Statewide Super League Top 50 – No.10

By ZAC MILBANK

Norwood’s Sam Baulderstone is the most dominant ruckman in the Statewide Super League.

With Glenelg’s premiership bigman Jesse White calling time on his career, Baulderstone is now the clear-cut choice to start in the centre square for any team in the competition.

The dual premiership giant led the League for hitouts in 2019, racking up a massive total of 663, compared to White’s 513 after the minor round.

This ensured the 29-year-old would be the selected as the lead bigman for the 2019 The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.

Baulderstone’s high value at The Parade was also illustrated by him finishing runner-up in the count for the Michael Taylor Medal behind best-and-fairest Brad McKenzie.

Appointed joint vice-captain for season 2020, the Central Whyalla product has been looking in ominous shape during preseason training as per the Tweet below.

It is understood Baulderstone has lost as much as 12kg across last summer as he looks to move around the ground with more freedom this year.

Selected by SANFL Media Producer Zac Milbank, the 2020 Statewide Super League Top 50 is being unveiled one player at a time on the League’s website and social media channels.

For incumbent SANFL players, form across the 2019 season was used as a significant factor in the selection process, with selection in The Advertiser Team of the Year, West End State squad, club leadership group and placings in club best-and-fairest weighing heavily.

This is to ensure there is meaningful movement of player rankings between each year’s Top 50 list at the start and end of the season.

Recruits to the Statewide Super League for 2020 have also been included, with significant AFL experience, performance at State League level and their predicted impact proving critical in deciding the order of players.

10 – Sam Baulderstone (Norwood)
11 – Jordan Foote (Eagles)
12 – Jarrod Schiller (Central)
13 – Lewis Johnston (Norwood)
14 – James Battersby (Sturt)
15 – Zane Kirkwood (Sturt)
16 – Max Proud (Glenelg)
17 – Andrew Moore (North)
18 – Luke Reynolds (Glenelg)
19 – Abe Davis (Sturt)
20 – Tyson Goldsack (Port)
21 – Jarred Allmond (North)
22 – Marlon Motlop (Glenelg)
23 – Kaine Stevens (West)
24 – Matthew Snook (Glenelg)
25 – Travis Schiller (Central)
26 – Billy Stretch (Glenelg)
27 – Joseph Haines (South)
28 – Brad McKenzie (Norwood)
29 – Matthew Rose (South)
30 – James Rowe (Eagles)
31 – Dom Barry (Norwood)
32 – Justin Hoskin (Central)
33 – Harrison Wigg (North)
34 – Matthew Allen (Glenelg)
35 – Troy Menzel (Central)
36 – Mitch Grigg (Norwood)
37 – Jack Hayes (Eagles)
38 – James Rose (South)
39 – Robbie Young (North)
40 – Andrew Bradley (Glenelg)
41 – Tom Schwarz (North)
42 – Matthew Panos (Norwood)
43 – Brad Agnew (Glenelg)
44 – Cole Gerloff (Norwood)
45 – Matthew Wright (Adelaide)
46 – Dean Gore (Sturt)
47 – Tom Keough (West)
48 – Jesse Lonergan (Eagles)
49 – Alex Spina (North)
50 – Logan Hill (West)