Winter Edition 2015

From the SACFL Manager coming months we will be rolling out Education on the regulation at League Delegate meetings with members from the Sub Committee, League, RFAC , the SACFL The last few months have flown by with Community Board and our new Operations Manager all taking part. Football working tirelessly with so much going on. We have had the MAC SA Country Football Championships, We welcome Casey Grice as the Operations Manager. SA State Country Team trip to Perth, MAC Road Safety Casey comes with extensive knowledge in regional sport Round, the release of Regulation 31—Total Player and Club needs together with an understanding of Payments, which has been close to a 2 year process . On Government grants and much more. Over the past few top of this we have created a new on field apparel tender years he worked for the Western Australian and will advise all Leagues and Clubs of the new Department of Sport & Recreation located in regional providers by the end of August. And, then of course we WA. He is a national beach volleyball player and has have had ‘general business’ to attend to. played a little footy . Casey will certainly be jumping

right into the role by travelling around the State with the While its been hectic, I am particularly proud of the Education Roll out for Regulation 31. When he visits outcomes achieved. The MAC Country Championships your League and Club please make him feel welcome. was a great weekend in Port Augusta. The facilities were outstanding and the teams all performed Very sadly, we recently mourned the loss of a great professionally. A special thank you goes to Sarah Neal, football man in Don McSweeny, we have recognised the Regional Football Coordinators, the Spencer Gulf Don’s contribution within the newsletter. Football League, our Zone Coordinators, Zone Teams, the RFAC members, the Umpires and the SACFL Board As this is my last newsletter before I finish on the 28th for helping to make these Championships so successful. August, I would like to sincerely thank you for your

support over the past 19 months. I have felt particularly Furthermore I would like to acknowledge Dean Parish, welcomed by all involved in Regional Football. I would Harry Waterworth, Craig Dearlove, Craig Oliphant and like to wish you all a successful end to the 2015 season Scott Duncan, who each went over and above to assist and beyond. our small team. There are always many others who worked hard at these events and we thank them Warm regards, sincerely too. Leeanne

Congratulations to the Southern Districts Zone on a strong win in the Grand Final especially coming back from being the wooden spooners in 2014 to Champions this year. More details are inside the newsletter.

On the 24th July we travelled to Perth for our annual game against the State WA Country Football team on the 25th and made it 3 from 3 with a convincing 82 point win. WACFL were wonderful hosts and our State Team were extremely professional both on and off the field.

The Total Player Payments decision, known as Regulation 31, was released at the Chairman’s Update conducted at the Country Championships. Over the

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 SA Country State Team defeat WA Country

South Australian Country has enjoyed its third win in Unfortunately two of our players limped home, Captain succession against WA Country, with an 82-point win in Reece Francis with a knee injury and Scott Hunt with a Mandurah on Saturday 25th July. broken rib.

Right from the start, - captained by SCOREBOARD Reece Francis - displayed its intent by applying SA County 19.12 (130) scoreboard pressure on the Sandgropers, who picked a WA Country 6.12 (48) side to make the most of the wide open spaces of Bendigo Bank Stadium. SA Goal Kickers: Adam Merrett 6, Wade Hancock 3, Myles Warmington 2, Ben McIntyre 2, Campbell Combe But the Croweaters' class was quick to shine through as 2, Ziggy Vitkunas, Reece Francis, Nick Mott, Rigby they piled on the pain for the host, with veteran forward Barnes. Adam Merrett leading the way with six majors. SA Best: Jack Kenny, Brett O'Neil, Casey Carr, Zac Nine of the visitors registered on the scoresheet with Hier, Adam Merrett, Nick Mott. Wade Hancock, Myles Warmington, Ben McIntyre and Campbell Combe all registering multiple majors. Barry Stringer Medal: Jack Kenny (Eastern Ranges)

Eastern Ranges star Jack Kenny backed up his Player of the SA Country Championships with a best afield performance for the SA team, earning the Barry Stringer Medal.

South Gambier's Brett O'Neil, United Yeelana's Casey Carr, RSMU's Zack Hier and prolific forwards Merrett (Penola) and Nick Mott (Noarlunga) were also strong contributors.

The victory was the second time in three years SA has triumphed over the Sandgropers on foreign soil under the tutelage of coach Steve Lubcke, with this other victory earned at last year.

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 2015 MAC Country Football Championships

The 2015 SA Country Football Championships were held on the 4th and 5th of July.

The newly developed Central Oval in Port Augusta provided a perfect location to host the 2015 championships and the weather was ideal for football. Each team travelled with Coaching staff, support staff and families and friends. The Zones along with the SANFL Umpires Department and RUM’s selected outstanding referees for the championships.

