Former St Kilda defender Oscar Clavarino will play in the SANFL next year in the hope of getting a second chance in the AFL.
The 22-year-old waited 1283 days to make his senior debut for the Saints this season before he was delisted in September.
Clavarino is looking forward to plying his trade with South Adelaide in 2022 and believes he is good enough to be on an AFL list.
Stay up to date with all the latest news from SEN. Sign up HERE.
“It was an amazing experience. I loved my time at the Saints,” he told SEN SA Breakfast.
“I’ve left four years later with minimal opportunity and still think I’m up to the level.
“I’m keen to get back to SANFL level. It’s tough, you play for a VFL team that’s aligned to an AFL team and you’re wondering, ‘Are you in this week or are you out this week and what are you really doing?’
“At the end of the day, a VFL-aligned team is filled up with both AFL and VFL (players) and the team’s mixed up every week.
“It’s good to be able to go back to SANFL level and play in a team where you know what team you’re going to have every week aside from a couple of changes and you train with them every week.
“That’s what I’m excited about.”
Selected with pick No.35 in the 2017 National Draft, Clavarino debuted against North Melbourne in Round 11 this year but found senior opportunities hard to come by at the Saints, playing five senior games.
“For the first couple of years, I didn’t think I was ready, If I’m really honest with you,” Clavarino said.
“COVID really struck me down. I felt like I started to get going through that year in the hub, obviously it was tough for the coaches and selectors to back me in because we were playing 16v16 or 14v14 and filling in for other teams. So it’s hard to prove that you’re playing good footy.
“When we got back to Melbourne the year after, I was able to get a few good games under my belt and get that opportunity. I felt like I held my own but at the end of the day, the coaches might have thought otherwise, I can’t fault that.
“As I said, I think I’m up to the level.”
Clavarino battled a syndesmosis injury and hamstring problems during his time at Moorabbin.