INS & OUTS 2026

[Dutchy]

Yes

[southernbulldog]

Very underwhelming recruiting for us

[DOC]

Time will tell but for mine selling Cochrane to Port is the biggest decision of the whole process.

[TDJ44]

Very underwhelming recruiting for us

Very underwhelming indeed.
Mark Ross not as effective with the big signings as what he probably was at Norwood.

[southernbulldog]

Agreed

[Brodlach]

Very underwhelming recruiting for us

Very underwhelming indeed.
Mark Ross not as effective with the big signings as what he probably was at Norwood.

Having no paper bags doesn’t help him though

[UK Fan]

We have paper bags

And still nothing.

Cochrane and Liddy to port meh!!!

Dittmar to Norwood hurts the most imho

[TDJ44]

We have paper bags

And still nothing.

Cochrane and Liddy to port meh!!!

Dittmar to Norwood hurts the most imho

Not much in our brown paper bags,maybe.

[Jim05]

We have paper bags

And still nothing.

Cochrane and Liddy to port meh!!!

Dittmar to Norwood hurts the most imho

Not much in our brown paper bags,maybe.

Have you exhausted your DVD collection or doesn’t the President need any pergolas or carports built?

[am Bays]

Dittmar was going regardless, Port got him to Norwood…

[goddy11]

From todays "Tiser.

THE TOP 30 SANFL RECRUITS FOR 2026

SANFL recruits have been flying in thick and fast, including plenty with
AFL experience, as clubs beef up their lists for a crack at the 2026
premiership.
While the league enhanced its reputation as a strong breeding ground for
AFL clubs at last month’s national draft – 14 players were selected,
including a state-record seven in the first round – plenty of players have
made off-season moves to join the competition or switch clubs.

Last year’s preliminary finalist Norwood and rebuilding South Adelaide are
the early winners and statement makers in the recruiting stakes.
The Redlegs have signed three key players – regaining 2024 joint Magarey
Medallist, star ruckman Harry Boyd, from AFL club St Kilda and securing
2015 No.6 AFL draft pick Aaron Francis from Sydney along with ace
midfielder Kade Dittmar from SANFL rival Central District.
They also have added plenty of depth and emerging young talent, with key
forward Josh Murphy and small forwards Matthew Harms and Alex
Swinnerton among a host of off-season additions.

