on developing his aerial craft in particular his footwork, body positioning and general one-on-one defending. Given his lack of exposure to the State programs, Jett has demonstrated good training standards that has him well positioned to attack the season in 2025.

Louis Kellaway
Louie was in our State U16 program in 2023 where he played a combination of inside and outside mid. In 2024, he combined his time playing for Sturt and Prince Alfred College, playing most of his game time as an inside midfielder. He has a great ability to win his own ball inside the contest and use his power & movement to get outside quickly. He generally makes good decisions with the ball and his game fundamentals are efficient. Throughout the program Louie has trained with the midfielders, working on his stoppage craft which he has demonstrated some real growth in. In 2025, he will play for Sturt for the entire year as he has finished school and will transition into university. Louie, the son of former Richmond defender Duncan Kellaway, is a father-son prospect for the Tigers who has enjoyed a great preseason.

Noah Roberts-Thompson
Noah was in our State U16 program in 2023 where he played a combination of midfield and high forward. In 2024, he played a combination of football for Sturt and Pembroke College where he developed as a midfielder and high defender. Noah is a strong, contested ball-winning player who also uses his strong running capacity to link the ball up on the outside as well. Throughout our program, he trained with the midfielders developing his stoppage and ground level craft. He also did some work with our defenders focusing on aerial and one-on-one defending fundamentals. Noah has had a very good preseason and has shown some great progressions both technically and physically.

Blake Thredgold
Blake was in our State U16 program in 2023 where he played a combination of ruck and key forward. In 2024, he developed into a key defender where he demonstrated a good balance of one-on-one defending as well as leaving his opponent to intercept the ball in the air. Throughout the program, Blake has trained with the defenders developing his aerial craft, in particular his footwork, body positioning and experimenting with his starting positions. Blake has a good preseason which is supported by his testing numbers where he performed strongly at the Centre of Excellence testing day.

Kale Matthews-Hampton
Kale is one of the bottom-age players invited to train in the State Academy program after a good level of performances at the U16 National Championships as a key defender. He is a dual sport athlete, playing a high level of basketball which has had some impact on his training commitments throughout the preseason program. Kale generally impacts the game through his ability to win the ball both in the air and ground against his opponent. Throughout the program, he has continued to work on aerial craft, in particular his footwork and body positioning, as a defender. At this stage, Kale is progressing well and will spend his time balancing football at Sturt and Prince Alfred College as well as his ongoing basketball commitments.