Southern Districts took out the Championship in a thrilling three point win over reigning Champions Murray South East, completing a memorable rise from Wooden Spoon in 2014.

Final Standings: 1. Southern Districts 2. Murray South East 3. Western 4. Eastern 5. Central 6. Northern

Full game results can be found by clicking here

The weekend also provided opportunities for League Presidents to get together with a Chairman’s Update provided on the Saturday to discuss the new Player Payment Regulation. As always the Official Welcome and Dinner were well represented. This year we had special guests in Ken Gannon of the AFL and Michael Cornish GM MAC.

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 2015 Country Football Championships Award Winners

Coach of the Players of the Leading Goal Kicker Championships Championship Ziggy VItkunas Barry Pilmore Xavier Watson & Jack Kenny Southern Districts Southern Districts Western Zone

Under 21 Player of the Umpire of the Championships Championships Campbell Combe Tom McLean Northern Zone Hills FL

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 Team of the Championships Congratulations to the players selected as part of the 2015 Team of the Championships

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 MAC Road Safety Round

MAC’s General Manager of Road Safety Michael Cornish would like to thank everyone who supported the MAC Road Safety Round and helped to make the weekend’s games and the acknowledgement of the “Game Changer” message such a success.

“Hundreds of players and supporters across many of our regional clubs braved challenging weather conditions to take part in the MAC Road Safety Round,” Michael says.

“Our partnership with community footy is an extremely important way to share road safety messages with footy players, their families, club supporters and the community.”

A ‘Game Changer’ medal was awarded to the player in each A-Grade MAC Road Safety Round match, whose impact positively affected the match outcome.

Blackwood Football Club Road Safety Round Presentation —Winner Troy Edwards

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 Along the way the team held a major fundraiser at the Ch 9 Football League Jervois Football Club which is home to the ‘Hill Family’, . Friends and family of the South Australian riders turned wins Australian Amateur up in droves, and with a raffle, silent auction and tins, they raised $1800 Football National Carnival

The Ch. 9 Adelaide Football League have taken out the Australian Amateur Football Council’s National Carnival in Tasmania on the 2nd to 4th July in Tasmania. The South Australian’s 7.13-55 defeated Western Australia 5.11-41 winning their first Championship since 1985.

Alex McKay from Tea Tree Gully was Best on Ground in the Grand Final. Alex was also named in the All Australian Under 23 Amateur Team along with: Jordan Lockwood, Tim Baccanello, Josh Allen, Nicholas Hales, Photo – Back: Luke Button, Tyron Hill, Ryan Morris, Jo Hill, Matthew Delmenico, Scott Spriggs, Ben Smelt and Matt DeMaio, Brenton Hunt, John Creenuane as part of the Matthew Stent. Hill’s Heroes ride.

River Murray Football League Pink Day

On Saturday the 10th May the River Murray Football League , supported by the Netball Clubs, held Ladies Day to support of Breast Cancer Network Australia “Pink Sports Day” and McGrath Foundation “Pull on your Socks” campaign. Hill’s Heroes Proudly Riding Each home clubs held and fundraising function of their choice. The Rambler Football Club went way above when the League and Reserve players proudly wore pink for beyondblue Guernseys for the matches against Tailem Bend which were kindly sponsored by Tammar Ridge and Murray From the 5-10th of July, 13 bicycle riders rode from Bridge Toyota. The Guernseys were then auctioned off Barooga (NSW) to Adelaide, raising funds and in the clubrooms after the game. awareness for beyondblue. It was a huge fundraising effort by the Club to raise in Many of the riders were SA Country footballers with Joel Eckermann (Mypolonga), Ryan Morris (Central Augusta) excess of $5000 currently playing and Tyron Hill (Jervois), Michael Moller (Jervois, Encounter Bay), Luke Button (Ramblers (MB), Central Augusta), Chad Beard (Jervois, Happy Valley, Walkerville) all players at one time or another over the past few years.

Country footballers from the Murray Football League (NSW/Victoria), Sturt Development Coach Raymond Billing and Centrals’ fitness coach Peter Growden also participated in the ride.