The Panthers have pulled off some recruiting coups, regaining two of their
former players from the AFL, exciting small forward Jack Delean (from
Fremantle) and ruckman Will Verrall (Melbourne), while also landing ace
St Kilda defender Arie Schoenmaker, who was on the recruiting radar of
most SANFL clubs, highly-rated VFL midfielder Riley Baldi (Casey
Demons) and West Coast WAFL midfielder Harley Sparks.
Another former South junior, ex-Collingwood AFL-listed
midfielder/forward Arlo Draper, has also returned to the club after missing
the 2025 campaign through overseas travel, while Phillip Moimoi will add
some X-factor and toughness to the team.
“Our club has been on a bit of a development path over the past couple of
years and has really stabilised the group and got 15-to-20 games into a lot
of players,” South coach Jarrad Wright said.
“Season 2026 is all about performance for us now and we’ve recruited the
needs that we feel will top us up in a lot of areas to give us the opportunity
to get back into the finals.’’
Here are the top 30 pre-Christmas SANFL recruits for 2026, in alphabetical
order, with each club’s thoughts on what they will bring to their new
teams.
RILEY BALDI
(South Adelaide)
Midfielder, 24, 180cm
Recruited from:
Casey Demons
The tough, hard-working midfielder is renowned for his strength, power
and stoppage craft but he can also rotate forward and hit the scoreboard.
A good friend of Panthers star Sam Skinner, he was a standout VFL player
for the Casey Demons this year and showed his leadership qualities by also
being named vice-captain.
JAMES BATTERSBY
(North Adelaide)
Midfielder, 30, 178cm
Recruited from: Sturt
Controversially switched clubs after being left out of Sturt’s successful
2025 finals campaign.
A Double Blues great following a decorated 13-year, 218-game career at
Unley, Battersby is a dual SANFL premiership player and best-and-fairest
winner who has finished third in the Magarey Medal three times and made
The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year seven times, although his 2025
campaign was curtailed by a chronic knee injury.
HARRY BOYD
(Norwood)
Ruckman, 27, 198cm
Recruited from: St Kilda
A favourite son has returned home to The Parade after a one-year stint in
the AFL with St Kilda, where he played just one AFL game.
27/12/2025, 12:07 The Advertiser
https://todayspaper.adelaidenow.com.au/ ... a861476c37 2/11
The standout ruckman, originally from Shepparton, etched his name in
Redlegs history by tying for the 2024 Magarey Medal with Sturt’s Will
Snelling, while he won the Jack Oatey Medal as best-afield in the club’s
2022 grand final win against North.
TED CLOHESY
(Woodville-West Torrens)
Midfielder, 21, 184cm
Recruited from: Geelong
The Eagles have hailed Clohesy’s signing as “significant’’ after they beat a
host of SANFL rivals for his services.
A tough, competitive, hard-running midfielder, he played 12 AFL games,
including nine this year, in three seasons for a powerful Geelong outfit and
didn’t look out of place on the big stage.
JAKE CRESSWELL
(North Adelaide)
Midfielder, 22, 183cm
Recruited from: Norwood
Cresswell has made the shift from The Parade, where he played 29 league
games in three seasons and was a member of Norwood’s losing 2024 grand
final side.
He previously played two matches for South Adelaide in 2022 following his
move from Tasmania.
JACK DELEAN
(South Adelaide)
Small forward, 20, 182cm
Recruited from: Fremantle
The classy small forward is returning to Pantherland after spending two
years in the AFL with Fremantle, where he didn’t play an AFL game.
He did make his mark with Peel Thunder in the WAFL however, kicking 33
goals in 28 games and winning their leading goalkicker award in 2025.
KADE DITTMAR

(Norwood)
Midfielder, 22, 187cm
Recruited from:
Central District
The tough midfielder has swapped the Ponderosa for The Parade in one of
the major SANFL club switches.
Dittmar starred in two seasons with the Bulldogs after moving from the
WAFL, where he played with East Perth.
ARLO DRAPER
(South Adelaide)
Midfielder/forward, 22, 186cm
Recruited from: Returned to club
Draper, the older brother of emerging Crows AFL star Sid Draper, returns
to Pantherland after taking last season off to travel overseas.
A product of South’s junior system, Draper spent two years at Collingwood
but did not play an AFL game before returning to the Panthers in 2024.
JOSH FAHEY
(Central District)
Half-back/wingman, 22, 187cm
Recruited from: Greater Western Sydney
Fahey played seven AFL games for the Giants – all in 2023 – in four years
after being drafted out of the club’s junior pathways program.
“Josh has speed, evasiveness and a silky left foot which he uses to break
the game open,” Central football manager Mark Ross said.
AARON FRANCIS
(Norwood)
Key utility, 28, 193cm
Recruited from: Sydney
The high-flying Francis spent 10 years in the AFL with Essendon and
Sydney, playing 84 games, after being drafted by the Bombers from West
Adelaide at pick 6 in 2015.

He can play as a key intercept or lockdown defender or key forward and
will add great versatility to the Norwood line-up.
ETHAN GRACE
(Woodville-West Torrens)
Midfielder/half-back, 22, 181cm
Recruited from:
North Shore Bombers
Grace started his career with the East Coast Eagles before moving to the
North Shore Bombers, where he quickly became one of their best young
players.
A classy, composed player who possesses a lethal left-foot kick, he joined
the GWS Giants Academy and represented the club in the VFL before
spending the 2023 season with the Sydney Swans’ VFL program.
He returned to the Bombers in 2024, enjoying two strong seasons to catch
the Eagles’ eye.
JOSEPH HAINES
(Adelaide)
Defender, 32, 190cm
Recruited from: Port District
Before joining Port District in the Adelaide Footy League two years ago,
Haines was a standout, high-leaping, long-kicking SANFL defender for
South Adelaide.
He played 137 league games for the Panthers from 2013-23, winning the
club’s best-and-fairest award, the Knuckey Cup, in 2022, representing the
state and making The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year four times.
Now he is back in the SANFL after winning back-to-back Division 1
Adelaide Footy League premierships with Port District.
MATTHEW HARMS
(Norwood)
Small forward, 22, 175cm
Recruited from: GWS (VFL)

