Statewide Super League Top 50 – No.3

By ZAC MILBANK

It’s not often you have a player with nearly 250 AFL games experience line up in the Statewide Super League.

But that is the prospect Norwood coach Jarrod Cotton has been coming to grips with since securing the prized signature of retired Crow Richard Douglas.

Cotton must balance Douglas’ time between attack and the midfield this year, knowing his 33-year-old star can be equally damaging in either position.

A classy finisher inside 50m, Douglas certainly knows where the goals are having booted 164 from his 246 AFL appearances since 2006.

His ability to spot up team-mates with skillful field kicking is another facet of his game which will excite Cotton when Douglas pinch-hits in the centre square.

Quick to be thrust into the role of joint vice-captain, the 2010 Malcolm Blight Medallist will also be an invaluable asset in a coaching sense, acting as a calm on-field presence for the bevy of young Redlegs looking to develop in 2020.

Off the field, Douglas’ constructive and insightful view on the game is already leaving its mark at The Parade.

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.

3 – Richard Douglas (Norwood)
4 – Sam Colquhoun (Sturt)
5 – Joel Cross (South)
6 – Matthew Broadbent (South)
7 – Ryan Bastinac (Norwood)
8 – Billy Hartung (North)
9 – Liam McBean (Glenelg)
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)