SA U18 Team – Game 1

By ZAC MILBANK

The SA U18 team will feature a deep midfield rotation when it tackles the Allies in Game 1 of the Marsh AFL National Championships in Blacktown on Sunday.

Energised by a commanding 77-point win against a NSW Academies outfit last Sunday, the Croweaters will start with powerfully-built trio Dyson Sharp, Louis Kellaway and Noah Roberts-Thomson inside the centre square.

Captain Sharp and Sturt pair Kellaway and Roberts-Thomson are all in strong touch after last week’s hitout while Harley Barker and Matt LeRay will provide the opposition coaches with match-up headaches given their deceptive height and running ability on the wings.

North’s Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier, Norwood’s Jim Kelly and South’s Kodah Edwards will also be rotated through the on-ball brigade while emerging Bulldog forward Cameron Nairn could also potentially be used higher up the ground.

Redleg talls Balyn O’Brien and Noah Daw will hold down the key defensive posts while Sam Ainsworth will have first crack in the ruck with support from versatile basketball-convert Aidan Schubert.

West’s long-kicking left-footer Mitchell Marsh will provide a strong-marking presence in attack along with Schubert and versatile pair Nairn and Zane Peucker.

The Croweaters – coached by SANFL U18 Academy Manager Tony Bamford – will also have matches against Victoria Metro (Sunday June 8) at Alberton, Western Australia (Sunday June 15) at Alberton and Victoria Country (Sunday June 29) in Melbourne.

All matches in the 2025 Marsh U18 AFL National Championships will be live streamed via the match centre on the AFL website and AFL Live Official App.

2025 Marsh AFL U18 National Championships – Game 1
Sunday June 1 at Blacktown International Sports Park (NSW) from 11.30am SA time
Allies v South Australia

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

F: Sam Cumming (North), Mitchell Marsh (West), Aidan Schubert (Central)

HF: Jesse Nye (South), Zane Peucker (Eagles), Cameron Nairn (Central)

C: Harley Barker (Sturt), Dyson Sharp (Central), Matt LeRay (Central)

HB: Luke Candy (Glenelg), Balyn O’Brien (Norwood), Jack Cook (Eagles)

B: Bryce Sanders (North), Noah Daw (Norwood), Jett Dahlitz (Sturt)

R: Sam Ainsworth (Norwood), Noah Roberts-Thomson (Sturt), Louis Kellaway (Sturt)

INT: Tim Alver (Glenelg), Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier (North), Elliott Duffield (South), Jim Kelly (Norwood), Kodah Edwards (South), Joshua Reichelt (Central)