SA country footy’s Mail Medal and league best and fairest winners for season 2022
South Australia’s top country footballers of 2022 have been honoured at presentations across the state. Check out the full list of Mail Medal winners across 23 leagues.
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SA Country footy season is over after a thrilling 2022 finals campaign which saw a number of stars compete for the ultimate prize.
With premierships decided, the state’s top country footballers have also been honoured at presentations all across the state.
From Mail Medal winners to other league best and fairests, we’ve listed every winner for 2022.
Check out the winners below:
Adelaide Plains Football League
Plains Producer Medal winner: Lachlan Michael, Balaklava
This season’s APFL Mail Medallist, Michael led Balaklava to the grand final in 2022 after his side finished fourth.
The Peckers captain was a force across half forward for his team, using his elite athleticism and strength to compete tirelessly for the ball in the air and at ground level.
Boasts brilliant foot skills, booting 45 goals in 19 games to go with 14 best-player mentions this season.
Was also selected as the league’s vice captain in the APFL team of the year.
Runner-up: Ethan Kwaterski, Hummocks Watchman Eagles
Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association
Schluter Medallists: Steve Burton, South and Sam Colquhoun, Tanunda
Burton: Sharing the BLG Mail Medal with Tanunda’s Sam Colquhoun this season, the former Central District player continues to dominate the competition.
Burton barely ever puts a foot wrong and his ability to play middle and also put in a shift in other areas around the ground was huge for the Lions who fell short in this year’s grand final.
Tallied 21 goals and nine best player mentions in 17 games and also impressed in SA Country’s win against WA Country.
Colquhoun: Tanunda’s playing-coach has put together an unbelievable season for the Magpies, dominating almost every outing and winning the Barossa Light and Gawler Mail Medal.
Playing through centre and ahead of the ball, Colquhoun is a smooth and athletic player who has the ability to finish on either side of his body or set up teammates in a better position.
The former Sturt and Port Adelaide man can do it all, booting 35 goals and tallying 12 best player nods in his 18 games this year and nearly guiding the Magpies to a grand final appearance – the side falling to Nuriootpa in the prelim.
Eastern Eyre Football League
Mail Medal winner: Cooper Llewelyn, Ports
Llewelyn was a premiership star for Ports this season and got in the best players nine times from his 14 appearances.
He booted 39 goals for the year including a tally of 12 in round 15 against Cowell.
He also performed well for Eastern Eyre in the Mortlock Shield competition.
Runner-up: Jack Kenny, Eastern Ranges
Far North Football League
Winner: Brad Hoepner, Olympic Dam
Hoepner just completed one of the most unique seasons local SA footy has seen, dominating for two clubs and winning multiple accolades.
The superstar onballer won the Mail Medal in the Far North Football League for Olympic Dam and just weeks later won the BLG premiership with Nuriootpa.
He was named best on ground in the BLG big dance.
A courageous mid with an accurate leg, Hoepner tallied 10 goals and eight best player nods for Nuriootpa, and two goals and seven best player mentions for Olympic Dam.
Great Flinders Football League
Mail Medal winner: Ty George, Lock Roos
This year’s GFFL Mail Medal winner, George’s performance on the ball was outstanding for the Roos.
A Mortlock Shield player, George’s ability to win the ball and dispose efficiently under duress is among the best in the Eyre Peninsula region.
The gun mid can also hit the scoreboard, slotting home eight goals this year.
Runner-up: Will Haarsma, Cummins Ramblers
Great Southern Football League
Mail Medal winner: Brett Ellis, McLaren
McLaren’s champion captain won his third straight GSFL Mail Medal after yet another fantastic season.
Ellis was phenomenal on the ball this year, fighting through tags to accumulate plenty of the footy and either find teammates with quality disposal or hit the scoreboard.
The club favourite also led his side to achieving the first undefeated season in the GSFL since 1993.
Tallied 29 goals and 12 best player appearances in his 18 games for the Eagles.
Runner-up: Ben Kennedy, Myponga-Sellicks
Hills Football League
Division one Mail Medal: Samuel Callins, Mount Barker
One of the HFL’s big improvers, Callins established himself as a top midfielder in the competition this year and won the Mail Medal as a result, finishing four votes above Mitch Grigg.
