2023 Hostplus North Adelaide Pocket Profile

SANFL’s ZAC MILBANK breaks down all you need to know about the Roosters heading into the 2023 Hostplus SANFL League season.

COMING
Sam Mayes (returned/Port Adelaide), Jesse White (Broadview/Glenelg), Ben Jarman (returned), Connor Nutting (Southport Sharks), Matthew McKenzie (West Adelaide), Noah Casalini (GWS VFL), Kye Pfrengle (Sydney VFL/St George Dragons), Brodie Lake (Peel Thunder/Southern Districts), Gibson Turner (Glenelg)

GOING
Will Combe (retired), Billy Dowling (Adelaide), Isaac Keeler (St Kilda), Tom Stapleton (Northern Bullants), Jared Deep (Glenelg), Matthew Longbottom (Brinkworth Spalding Redhill), Blayne O’Loughlin (Adelaide), Sam Thorne (Overseas), Preston Cockatoo-Collins (Port Adelaide), Will Francou (Port Adelaide), Brodie Motlop (Port Adelaide), Harper Montgomery (Port Adelaide), Matthew Borg (Work), Sam McTaggart (Mt Lofty)

Saturday March 4
North v Eagles at Thebarton Oval – 12.30pm

Saturday March 11
North v South at Thebarton Oval – 12.20pm

Saturday March 18
North v Port at Thebarton Oval – 11am

North Adelaide moved quickly to ensure the talented Mayes would return to Prospect after his delisting by AFL club Port Adelaide.

The 28-year-old landed an off-field role as a development coach for North’s Under-16 and Under-18 players.

On the field, he is eagerly anticipating his addition to North’s incredibly deep midfield rotation as he looms as one of the competition’s star signings ahead of the 2023 Hostplus SANFL League campaign.

Boasting 121 AFL games of experience, Mayes will add to the 22 SANFL League matches he played for North in 2011 and 2012 before starting his elite journey with the Brisbane Lions in 2013.

Lining up alongside the likes of Magarey Medallists Campbell Combe and Aaron Young, together with Harrison Wigg and Andrew Moore, Mayes presents himself as another headache for opposition coaches this year.

Incredibly respectful of where it all began for him, Mayes is also looking forward to playing with 2022 Powerade Breakthrough Player Harrison Magor, who originates from the same Port Pirie based club, Ports Bulldogs.

Anyone watching North Adelaide training could be forgiven for mistaking Charlie Dinning for Campbell Combe.

While the 21-year-old midfielder has a long way to go to match Combe’s feats, his movement on the track matching that of the Magarey Medallist has Roosters coach Jacob Surjan excited.

Originally a Woodville-West Torrens junior, Dinning crossed to North to play in the U18s in 2019.

Since then, he has played for his country club South Clare where he represented the North Eastern Football League at association level before returning to play 19 games in the Reserves at Prospect last year.

The solidly-built left-footer has posted an exceptional pre-season, encouraging Surjan to provide Dinning with an opportunity in North’s star-studded midfield rotation during the trial match period.

Torrens University SA U18 coach Tony Bamford profiles the Roosters’ players in 2023.

Kane McAuliffe
Kane finished Year 12 at Prince Alfred College last year and is now full-time in North’s program. He is also in the AFL National Academy alongside 29 other players from across Australia. Kane is a big-bodied midfielder/forward who can win the ball inside a contest, then use his power to get on the outside and move the ball with penetration.

Kane spent some time training with the Adelaide Crows in the preseason as part of his National Academy program. Kane was in the State U18 Academy last year but did not play any AFL U18 National games as an U17. He will be looking to produce a big 2023 season after missing some footy last year due to injury.

Jed Dignan
Jed is a country lad from Orroroo who had to travel back and forth to play for North’s U18 team last year as an U17 player. He has now finished his schooling and has relocated to live in Adelaide and start a Teaching degree at University.

Jed impressed last year while playing as a medium forward/midfielder for the Roosters’ U18 side. When playing forward, he was able to use his clean hands, sound decision-making and disposal skills to maximise his team’s entry inside 50. He is an exciting prospect given his limited time spent training inside a high performance program.

Luke Harvey
Luke finished Year 12 at St Peters last year and is now in the North’s program on a full-time basis. Unfortunately for Luke, he has had a very restricted preseason due to an operation to repair and clean out his ankle.

Luke was mixing footy between North and St Peters last year, playing mainly as a small-medium defender across half-back. Luke was in the State U18 Academy last year but did not play any AFL U18 National games as an U17. Despite his limited preseason, we expect Luke to be a consistent performer and leader in the back six for the Roosters’ U18s.