The exciting small forward starred for Beaumaris in its VAFA Premier C
grand final win this year after spending most of the past four seasons in
the VFL system with GWS and Sandringham.
He makes things happen inside 50 and is damaging around goal.
CHARLIE HAYSMAN
(North Adelaide)
Midfielder/half-back, 20, 183cm
Recruited from:
West Adelaide
Haysman has made the move from Richmond to Prospect, linking up with
new North coach Josh Francou, who coached him at St Peter’s College.
A hard-running, skilful utility who can play through the midfield or across
half-back, Haysman is a good decision-maker and ball user who played 12
league games for West last season.
CALLUM McCARTY
(Central District)
Midfielder, 25, 181cm
Recruited from:
South Adelaide
McCarty has switched from the Panthers, where he played 20 games in two
injury-interrupted seasons following his arrival from Essendon’s VFL
team.
A classy inside midfielder, he is excellent at winning first possession at
ground level.
JED McENTEE
(Sturt)
Small forward/midfielder, 24, 176cm
Recruited from:
Port Adelaide
McEntee returns to the Double Blues after playing 52 AFL games and
kicking 31 goals in five years for Port Adelaide.

A super-competitive small forward/midfielder who applies great tackling
pressure, McEntee came through Sturt’s junior system before being
drafted by the Power in the 2021 mid-season draft.
PHILLIP MOIMOI
(South Adelaide)
Half-back/wingman, 25, 181cm
Recruited from: Richmond (VFL)
The exciting Moimoi has joined South after stints with Sydney and
Richmond’s VFL teams.
He will bring speed, power, excitement and X-factor to Pantherland.
A graduate of Richmond’s Next Generation Academy program and a close
friend of Panther Emmanuel Ajang, Moimoi is related to former
Parramatta Eels rugby league cult figure Fuifui Moimoi.
HARPER MONTGOMERY
(Woodville-West Torrens)
Defender, 21, 187cm
Recruited from: Greater Western Sydney (VFL)
The son of 2004 Port Adelaide AFL premiership player Brett Montgomery,
Harper has joined the Eagles from Greater Western Sydney’s VFL program.
Playing mostly across halfback, he came through North Adelaide’s
pathway program before spending two years with Port’s SANFL team,
playing 13 league games in 2022-23.
He moved to GWS after being overlooked by the Power as a father-son
draftee.
JOSH MURPHY
(Norwood)
Key forward, 19, 190cm
Recruited from: North Albury/Collingwood (VFL)
The powerhouse forward debuted for Collingwood’s VFL team this year
after starring for North Albury in the Ovens and Murray League.

Possessing a big vertical leap, he topped the Coates Talent League
goalkicking charts in 2024 with 32 majors in 11 games for the Murray
Bushrangers, including three bags of six.
Murphy captained the Allies at the 2024 AFL under-18 championships and
is very strong overhead.
WILL PATTON
(Glenelg)
Key defender, 20, 193cm
Recruited from:
West Adelaide
The key, playmaking defender moves to Brighton Road after playing 30
league games in the past two seasons for the Bloods.
Patton captained SA’s under-18 team in 2023 and made the All-Australian
team.
He was considered unlucky not to be drafted that year.
JOSH RALPH
(Central District)
Small forward, 20, 178cm
Recruited from: Sydney Swans Academy
A product of the Sydney Swans Academy, Ralph is a tenacious, highlyskilled small forward who applies terrific defensive pressure inside 50.
“Josh has a high workrate, tackles with vigour, chases with determination
and fights to keep the ball inside the forward arc,” Central football
manager Mark Ross said.
BRAD RAUTER
(West Adelaide)
Key defender, 22, 191cm
Recruited from:
GWS Academy
Rauter is a former GWS Academy player from Canberra who West has “had
our eyes on for some time”.

