Round 1 Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Saturday

The Bassett and Burgess era has started with an instant impact as West Adelaide held on for a gutsy seven-point win against Adelaide at Richmond Oval.

Playing for the first time under dual Norwood premiership coach Nathan Bassett and with last-minute signing Chris Burgess starring in his return to Milner Road, the Bloods secured just their second win against the Crows in their past 12 outings.

While Bassett has had an early influence in the coaching box, Burgess, who was delisted by the Crows in the off-season, was clearly the most influential player on the ground.

Originally signing with Paskeville on the Yorke Peninsula, Burgess opted to line up with the Bloods after being appointed the club’s full-time Football Manager last week.

And he made his presence felt against his former side with with five game-breaking goals before being a steady head in defence with the game on the line.

Westies led by as much as 38 points when Jesse Thackeray kicked truly in the 25th minute of the third quarter but Adelaide came home with a rush to get within a kick entering time-on of the final term.

But Burgess was swung into the backline by Bassett where he took a towering intercept mark in the 23rd minute as the Crows came charging forward.

Within 60 seconds, the 30-year old was at it again when he caught new Crows skipper Kieran Strachan holding the ball as the visitors threatened to steal victory.

West vice captain Kobe Ryan racked up 30 disposals, eight clearances and five tackles while Dylan White (28 disposals), Cade Kennedy (22 disposals) and Jonti Schuback (21 disposals) also started their campaigns well.

Bloods talls Hamish Ellem and Tom Scully kicked two goals each to send a warning bell that their forward structure will take some stopping in 2026.

Adelaide’s Billy Dowling pushed his claims for AFL selection with a match-high 37 disposals, seven clearances and six tackles while Blake Drury worked hard for 25 disposals and four goals.

Lachlan Sholl had 25 touches while Charlie Edwards was also prominent in the midfield with 23 disposals and five clearances.

Crows ruck Reilly O’Brien finished with 20 disposals, 10 marks, seven clearances and 32 hit outs to keep knocking on the door for a call up to the AFL.

Glenelg began life under new coach Matthew Clarke in positive fashion as it unveiled four impressive debutants in a 47-point victory against Port Adelaide at Alberton. 

After a significant change in personnel during summer, the Bays turned to youth by selecting midfielders Remi Brown and Tim Alver and defenders Rex Jones and Joseph Fenwick.

All four showed plenty of encouragning signs in their Hostplus SANFL League debuts as the Tigers cruised home with a strong finish by piling on 6.2 to 2.2 in the final quarter.

Alver finished with 18 disposals and three clearances while Remi Brown tallied 15 possessions to go with his two goals, his first an eye-catching long bomb from 50m which was shepherded through by captain Liam McBean.

Jones took a couple of classy intercept marks while Fenwick provided dash from defence as McBean and forward sidekick Lachie Hosie booted four goals each.

Glenelg’s club debutants were also influential as Sturt signing Joel Thiele collected a team-high 26 disposals while former Bloods backman Will Patton was composed in defensive 50m.

Port was hurt by its poor efficiency by foot in particular, managing the same amount of inside 50s despite having 44 more disposals.

Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines was rusty with his 33 touches as he gained valuable match fitness while Christian Moraes (33 disposals) and Will Lorenz (31 disposals) also found their share of the ball for the Pies.

New captain Jez McLennan battled hard in defence to be high among his team’s better performers as he finished with 25 disposals and 10 marks.

Woodville-West Torrens reminded the competition what it can do with a healthy list when it eclipsed South Adelaide with ease to post a 52-point win at Magain Stadium. 

Ravaged by injury in the second half of the 2025 campaign, the Eagles showed why they could climb back into the top five if they can keep their stars out of the casualty ward.

Bursting out of the blocks to boot the first six goals of the contest, the visitors didn’t concede a major to the Panthers until Ben Shillabeer kicked truly in the 19th minute of the second term.

Sam Jacobs’ charges continued their dominance throughout the afternoon as they racked up 90 more disposals and 27 more marks to control the tempo whilst securing the premiership points.

North Shore Bombers signing Ethan Grace impressed in his first game for the Eagles with 31 disposals and six marks but it was classy Max Beattie who enjoyed a day out on foreign soil.

Racking up 30 disposals, including 21 kicks, Beattie also slammed through five goals including a contender for Channel 7 Goal of the Week with a checkside finish in traffic.

Emerging young Eagle Jack Cook chalked up 27 disposals while recruits Harper Montgomery (25 disposals) and Ted Clohesy (24 disposals, one goal) impressed in their first games for the club as Sam Nicholls made the most of his chances to boot four majors.

South trio Phoenix Hargrave (26 disposals), Oliver Davis (25 disposals) and West Coast WAFL recruit Harley Sparks (26 disposals) all fought hard against the tide as Eamon Wilkinson and Shillabeer booted two goals each.

The composure of North Adelaide veteran Mitch Harvey was a significant factor in North Adelaide’s pulsating five-point victory against Central District at X Convenience Oval.

Awarded SANFL Life Membership this month, Harvey used every bit of his experience late in the contest to put his team in front with a calm 20m set shot in the 26th minute of the last quarter.

Two minutes earlier, the Ken Farmer Medallist had chipped a neat pass to teammate Kelsey Rypstra in space when he could have easily blazed away.

Rypstra missed his set shot from close range but when fellow veteran Rooster Harrison Wigg kicked long inside 50m, it was Harvey who used his body in trademark fashion to mark strongly and nail the match-winner.

His fourth major capped a stunning come-from-behind effort from the Roosters, who were playing under the guidance of coach Josh Francou for the first time since 2013.

After leading by 10 points at the first change, the visitors were overwhelmed in the second term as the Doggies booted 6.2 to 2.0 to take a 16-point lead into half-time.

But North refused to give in as it slammed through 5.5 to the hosts’ 1.0 in the final stanza to claim a hard-fought triumph.

Oliver Francou made an impression in his first Hostplus League match by collecting 29 disposals and six clearances for the Roosters while Wigg finished with 26 touches.

North mids Angus Schumacher (24 disposals) and Hughen Wissman (21 disposals, one goal) were important in the centre square while decorated former Sturt skipper James Battersby tallied 20 disposals and six clearances in his first appearance wearing red and white.

Central’s Luca Whitelum collected a team-high 25 disposals and a goal while Norwood recruit Jack Saunders registered 22 disposals and five clearances in his first appearance for the Dogs.

Kai Pudney racked up 23 disposals and a goal while Ethan East produced a strong performance with 4.2 from his 14 disposals and four marks for the hosts.