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5-Minute Read
The SA Shotclock crew have cast their own 3-2-1 each match of the season to help with the predictions below for the award…
Previous Decade Winners
2015 Matthew Lycett (Norwood)
2016 Nelson Kirksey (Woodville)
2017 Eian Davis (South Adelaide)
2018 Alex Starling (North Adelaide)
2019 CJ Turnage (Southern)
2021 CJ Turnage (Norwood)
2022 Jeremy Smith (South Adelaide)
2023 Jawan Stepney (Woodville)
2024 Alex Starling (South Adelaide)
2025 Keanu Rasmussen (West Adelaide Bearcats)
Did you know???
In the Mens the club with the most Woollacott medals won is West Adelaide and Sturt who were also United Church prior to 1972 with 12. Norwood is now next best with 11. Out of the 10 current clubs, everyone has posted a winner with Steve Brekke the least recent club player to win it for Central District Lions way back in 1984.
The biggest multiple winner of the Woollacott is “Chairman of the Boards” himself Mark Davis who has won it five times between 1986 and 1992 including a tie with former 36ers teammate Mike McKay in 1987. There have also been 14 back-to-back winners of the award with the most recent CJ Turnage in 2019 and 2021 and the first Don Collins for West Torrens in 1951.
The Favourites
Jeremy Smith (South Adelaide Panthers)
The 2022 medallist is the raging favourite for Sunday’s award.
Dominant for his side this season – Smith has been the vocal point in all of the Panthers games this season. We expect him to poll in all but three games (Funnily two of them are probably the first two of the season) and its highly likely they’ll be three voters.
His 25.9 points, 6.8 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game have him right in the range of taking out his second medal
Greg Mays (Forestville Eagles)
With a known candidate out of the race – Smith’s biggest threat is the ultra consistent vote getting Mays. This could be the year Mays gathers the majority of the Eagles votes at the top of the table season.
He clearly has been a standout elevating to 20.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
We expect at least five three vote games but its likely he has more plus some handy twos which could give him enough to finally take it out after coming close with multiple top five finishes in the past.
Jayden Seymour (Central Districts Lions)
A flood of form late in the season now has a very real chance of potentially sneaking the award. With the Lions winning seven of their last nine to claw into fifth place – the import star has shown exactly why he was hunted after commodity.
His knock will be the early part of the season but Round 5 onwards he’ll be a frequent gather of the votes – i’m not sure it’ll be enough to challenge the above.
The Smokeys
Thomas Kurowski (Norwood Flames)
Every time the Flames have taken victory particularly in the second half of the season – Kurowski has been at the centre of it.
Campbell Scott however will probably pinch some votes from him before the midway point but he will come home with a flurry we expect polling in eight of the nine games after the mid-season break
Jordan Forbes (Forestville Eagles)
Forbes is always around the mark but the difficulty here is the quality of his teammates around him.
Numbers wise the guard has posted some impressive figures and has a very good middle part of the season – it depends on who out of him and Mays gets the 3 or 2 votes in key games.
Lloyd McVeigh (South Adelaide Panthers)
One of the most improved and also a hot candidate for defensive player of the year – McVeigh has reached new heights in season 2026
He’s lifted by eight plus points and two of each category on average -add the defensive edge he’s added with his time as a DP at the Cairns Taipans and he’ll poll plenty in the count this Sunday.
Keep An Eye on
Braelen Bridges (West Adelaide Bearcats)
Even before the Bearcats got on a run – the hyper efficient centre did the damage for West Adelaide.
The downer is the number of wins for his team which may have him inside the top ten but not quite the top five.
Daniel Johnson (Forestville Eagles)
Always figures amongst the votes – been a regular all-star five player and previous winner for the award.
Age is no conqueror and his former has remained solid with again a couple of teammates preventing maybe a three on a regular basis but you never know with another known vote-getter.
Koen Sapwell (Central Districts Lions)
Possibly an underrated vote-getter with another late start to 2026. This season however the guard has been impactful at both ends of the floor and will be intrigued to see whether he finishes top ten and gets some recognition with an all-star five position.
Our final prediction for the Eiler medal will be announced on Episode 36 of the SA Shotclock
Who would you pick? Leave a comment or join the debate on our Instagram and Facebook pages
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