The riders stayed at football clubs along the way including; SA Clubs Lameroo and Jervois and finished at on Friday July 10th, around lunch time. Dan Callaghan, Jack Wood, Cameron Thiele from the Rambler Football Club proudly sporting pink Guernseys

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 Female Footy

To encourage young girls to consider playing football,  51 of those play for a club in a different League the SANFL and its Clubs have introduced a Girls Competition. The new initiative has seen 237 registrations across the eight clubs. Some of the players are travelling great distances to be involved. Some of the furthest include; The competition will commence on the weekend of 22nd August, 2015; with all games being played at Glenelg SANFL Grounds  Naracoorte, Millicent

All 8 SANFL Clubs (not including AFL Reserve Teams) North Adelaide have an under 14 and under 16 girls team, with the clubs split into two divisions, with four in each;  Port Augusta, Whyalla

 Northern Norwood  Central District  Cummins, Tumby Bay, Port Lincoln  Norwood South Adelaide  North Adelaide  Kangaroo Island  Woodville-West Torrens

 Southern West Adelaide  Glenelg  Cadell, Nildottie, Coomandook, Renmark  Sturt  South Adelaide Click on the link for the Behind the News segment;  West Adelaide http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4274227.htm

The Season will run for four weeks, as an introductory All girls born in 1999 – 2004 are welcome to register. program in the initial year; where each of the teams will There are no trials, so everyone that registers will play play each other once in the minor rounds (3 weeks). The for the SANFL club that they are residentially zoned to. fourth week will be played as a cross over finals series with all teams involved. For more information, or to register visit www.bitly.com/SANFLgirls Of the current 237 registrations; This is a great initiative and hopefully we will see a  132 girls are new to football significant increase in the number of females wanting to  105 girls currently play for a club become involved in Football at all levels.  54 of those play for a team in the SAWFL

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 South African Players in the Riverland

AFL South African players; Asanda Funda and Enoch Benji left Johannesburg and spent his time in the Motuba arrived in Adelaide on June 6, and are staying in Riverland, playing for Lyrup, umpiring junior games, the Riverland where they will play for the Lyrup Football assisting the Lyrup football club, and participating in Club. Coaching and Umpiring courses to improve his knowledge of the game. He attended the 2005 AFL On Monday June 15, they attended a Coaching Seminar Grand Final in Melbourne, before flying home. at the Renmark Sports Centre and met with Shane Pill and Andrew Marks West Adelaide FC and David Bradley Asanda and Enoch are staying for 4 months and they SACFL. Following discussions they joined Andrew, will, like Benji - play the game, umpire, develop their David and Jason Porplyzia the next day on the West knowledge of the game, and take these experiences Adelaide Riverland Schools week, visiting schools in back home to assist in their promotion and Loxton, Berri and Renmark, promoting the West development of AFL in their home communities. In the Adelaide FC and AFL over the 4 days. The response from AFL South Africa Premier League Enoch plays for the Riverland students was excellent. Wild Cats and Asanda plays for the Real Divines.

Betty has kept in close contact with AFL South Africa and has formed deep friendships over the years, and has since attended every AFL International Cup in Melbourne (2005, 2008, 20011 and 2014) and has been to Darwin and Sydney to meet with various players when they are in Australia. She spent a lot of time with 2 players - Thabiso and Dinho when they were at

Jamestown 2013, on exchange with AFL South Africa. In

2013 Lyrup could not put a team on the field due to lack of player numbers and during the year Betty started Asunda and Enoch’s host mother, who bought them to procedures to once again host some South African Australia - Betty Lloyd, lives in Lyrup. She has been the players for mutual benefit. It was a long process that driver for the boys visit, and the back ground to this bought Asanda and Enoch to Lyrup in June 2015. exciting adventure for Asunda and Enoch is a great story.

In February 2005, Betty travelled with the Australian Convicts to South Africa – to play three AFL games against teams in the North West and Gauteng provinces, and a South African representative team. The Convicts also ran Auskick clinics in Potchefstroom, Itsoseng and Ramatabama. On her return to Australia, Betty contacted AFL South Africa and offered to host one of their players for the 2005 season. The initial response was no, due to costs and the resources required to have this happen. She responded and offered to cover airfares, food and accommodation, and what followed was a trip of a lifetime for Tefo Benjamin Motuba.

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 NEMJFA V YJFL and appreciated his wise counsel over the journey.” Don served in several off-field capacities after calling On the weekend of the 4th & 5th July North East Metro time on his decorated playing and coaching career, Junior Football Association hosted a team of Colts including: players from the Yarra Junior Football League in Victoria. - President of the Cummins Football Club The under 16’s teams fought it out at Central Districts - President of the Great Flinders Football League Oval resulting in a draw 4.8-32 to 4.8-32. - SA Country State Team Selector Delegate on the Australian Country Football As part of their trip the RJFL team took a tour of Council and both teams came together for a - SANFL Affiliated League Director dinner on the Saturday night. As well as being inducted into the SA Football Hall of Fame in 2012, Don has been widely recognised for his tremendous contribution to the game in this state some of which are listed below

- Life Membership of the Football Club - Life Membership of the Great Flinders Football League - Life Membership of the SANFL

- Order of Australia Medal 2009

We will all miss Don. Vale Don McSweeny John Tayler Plays his 500th The SACFL were saddened by the passing of South Australian Football Hall of Fame member Don McSweeny. Game North Whyalla player John Taylor will play in his 500th An SACFL Life Member, Don’s involvement in football club game on the 15th August. Becoming the first player spanned 70 years, when he began as a player for the for the Club to reach the milestone and just the second Cummins Football Club on the Eyre Peninsula. for the League.