A versatile key defender, he will add to new coach Nathan Bassett’s
defensive options and backline flexibility.
“He’s a versatile defender, a nice utility type for us who is good mates with
‘Frosty’ (midfielder Sam Frost),” Bassett said.
LOCH RAWLINSON
(Sturt)
Midfielder/forward, 20, 177cm
Recruited from: West Coast
The former Sturt junior returns to the club after spending two years in the
AFL with West Coast, where he played one AFL game.
Rawlinson, who was drafted to the Eagles’ rookie list, racked up 31 WAFL
games in his two seasons in the West, kicking 21 goals and averaging 11
disposals.
JAMES RICHARDS
(Adelaide)
Forward, 25, 189cm
Recruited from:
Uraidla Districts
Former SANFL forward Richards has moved to the Crows after spending
last season with Uraidla Districts in the Hills Football League.
The flamboyant goalsneak previously played 35 league games and kicked
37 goals for Sturt from 2021-24, including the 2023 grand final loss to
Glenelg.
BEN RIDGWAY
(West Adelaide)
Midfielder, 20, 182cm
Recruited from: Glenelg
Tough, hard-as-nails on-baller has moved from Brighton Road to
Richmond in a bid to play regular league football.
He debuted for the Tigers in round 16, 2024, but has managed only 13
league games in the past two seasons.

Ridgway won the 2022 McCallum Tomkins Medal as the SANFL’s best
under-18 player while this year he was awarded the Bob Lee Medal as beston-ground in Glenelg’s 2025 reserves grand final win against Sturt.
ARIE SCHOENMAKER
(South Adelaide)
Key defender, 20, 194cm
Recruited from: St Kilda
Drafted by St Kilda with pick 62 in 2023, the athletic, versatile Tasmanian
possesses a booming left-foot kick.
“There are big kicks and then there are the ones that fly like rockets off
Schoenmaker’s boot,” the Saints wrote on their website after he made his
AFL debut in 2024.
Schoenmaker, who is quick for his size, played seven AFL games in two
seasons for St Kilda, averaging 15 disposals and five marks.
HARLEY SPARKS
(South Adelaide)
Defender, 24, 187cm
Recruited from: West Coast (WAFL)
Sparks is a rebounding defender who won West Coast’s WAFL best-andfairest award in 2024.
He is renowned for his competitiveness and good ball use and can also play
through the midfield.
ALEX SWINNERTON
(Norwood)
Small forward, 19, 175cm
Recruited from: GWS (VFL)
A livewire small forward, Swinnerton played five VFL games for the Giants
this year, kicking four goals, after being a member of the club’s Albury
Hub.
Joining good mate Josh Murphy at The Parade from Ovens and Murray
Football Netball League club Laverton, Swinnerton this year booted 18
goals and averaged nine tackles in 16 OMFNL games.

WILL VERRALL
(South Adelaide)
Ruckman, 21, 199cm
Recruited from: Melbourne
The giant ruckman returns to Pantherland after spending three years in
the AFL system with Melbourne, which rookie-listed him in 2022.
Verrall played 45 VFL games in three seasons for the Casey Demons,
averaging 17 hit-outs and steadily developing his craft.
HUNTER WINDOW
(Glenelg)
Small forward, 22, 173cm
Recruited from: Sacred Heart OC
The 2024 Glenelg premiership small forward is returning to Tigerland after
spending a season in the Adelaide Footy League with Sacred Heart Old
Collegians due to work commitments. Window made the 2025 Adelaide
Footy League Team of the Year and adds some class and polish to the Bays’
forward line.

[DOC]

I think, not that it matters, that this article was written before Seamus Mitchell was signed. Probably our best.

[southernbulldog]

What has it got to do with Port getting Dittmar to Norwood ?

[northerner]

Centrals have two more coming over from Sandringham in the VFL: a 207cm ruck option and a forward.

Dittmars defection didnt bother/surprise me. He was with us 2 years and has made it clear he is AFL bound and Norwood is his best chance.
Montgomeries move killed me off as an SANFL fan... a player good enough to play State and a long time Doggie. What's the point?