Torrens University SANFL U18 Testing Results

By ZAC MILBANK

Woodville-West Torrens premiership forward Tyler Welsh has displayed his explosiveness as a host of exceptional performances arose from Torrens University SANFL U18 preseason testing.

Welsh, a key member of last year’s Torrens University SA U16 championship-winning side and a dominant figure in the Eagles’ victorious U16 outfit, has quickly forged a reputation as a powerful, strong-marking focal point.

But the son of former Crow Scott Welsh has also underlined his speed, posting an eye-catching time of 2.92 seconds to equal South Adelaide’s Taylor Goad and Norwood’s Will Rowlands in the 20m Sprint.

Not eligible for selection until the 2024 AFL Draft, Welsh will be considered as a father-son choice by Adelaide, where Scott played 129 games and kicked 270 goals from 2000 to 2007.

Last year’s Torrens University SA U16 captain, Sid Draper, showed off his running prowess across multiple disciplines.

The smooth-moving South Adelaide midfielder finished just behind Welsh in the 20m Sprint with a time of 2.94 seconds while also recording a Yo-Yo score of Level 21.5 which placed him equal fourth across players tested from all eight SANFL clubs.

But if that wasn’t enough, the younger brother of Collingwood utility Arlo Draper logged the third fastest Agility Test in South Australia since 2011 with a time of 7.80 seconds.

Like Welsh, Draper will be among the impressive crop of Croweaters available at the 2024 AFL Draft.

Exciting Glenelg forward Ashton Moir, a member of the AFL Talent Academy, not surprisingly claimed honours in the Running Vertical Jump (Right Foot) by reaching a competition-best 92cm.

Tiger teammates Izayah Kean (79cm) and Harry Francis (94cm) won the Standing Vertical Jump and Running Vertical Jump (Left Foot) respectively while AFL Talent Academy member Kane McAuliffe registered 70cm in the Standing Vertical Jump.

North Adelaide’s Josh Koster proved his has plenty of endurance after winning the Yo-Yo Test at Level 21.7 to edge out South’s Nicholas Schroder and Central’s Beau Ryan on 21.6.