SANFL snubs the medical interchange rule adopted by AFL as season 2021 launches

Returning favourites and new coaches have marked the launch of the SANFL 2021 season, as fledgling chief executive officer Darren Chandler gears up for his first season at the helm.

There have been six coach changes across the league and scores of players listed by AFL clubs, most notably from last year’s premiership team, Woodville-West Torrens.

After the AFL in 2020 decided against letting its footballers play in state leagues due to strict COVID-19 protocols, both the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Magpies reserve AFL sides will be allowed to play in the league once more.

But Mr Chandler has resisted changes adopted by the AFL this year to allow for a 23rd player as a match-day injury substitute, believing the SANFL’s four-player interchange bench adopted in 2019 was sufficient for 75 rotations.

“It’s also to make sure the players in the SANFL are playing the game,” he said.

Mr Chandler added that players in either of the AFL reserve teams that are activated as a medical sub in the AFL will not be able to play for their respective SANFL sides for that round.

Premiers raided for talent

Last year’s premiers, Woodville-West Torrens, have lost 10 players to AFL sides, as well as Jack Oatey medallist Jordan Foote, who is returning to Sydney for work, but have regained de-listed Adelaide Crows player Riley Knight.

Coach Jade Sheedy said they had “holes to fill” from last year but were confident they had managed to “cover what we lost”.

“The players we lost are really good footballers, top-end SANFL footballers, so they’re hard to replace,” he said.

“But we’ve got in some good AFL experience, and we have some kids that have probably sitting in the reserves too long and are ready to play some good SANFL footy.”

Familiar faces return

The 2020 runners-up, North Adelaide, made relatively few changes, but will benefit from the return of Aaron Young, who played for Port Adelaide Power and Gold Coast before joining the NEAFL last year.

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De-listed Crows player Patrick Wilson has landed at Sturt Football Club, which has lost standout players Sam Colquhoun and Byron Sumner to retirement, and a further three to the AFL, but regained two-time premiership coach Marty Mattner and former Sturt junior player Riley Grundy from Port Adelaide Power.

Retired Crows player and former Carlton star Bryce Gibbs will play for South Adelaide this season, along with Jake Tarca from Geelong, but the team has also lost three players to the AFL, including Brayden Cook to Adelaide.

The big news for Norwood is the return of favourite Paul Puopolo from Hawthorn, where he played in three premiership seasons, although electric forward Anthony Wilson has retired, as has Sam Baulderstone and Lewis Johnston.

The Red Legs also have a new coach in former North Melbourne assistant Jade Rawlings.

Brett Hand handed the reins

There has been a lot of movement at Glenelg, with its 2019 premiership coach Mark Stone leaving for a role with the Brisbane Lions and getting replaced by Brett Hand from GWS.

Last year’s 2020 Best First Year Player Luke Parks was drafted to Carlton but Lachlan Hosie has returned from North Melbourne, with The Bays also signing Toby Pink from the Sydney Swans and Sam Durdin from North Melbourne.

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Jonathan Beech is returning to West Adelaide after moving interstate in 2020, with Hawthorn’s Kieran Lovell and North Melbourne’s Tom Murphy also to play for The Bloods.

West Adelaide, which has also picked up Charlie Allan from Sturt, will be coached in 2021 by Brad Gotch in the first of a two-year deal.

Central District has had a suite of changes, including Daniel and Troy Menzel moving to Woodville-West Torrens, Corey Durdin getting signed by Carlton, and Ryan Falkenberg heading to Sydney.

Former premiership captain Paul Thomas has assumed the role as senior coach after acting as assistant in 2020.

Reserve sides back onboard

In the AFL reserve sides, the Adelaide Crows SANFL team has pulled in players from across the league, including James Borlase from Sturt, Luke Pedlar from Glenelg, Brayden Cook from South Adelaide and Riley Thilthorpe from West Adelaide.

The team will be coached by Mick Godden in 2021.

Port Adelaide too has taken some cream off the top of its SANFL opposition teams, particularly Woodville-West Torrens from where Lachlan Jones, Taj Schofield, Jake Weidemann and Jake Westbrook have been taken.

Round One of the 2021 SANFL season begins Thursday night with Norwood playing Port Adelaide Magpies.

All other teams will play on Good Friday.