A passionate advocate for the game in regional South Making the occasion even more special is the fact the Australia, Don also made a significant contribution to John played the game with both of his sons Sam and the game as a coach, selector, administrator and Jack. League Director. John debuted in 1986 and is playing in his 30th year for “Don was a father figure to so many in country football the Club especially in his beloved Eyre Peninsula region,’’ SACFL Chairman David Shipway said.

‘’He was very passionate about our great game, its history, its future and what it meant to local communities.

‘’His dedicated work in our indigenous communities, giving young men the opportunity to play footy such as the Don McSweeny Aboriginal Lands Cup, which leaves a great legacy. John Taylor (centre) with sons Sam & Jack ‘’He was a great bloke and we have shared some great times together over many years. I have always valued

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOOTBALL E-NEWSLETTER WINTER EDITION 2015 now have two young men of excellent calibre in Sam Where do Umpires Come Otterspoor, 14, a South Korean adoptee who is From…? currently a very promising boundary umpire and Kogareh Reh, 14, a Korean from the refugee camps on Every year most umpiring panels go to extraordinary the Thai-Burmese border who is also a very promising lengths to make sure that football is serviced by bona goal umpire. Kogareh’s family came to Australia only in fide umpires and the South East Football Umpires recent years and for some time he was the only English League in Mt Gambier, South Australia, is just one of speaker in his family. These two boys have become part many. of the production line of umpires from St Martin’s Lutheran School that began in 2007 and continues to Season 2015 started much like any other. Small flourish today. numbers at training and the same faces each week. Would we be able to cover all Western Border Football Terry Willoughby League matches as planned ? Field umpires are always Regional Umpiring Manager the main area of concern, there never seems to be enough and you can only appoint what you have or South East SA employ a variety of plans to fulfil your games. Last year the AFL Umpires Roadshow went to

Casterton Secondary College in western Victoria for the first time and it was a resounding success. 18 new umpires joined up and in 2015 all but one are still umpiring. A great story in itself. Back in Mt Gambier the numbers grew slowly and the

WBFL’s pre-season comp highlighted our needs. Round

1 of the season began on the Thursday night before

Easter and was notable for the senior appointment of a Japanese born field umpire. Yuki Akita, a teacher at Mt Gambier High School, has umpired here for 4 years but mostly in junior grades because he also wants to play the game. He has also played for Japan in the International Cup on several occasions. To fill our appointments we sometimes have to take a “whatever it takes” approach and as his team was not involved, it was “Yuki, come on down!” Under lights at East Gambier Yuki made an impressive debut in his first A grade game. We would willingly appoint Yuki more often but have been unable to convince him to give up playing for umpiring. Yuki is not our only Asian success story however, following our 2008 recruitment of Sam Phelan, who was a Thai-Australian and became an excellent goal and field umpire before heading to university in Adelaide. We

Winter Edition 2015 SACFL Licensed Suppliers SA Community Football League

It is important to remember that there will be a new list of On Administration Contacts Field Apparel Licenced Suppliers. The process is underway Community Football Manager through a Tender document, evaluation is occurring and by the end of August a decision will be known as to who the new Leeanne Grantham Suppliers are. All details will be provided to Leagues and P:(08) 8424 2208 Clubs as soon as a decision is known. Please ensure that no Email: [email protected] past suppliers are supplying your Clubs or Teams with on field Community Football Operations Manager apparel ready for the 2016 season. It is also important to Casey Grice remember that no exclusive arrangements can be reached P: (08) 8424 2264 with the selected suppliers. Email: [email protected] Logo positioning for suppliers and the SACFL are clearly Personal Assistant to Community Football Manager defined in the Tender and will be noted in the SACFL Sarah Neal Regulations. P:(08) 8424 2231 This information was circulated throughout the year and Email: [email protected] reinforced again at the February Forum. Postal Address

PO Box 606 Tynte Street North Adelaide SA 5006

Office Address

Level 2 Riverbank Stand Adelaide Oval North Adelaide SA 5006