‘Banger’ drafted by Collingwood

Photo: Green Shoots Marketing

FORMER Sawtell/Toormina player Angus Anderson has created AFL North Coast history by becoming the first male player from the region to be drafted onto the primary list of an AFL club.

The 22 year-old was selected with Pick 57 in the 2025 AFL National Draft by Collingwood.

Collingwood’s National Recruiting Manager Shane O’Bree said Anderson showed traits which made him attractive to the Magpies.

“When you watch Angus play football, there is a lot of heart in his game,” O’Bree said.

“Watching his journey as a footballer has been fulfilling.” 

Anderson’s journey toward this moment has been one of perseverance.

He played his junior football with the Saints as well as his first foray into the seniors playing representative football with the North Coast Force, a member of the Northern Heat Development Program and QBE Sydney Swans Academy.

Anderson first played juniors in 2011 and as a 16 year-old in 2019 made his senior debut.

In 2021 he was the captain of the Swans Academy playing NAB League matches as well as playing with the Swans’ VFL team.

The next year ‘Banger’ was selected as a COVID top-up player for the Sydney Swans while spending the season playing with the Swans Academy and VFL teams as well as with the Allies in the NAB AFL National Championships.

Having nominated for the draft and not been selected, Anderson moved to Adelaide where he joined Sturt ahead of the 2023 season.

In his first season at the Double Blues the big-bodied midfielder plied his trade in the reserves. In 2024 he played the first match of the season in the reserves but since his making his debut in the Sturt senior team in Round 2, he has been a permanent member of the team.

This year Anderson impressed many polling 12 votes in the Magarey Medal before being named as the Jack Oatey Medal winner for being best player on the ground in the SANFL Grand Final which Sturt won by 31 points over Glenelg.

This performance capped off a remarkable season that saw the Sawtell/Toormina product average more than 22 disposals per match across his last 14 games while kicking 10 goals during this period.