2026 SA U18 v SA U20 Team Selections

By ZAC MILBANK

South Australia’s exciting talent will have its opportunity to shine when the SA U20 team tackles the AAMI SA U18 team at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval on Saturday.

Starting at 1pm, the annual SA Talent Clash will serve as an important tune up to the Marsh AFL National Championships for the AAMI SA U18 team while SA’s U20 players will also be afforded a valuable opportunity to shine in front of AFL recruiting staff.

Coached by Tony Bamford, the AAMI SA U18 team will have as many as 28 players rotate through as it looks to fine tune before the opening clash of the Marsh AFL National Championships on June 13.

Ones to watch include newly-named leaders Kodah Edwards, Jack Gordon and Cain Florance through the midfield, together with mobile ruck Ethan Herbert, who has started strongly in the AAMI Talent League for the Roosters.

NGA prospects Anthony Long (Adelaide) and Zacky Young (Port), as well as Richmond father-son Jack Leys are three club-tied talents set to line-up for SA.

SA will be missing Central District’s Port Adelaide NGA utility Dougie Cochrane (knee), Glenelg’s Gabe Patterson (shoulder), Panther Archie Van Dyk (back) and Sturt’s Jack Nelson (calf), the son of Double Blues premiership defender Ben Nelson.

The SA U20 team will include several young stars of the Hostplus SANFL League, including South Adelaide midfielder Phoenix Hargrave, Woodville-West Torrens wing Kade Herbert and first-year pair Remi Brown (Glenelg) and Joel Parker (West) who have caught the eye in the early stages of 2026.

The SA U20 team – coached by Glenelg Reserves premiership mentor Jared Millington – will be captained by Crow Ned Atkinson with Hargrave as his deputy.

In the curtain-raiser at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, the best U14 South Australian talent will be showcased when the Crows Academies team clashes with Port’s NGA side from 10.30am.

Both matches will be live streamed on SANFL Now. 

Laurence Andriani (West)
Blake Karpany (Eagles)
Jacob McNicol (Glenelg)
Sam Tassone (North)
Jake Eime (Central)
Zacky Young (North)
Lachie Werts (Sturt)
Dean Hatedakis (West)
Kai Ivins (Norwood)
Jack Leys (Eagles)
Cain Florance (South)
Kodah Edwards (South)
Taj Garrett (Sturt)
Hudson Boal (South)
Harvey Croker (Glenelg)
Memphis Webb (North)
Jack Gordon (Central)
Kale Matthews-Hampton (Sturt)
Anthony Long (West)
Charlie Bradford (West)
Harvey Chapman (Sturt)
Kai Edwards (Glenelg)
Jack Slattery (Eagles)
Harry Franz (Glenelg)
Mitch Harris (Eagles)
Ethan Herbert (North)
Jobe Janeway (Glenelg)
Lincoln Pitt (West)

F: Jett Hasting (Eagles), Ryan Borlace (South), Jesse Nye (South)

HF: Joel Parker (West), Bryce Sanders (North), Charlie Dickeson (North)

C: Jim Kelly (Norwood), Remi Brown (Glenelg), Hugh Payze (North)

HB: Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier (North), Ned Atkinson (Adelaide), Jack Cook (Eagles)

B: Noah Daw (Norwood), Sam Waltham (Sturt), James Noack (Central)

R: Sam Ainsworth (Norwood), Louis Kellaway (Sturt), Phoenix Hargrave (South)

INT: Tim Alver (Glenelg), Rome Burgoyne (Port), Luke Candy (Glenelg), Ryan Lane-Ellis (Central), Archie Walsh (West)

EMG: Gus Downs (West), James Van Wyk (North)