AT A GLANCE
Wins
14
Losses
7
4th on the ladder
Season Summary
So… was this ultimately a disappointing season?
That feels harsh. They made a preliminary final after all. But in the pre-season they were anointed the Soldiers’s most likely challenger. And it didn’t quite play out that way.
Lets get the negatives out the way. Some surprising regression in the list. Jack Steele had a meh season – though only by his admittedly lofty standards. Simpkin and Cumming regressed. James Jordon couldn’t get a proper game. Will Brodie couldn’t get a game fullstop. Chesser and Sinn – the Sparkles prized 7th overall selection – didn’t kick on. Whether they’ll be kept looms as an interesting question this off-season (editor’s note: nope).
Now the positives.
Despite these hurdles, still made the Preliminary Finals.
Nick Daicos is incredible and surely the most desirable asset in the league. Jai Newcombe was wonderful. Davies-Uniacke and Cerra both continue to flirt with “we-will-average-105+the-second-we-can-avoid-recurring-injuries” territory.
Are we as optimistic about this team heading into 2024 as we were in 2023? The top line players are great, but there’s a bit of a list drop-off once you get past Bailey Dale. Can some of the lesser-lights make a jump. Do the older players have another year at a premium level in them? This team should still make finals – and relatively easily I think – but will they be a serious challenger?
top five Players
Nick Daicos
20 games
108.8 average
Ranked 12th for season
Noah Anderson
23 games
100.5 average
Ranked 26th for season
Jack Steele
20 games
97.9 average
Ranked 33rd for season
Luke Davies-Uniacke
14 games
97.4 average
Ranked 35th for season
Adam Cerra
19 games
96.6 average
Ranked 38th for season
ALL-AUSTRALIANS
Nick Daicos
Tom Stewart
2023 PRE-SEASON DRAFT
| Round | Pick | Player | Games Played | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 28 | Boak (PA) | 12 | 69.92 |
| 4 | 38 | Heppell (ESS) | 14 | 86.07 |
| 5 | 48 | Langford (ESS) | 17 | 70.88 |
| 6 | 58 | B. Hill (Stk) | 20 | 75.15 |
| 7 | 62 | Xerri (NTH) | 2 | 72.5 |
| 7 | 68 | Baker (RICH) | 21 | 71.43 |
| 8 | 78 | C. Ward (GWS) | 17 | 80.29 |
| 9 | 88 | Meek (HAW) | 2 | 42.5 |
| 10 | 98 | J. Cripps (WC) | 4 | 76.75 |
| 11 | 108 | M. Crouch (ADL) | 5 | 102.2 |
| 12 | 118 | T. Hawkins (GEE) | 12 | 59 |
| 13 | 128 | Shiels (NM) | 12 | 77.58 |
| 14 | 138 | J. McGovern (WC) | 7 | 68.14 |
| 15 | 146 | J. Howe (COL) | 5 | 54.2 |
| 15 | 148 | Neal-Bullen (MEL) | 20 | 70.9 |
| 16 | 158 | C. Nash (HAW) | 17 | 86.12 |
| 17 | 168 | Gunston (BL) | 2 | 37 |
| 18 | 178 | D. Macpherson (GC) | 20 | 78.5 |
| 19 | 188 | J. Hayes (STK) | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | 198 | J. Darling (WC) | 0 | 0 |
Most Inspired Selection
Darcy Macpherson
Pick 178
The Sparkles came into this draft with a clearly defined plan. This is the draft of a team looking to win a premiership. And in the immediate aftermath of draft night, this was viewed as the strongest hand – quite something from a team that didn’t have a selection until the backend of the third round.
I’m not quite sure we’d feel the same way now. This is still a very good draft – just about every selection made a contribution. But I suspect coach Burgess was hoping for a bit more from some of these players. Hill, Baker and Neal-Bullen all played 20+ games, but none of them reached particular scoring heights. Boak finally broke. Hawkins never really got going.
Heppell was extremely useful. As was Ward and Shiels. Langford started the season hot, then tailed away. Xerri shows signs whenever he can avoid injury. Crouch’s late season career revival offers some promise (will he be kept?)
The true best selection, Conor Nash, was delisted early, and it was the Defenestrators who enjoyed his breakout campaign.
