2025 SA U18 Leadership Group Announced

By ZAC MILBANK

Central District midfielder Dyson Sharp will captain the SA U18 team for the 2025 Marsh AFL National Championships.

The strong-bodied ball magnet from Barossa District, who averaged 17 disposals and six clearances in his four national U18 appearances last year, will head a three-player leadership group for the Croweaters’ four matches in June.

North Adelaide’s Sam Cumming, who won the 2024 SANFL U18 MVP Award, and Woodville-West Torrens’ Jack Cook, the leading disposal-winner in SANFL U18s this year, will be Sharp’s joint vice-captains.

Sharp, who has already played a total of seven Hostplus SANFL League matches, is expected team up with Cumming inside the centre square while Cook has been thriving in a distributing role off half-back with the Eagles this season.

The SA U18 team, to be coached by Tony Bamford, will play its first trial match on Saturday in its annual clash against the SA U20 team, to be played at The Parade from 2.30pm.

The Croweaters will then travel to Blacktown in Sydney to face the NSW Academies outfit in a trial on Sunday May 25 before beginning their campaign against the Allies in Blacktown on Sunday June 1.

SA will then host Victoria Metro (Sunday June 8) and Western Australia (Sunday June 15) at Alberton Oval before finishing off with a contest against Victoria Country in Melbourne on Sunday June 29.