South Australian under-18 football captain Kodah Edwards demonstrated a strong recovery from illness at the state draft combine held on Saturday at the SA Sports Institute. After missing the national combine in Melbourne due to a flu that sidelined him for over a week, Edwards led the seven participants by winning four key events, drawing attention from recruiters ahead of this year’s draft.
The South Adelaide midfielder posted the fastest time in the 20-meter sprint with a mark of 2.906 seconds. He also topped the field in the right vertical jump (85 cm), countermovement force plate jump (63.8 kg), and countermovement jump (70 cm). Edwards, regarded as a potential top-25 draft pick, played five league matches this season for the Panthers. Reflecting on his recent illness, he noted, “I got moving two days ago, ran on the Esplanade a bit.”
Another standout performance came from Glenelg midfielder Jacob McNicol, who recorded the best time in the agility test at 7.95 seconds. However, McNicol exited early during the 2-kilometer time trial, leaving only five competitors to finish the event. This limited turnout prompted some recruiters to question why more players were not invited to participate.
AFL academy coach Tarkyn Lockyer addressed the concern, explaining that logistical factors such as budgets and available entry points necessitate limiting the number of participants. McNicol, a left-footed player known for his ball-winning ability, earned the Alan Stewart Medal as best on ground in the under-18 grand final this year.
Among the taller prospects, Glenelg’s 206-centimeter ruckman Jobe Janeway attracted attention despite being classified as a project player. Having committed fully to football only this year, Janeway is seen as a potential future asset due to his size and athleticism. He recorded a 3.116 second 20-meter sprint, a 77-centimeter running vertical jump, and completed the 2-kilometer time trial in 7 minutes 30 seconds. Janeway, a longtime supporter of the Essendon Football Club, previously competed in motocross before a severe back injury two years ago.
In the girls’ competition, former basketball player Krystal Thompson matched Edwards’ four event wins. Thompson, who previously played in the WNBL development squad with Adelaide Lightning, led in the right vertical jump (64 cm), agility test (8.022 seconds), countermovement force plate jump (61.3 kg), and countermovement jump (55 cm). She credited her basketball background, particularly her defensive skills, for aiding her football abilities and indicated she would likely engage in discussions with the Adelaide Crows in the near future.
South Adelaide’s small forward Hope Taylor won three events, edging out West Adelaide’s Chelsea Newitt in the 1.6-kilometer time trial with a time of 6 minutes 9 seconds. Taylor also finished first in the 20-meter sprint (3.152 seconds) and left vertical jump (69 centimeters), demonstrating her versatility across speed and endurance disciplines.