Macpherson gets the gong here by virtue of being a such late selection. Getting 20 games from a player selected in the 18th round is fabulous work.
Trades
Just the one trade for the Sparkles this year. A logically sound move that ultimately bore slightly disappointing fruit – which perhaps serves as a neat summary of the club’s season.
Gaff’s form in the immediate aftermath of this trade was so disastrous that it looked like an absolutely heist. It’s not easy to make and 3rd and 4th round pick look like a heist. Thankfully, his scoring in the final month and a half of the season helped saved some face – though it certainly remained unspectacular.
Speaking of unspectacular, Oscar McInerney.
The Sparkles ultimately paid a relatively small price to help extend their depth for the 2023 season. No real harm was done in the making of this trade. But boy when Gaff was dropping those sub-50 scores it must’ve stung just a little.
| Date | Team 1 | Received | Team 2 | Received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 27, 2023 |  | Oscar McInerney Andrew Gaff |  | Ned Moyle Paddy Dow Love Sparkles Round 3 Pick Love Sparkles Round 4 Pick |
LIST AT END OF 2023 SEASON
| Player | Games | Average | Player Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Daicos Defender / Midfielder | 20 | 108.8 | 12 |
| Noah Anderson Midfielder | 23 | 100.5 | 26 |
| Jack Steele Midfielder | 20 | 97.9 | 33 |
| Luke Davies-Uniacke Midfielder | 14 | 97.4 | 35 |
| Adam Cerra Midfielder | 19 | 96.6 | 38 |
| Tom Stewart Defender | 22 | 96.3 | 39 |
| Jai Newcombe Midfielder | 22 | 93.3 | 48 |
| Jake Lloyd Defender | 22 | 89.7 | 65 |
| Matt Crouch Midfielder | 7 | 89.3 | 70 |
| Bailey Dale Defender | 23 | 85.3 | 89 |
| Oscar McInerney Ruck | 22 | 82.7 | 102 |
| Dyson Heppell Defender / Midfielder | 22 | 81.6 | 106 |
| Liam Shiels Midfielder / Forward | 16 | 77.3 | 132 |
| Darcy Macpherson Defender / Forward | 23 | 76.1 | 145 |
| Jy Simpkin Midfielder | 18 | 75.8 | 148 |
| Bradley Hill Defender / Forward | 21 | 74.5 | 161 |
| Todd Goldstein Ruck | 20 | 73.3 | 176 |
| Kyle Langford Midfielder / Forward | 23 | 73 | 178 |
| Alex Neal-Bullen Forward | 23 | 72.7 | 180 |
| Callan Ward Midfielder / Forward | 22 | 71.9 | 190 |
| Andrew Gaff Midfielder | 23 | 71.7 | 193 |
| Jack Ross Midfielder | 19 | 71.6 | 194 |
| Jacob Weitering Defender | 23 | 70.4 | 207 |
| Jeremy McGovern Defender | 9 | 70.3 | 208 |
| Liam Baker Defender / Forward | 23 | 69.8 | 216 |
| Jamie Cripps Forward | 12 | 69.4 | 221 |
| Isaac Quaynor Defender | 23 | 68.5 | 227 |
| Isaac Cumming Defender | 17 | 68.3 | 228 |
| Will Brodie Midfielder | 5 | 67 | 236 |
| Tom Papley Forward | 22 | 66.2 | 251 |
| Tristan Xerri Ruck | 9 | 66 | 252 |
| Tom Hawkins Forward | 20 | 63 | 278 |
| Travis Boak Midfielder | 19 | 62.2 | 290 |
| Jack Graham Midfielder / Forward | 20 | 61 | 304 |
| James Jordon Midfielder | 17 | 50.3 | 451 |
| Jack Hayes Forward | 1 | 43 | 527 |
| Campbell Chesser Defender / Midfielder | 14 | 42.5 | 534 |
| Josh Sinn Midfielder / Forward | 3 | 19.7 | 643 |
| Braydon Preuss Ruck | 0 | 0 | 664 |
Player To Watch in 2024
Isaac Cumming
Went from playing 21 games at 90.7 average to 20 games at a 67.8 average. Bad.
What the hell was that Isaac? Did someone hurt you? Blink twice if you are in distress and need assistance. Why aren’t you blinking Isaac? You clearly need assistance son.
