Statewide Super League Top 50 – No.27

By ZAC MILBANK

If an award was presented for the most improved player in 2019, it could have easily gone to South Adelaide’s Joseph Haines.

Playing in more than 50 Reserves games for the Panthers, Haines continued his late-blooming resurgence last year when he made his debut for the West End State team against the WAFL in Perth.

The 27-year-old’s eye-catching performances in defence for the Navy Blue also earned him a berth on the half-back flank of the 2019 The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.

Originally from the Riverland powerhouse club of Waikerie, Haines posted huge numbers for a backman.

Averaging 23 possessions at 89 per cent disposal efficiency, the Panthers’ No.4 also had 7.5 rebound 50s and hauled in six marks per game to regularly repel the opposition’s forward forays.

Standing at 190cm, Haines has the ability to quell both tall and medium-sized forwards much to the delight of South coach Jarrad Wright.

And there’s little doubting he will cease flying high for contested marks such as the match-saving grab he snared against Glenelg in Round 10 last 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.

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)