Mount Barker’s rise from the bottom end to top end of the ladder coincided with Callins’ terrific form this year, the Roos gun putting his skill and composure on the ball on show.
Kicked seven goals and was among his side’s best in 15 of his 20 appearances this year.
Country division Mail Medal: Sam Hanna, Gumeracha
The Hills Country Division’s Mail Medalist this year, Hanna was the catalyst for Gumeracha’s successful run which culminated in an epic three-point grand final win over Meadows.
The former Central District gun has the ability to hit any target by hand or foot and also has elite goal awareness, starring up front or on the ball.
He booted 32 goals and tallied 16 best player nods in his 19 games this year.
Kangaroo Island Football League
Mail Medal winner: Liam Sampson, Wisanger
After finishing runner-up last year, Wisanger’s Liam Sampson went one better to win the top award in 2022.
Sampson played 15 games for Wisanger and got in the best players 12 times and he booted 12 goals.
Sampson led Wisanger to the grand final but they went down to premiers Western Districts.
Runner-up: Tate Barrett, Western Districts
Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League
Virgo and Mail Medal winner: Rory Taggert, Naracoorte
The former Melbourne-listed forward and mid was a standout for Naracoorte this season and took out the KNTFL Mail Medal as a result.
Taggert is a strong and athletic forward with reliable hands and a terrific set-shot who can also rotate through the middle by going hard in the contest and dealing to teammates.
Led the league goal kicking by 16 this season, tallying 74 goals in 18 games and also receiving 10 nods among Naracoorte’s best players.
Runner-up: Hamish Gordon, Lucindale
Mallee Football League
Mail Medal winner: Ben Moroney, Pinnaroo
Moroney was a standout for Pinnaroo in what was a premiership year for the Supa Roos.
He becomes the last ever Mallee Mail Medal winner with the news the competition will dissolve and won’t be back in action next year.
He got in the best players 15 times in 18 appearances and booted 60 goals for the season in what was an outstanding season.
Runner-up: George Dutton, Peake
Mid South Eastern Football League
Mail Medal winner: Tim Sullivan, Port MacDonnell
Sullivan was a star for Port MacDonnell in what was a pretty good year.
He played 18 games, got in the best players 14 times and booted a handy tally of 38 goals for the year.
Sullivan was a standout contributor for the Demons who made it to the preliminary final.
Runner-up: Zacc Cocks, Glencoe, Michael Telford, Hatherleigh
Northern Areas Football Association
Mail Medal winner: Kallis Freer, Broughton Mundoora
The NAFA Mail Medalist this season, Freer remains a premier onballer in the Mid North.
The BMFC star and former North Adelaide player is a machine in the contest and wins countless clearances for his side while also finding teammates with elite disposal.
He played 13 games and got in his side’s best players on each occasion.
Freer also played three reserves games for North Adelaide in 2022.
Runner-up: Shane Ballantyne, Southern Flinders
North Eastern Football League
Mail Medal winner: Charlie Riggs, MinMan
Riggs took out the North Eastern Football League Mail Medal after making a significant impact for MinMan Eagles in a grand final year.
The club captain is a versatile player who can have an impact as a key at either end of the ground or pinch-hit through the contest when needed.
Had 13 best-player nods in his 16 games, was part of the SA Country Football Championships and was also named captain of the NEFL team of the year.
Runners-up: Will Pratt, Blyth Snowtown and Alex Morgan BSR
Port Lincoln Football League
Mail Medal winner: Billy Haebich, Tasman
Haebich is a young star with a bright future.
He is so young, in fact, he won the Port Lincoln league’s best under 19 player award.
Haebich returned to Tasman this year after spending time in the SANFL with Norwood.
He played 17 games, got in his side’s best players six times and booted 17 goals.
Runner-up: Tynan Keeley and Daniel Minney, Marble Range
Riverland Football League
Whillas Medal and Mail Medal winner: Tim Woolford, Renmark
Woolford won back-to-back Mail Medals this season as his Renmark Rovers side won another consecutive flag in the Riverland Football League.
The club champion has truly solidified himself as the number one mid in the Riverland, hitting the contest to win the ball and deal to teammates with precision.
An excellent user who oozes class, woolford can also hit the scoreboard – booting 17 goals to go along with 14 best player nods this season.
