2022 U18S SEASON
ACH GROUP STADIUM
SATURDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER, 11:00AM
Glenelg and Sturt will face off in another do-or-die clash in the U18 Torrens University Cup after their respective league sides did battle last weekend.
Both clubs will be confident of progressing, having claimed important scalps in the final minor round while also regaining a handful of big-name college players.
Despite Lachlan Scannell missing the year through injury, the Bays will be eager to go one step further after going down to Woodville-West Torrens in the 2021 decider.
Standing in their road are is a Double Blues side which has bounced back strongly after collecting the wooden spoon last year.
Albeit inconsistent at-times, Sturt has played a strong brand of football this season, claiming wins against all clubs except the Bays.
They’ll be boosted by the return of son-of-a-gun Luca Slade, who will play an important role for the Double Blues after starring all season with Prince Alfred College.
His college affiliation restricted the versatile bottom-ager to just ten U18 matches, but he still averaged 19.9 disposals. 5.1 marks, 3.7 tackles and over a goal per game.
Glenelg claimed an emphatic 79-point win over the Double Blues in round three, when forwards Jayden Davis and Ashton Moir combined to boot nine goals. But the clubs’ round 11 meeting was much closer, with first-year coach Jared Millington’s boys getting over the line by just three points after a late Davis major.
Although Moir and Davis will both miss the finals, Glenelg’s returning college contingency will loom large.
Torrens University SA U18 representatives Jakob Ryan, Archie Lovelock and Jake Walker will be joined in the side by Bowen Payne, Jake Pavia-Amato, Beau Symonds, Ben Dewhirst and Chester Forster.
Ryan Wurfel and Bodie Ryan will also make their returns to football after stints out through injury, but Charlie Hildyard remains sidelined with a knee complaint.
In the absence of their college-aligned stars, Tigers midfielders Hayden Brokensha and Ben Ridgway have been impressive.
Brokensha’s running power and ball use on the outside has been noticeable, averaging 23.6 disposals at 83% efficiency in 16 matches.
While on the inside, strong bodied skipper Ridgway has averaged 23.8 touches, 5.8 tackles and 4.3 clearances in 15 games as a bottom-ager.
To combat Glenelg’s talented midfield unit, Sturt will seek strong performances from Kobe McEntee and George Pope, who have proven to be consistent performers in a well-rounded Double Blues outfit.
Going forward, plenty of responsibility will rest in the hands of Chad Reschke, the competition’s leading goal kicker.
Strong in the air and an accurate kick for goal, Reschke booted 63 majors in 16 matches – 13 majors clear of second-placed Bloods tall Tom Scully.
Reschke doesn’t need much of the ball to have a big impact on the outcome, registering a haul of seven goals in round one and two bags of six in rounds 16 and 18. He booted five of Sturt’s 11 goals when they played the Bays their second 2022 meeting.
KEY MATCHUP
Chad Reschke (Sturt) v Jakob Ryan (Glenelg)
Reschke has often been the main man in attack for the Double Blues this season, so stopping his marking dominance inside-50 will be at the top of the Bays agenda.
With his ability to lock down an opponent and control the airways down back, Jakob Ryan may be the best option. He has the speed to match Reschke on the lead then can look to make the Sturt forward work hard defensively.
If Millington prefers to free-up Ryan or push him up to a wing, Glenelg could task talls Brandon Smith or Jack McAuley with the job.
Sturt must be weary of being overly reliant on Reschke inside-50, with goals from their midfielders set to be vital.