Also captained Eastern’s SA Country Football Championships side.
Runner-up: Dan Woolford, Renmark. William Gutsche, Loxton
Riverland Independent
Duthie Medal winner: Cameron Thompson, Sedan Cambrai
Sedan Cambrai’s Cameron Thompson played 16 games and got in his side’s best players 12 times while booting 37 goals.
Thompson came to Sedan Cambrai from Houghton Districts at the start of the year and was a key piece in his side’s finals campaign.
He helped the Magpies get to the grand final where they were beaten by 13 points by Blanchetown-Swan Reach.
River Murray Football League
Mail Medal winner: Harley Montgomery, Imperial
Montgomery was this season’s RMFL Mail Medalist and helped Imperials win the flag.
The midfielder produced one of his best seasons yet in the competition.
The ex-Sturt player is a smooth mover and the competition’s standout pure midfielder, boasting the ability to consistently win the ball and break lines.
Montgomery put 10 goals on the board and produced 11 performances among his team’s best as the club achieved a successful premiership run in 2022.
Runner-up: Brad Thompson, Meningie
Southern Football League
Mail Medal winner: Samuel Whitbread, Reynella
This season’s SFL Mail Medalist, Whitbread was the main force behind Reynella’s first premiership in seven years.
The Wineflies captain is a hard-nosed midfielder who wins endless contested ball and sets his teammates up with nifty disposal by hand or foot.
He kicked five goals this year and had 15 best player appearances in 18 games.
Runner-up: Aidan Coakley, Christies Beach FC
Spencer Gulf Football League
Madigan Medal winner: Corey Davey, Solomontown
Coming back to Solomontown after a stint with the Crows reserves and Broadview in the Adelaide Footy League, Davey proved a formidable force in the Spencer Gulf Football League.
Was the SGFL’s Madigan Medallist in a premiership-winning year and tallied 15 best-player nods and 49 goals from his 20 games.
Can play through the middle or as a key position player with his versatility and athleticism seeing him become a key part of Northern’s SA Country Championships side.
Runner-up: Jack Muirhead, Central
Western Border Football League
Brian Hennessy medallist: Jayden Eldridge, East Gambier
The 2022 Western Border Football League Mail Medal winner, Eldridge had a brilliant season for East Gambier despite winning just one game.
Eldridge has been a star on the rise through the middle for a number of years in the South East now, competing hard and courageously in the contest to win possession for his side.
He is an excellent user of the footy off both feet, often finding teammates in tough positions with accurate kicking.
Was among East Gambier’s best in 11 of his 16 games.
Runner-up: Dylan Bromley, Millicent
Western Eyre Football League
Winners: Jake Warmington, Western United and Max Macmillan, Blues
Warmington: Western United’s vice captain remains one of the stars of the Eyre Peninsula after another strong year.
A damaging inside midfielder, Warmington’s ability to win the ball and explode from the contest to either deliver to teammates or kick for goal is almost unmatched.
Macmillian: Part of the Western Eyre’s Mortlock Shield team this season, Macmillan’s performances as an inside midfielder were a catalyst for the Blues’ strong run.
Formerly a North Hobart and Western Storm player in Tasmania, Macmillan’s ability to win the ball inside and deal to teammates with precision puts him among the best players in the Eyre Peninsula.
Whyalla Football League
Jim Hewitson Medal winner: Clayton Mesecke, Roopena
Mesecke’s performance on the ball was consistently high for Roopena this season.
A strong body and a smart user, the 23-year-old shone in his forest season in the Whyalla league.
Mesecke played 17 games, got in his side’s best players 11 times and kicked 12 goals for the year.
He was also a member of the Whyalla FL’s interleague side.
Runner-up: Marko Tansell, Central Whyalla
Yorke Peninsula Football League
Mail Medal winner: Murphy Short, CMS Crows
Short won his second YPFL Mail Medal in a row this season after another impressing showing through the middle for CMS Crows.
A ball-magnet midfielder who is clean and hard at the contest, Short reads the play well and is a great distributor.
He was named among the Crows’ best 15 times in 18 games this year as they fell just short of a premiership, and was also one of SA Country’s best against WA Country.
Runner-up: Nathan Allen, Southern Eagles
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