Southern Football League clubs preparing for 2020 season kick off this weekend
Five new coaches, eight teams, exciting game plans and nine games plus finals. Ahead of the Southern Football League kicking off this weekend, check out the ins, outs and coaches’ last words.
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Southern footy fans will finally be able to cheer on their favourite teams this weekend with competitions kicking off this weekend.
Five new coaches, eight teams, nine games plus a finals series.
Southern Football League president Craig Warman is bracing for a huge opening round with about 500 spectators expected at each game.
Warman said Aldinga’s decision not to field an A grade team this season after the COVID-19 shutdown meant no sides would be forced to have a bye.
There would be a three-week finals series hosted with a flag decider on September 27.
“We are looking forward to kicking the season off, not only on Saturday but also on Sunday, too, with all of our girls and women’s grades,” Warman said.
“It’s great to have footy back as we know it.
“It’s a big thing for the southern community, they like being part of what we produce and it’s been a long time coming but it’s time to celebrate now as we’re back with all guns blazing.”
Warman expected the men’s competition to be close.
“There’s been a few ins and a few outs.
“Flagstaff Hill, the reigning premiers, will certainly be around the mark.
“Keep your eye on Reynella — they’ve got a really good group of young kids and with a new coach in Craig Austin.
“And of course Cove will be up and about as they have a few of their former players back and a few that were out with injuries last year are back.”
CLUB-BY-CLUB INS, OUTS, COACHES’ WORDS:
CHRISTIES BEACH
■ Coach: Darren Mason (new)
■ Last year: Third
■ Key recruit: Daniel Nobes (returns from Waikerie, Riverland Football League)
■ In: Andrew Ciccarello (returns)
■ Out: Matt Hodge (South Mildura, Sunraysia Football League)
COACH’S WORDS:
“I’m not going to talk too much about our game plan,” Mason said.
“But we’ve got the addition of Daniel Nobes to our forward line.
“He’s a 100-goal a year forward and he will give us some firepower up forward.”
COVE
■Coach: Jed Wilson (new)
■Last year: Eighth
■Key recruit: Kyle Stoldt (Goolwa-Port Elliot, GSFL),
■In: Brad Young (returns)
■Out: Nil
COACH’S WORDS:
“We’ve got a really young group of players who listen really well and train really hard,” Wilson said.
“We are going to play a really accountable brand of footy. We are a running team with plenty of pace with some fierce tackling and a competitive spirit.”
FLAGSTAFF HILL
■Coach: Russell Veenvliet (new)
■Last year: Premiers (aiming for fifth-straight flag)
■Key recruit: Ash Norman (Kenilworth)
■In: Michael Shearer (returns from ACL), Tom Sellar (Kenilworth)
■ Out: Sam Osmond (Mount Compass, GSFL)
COACH’S WORDS:
“The pressure is on,” Veenvliet said.
“There will be small tweaks and changes.
“Obviously with the success the team has had we’re not going to reinvent the wheel.”
HAPPY VALLEY
■Coach: Guy Ridgway
■Last year: Sixth
■Key recruit: Ben Ryan (South Adelaide)
■In: Tate Coleman (South Adelaide) Reece Barrett, Harry Davenport (returns), Dwayne Ruddock (returns)
■Out: Nil
COACH’S WORDS:
“We are expecting to improve on our results from last year,” Ridgway said.
“We’ve had a few ex-juniors return to the football club this year so we have a bit more experience and a bit more size this year.
“We’ll be playing an exciting, highly-skilled and an attacking style of football.”
MORPHETT VALE
■Coach: Braden Bayly
■Last year: Seventh
■Key recruit: Michael Smith (Macclesfield Football Club)
■In: Aiden Baker
■Out: Nil
“We are just looking at moving the ball pretty quick and relying on our skill this year,” Bayly said.
“We aren’t an overly tall side so we want to hold on to the footy as long as possible.”
NOARLUNGA
■Coach: Josh Thewlis (new)
■Last year: Runner up
■Key recruit: Nil
■In: Nil
■Out: Dual Mail Medallist Nick Mott (Mount Compass, GSFL), Danny Irvine (Willunga, GSFL)
COACH’S WORDS:
“We are going to be changing the way we play rather than relying on one key forward,” Thewlis said.
“Unfortunately because I came on a bit late and due to the COVID-19 situation, it was pretty hard to recruit anyone.
“But we are looking to become more versatile and give the opposition a different look at it in defence.”
PORT NOARLUNGA
■Coach: Clint Howes
■Last year: Fourth
■Key recruit: Ian Milera (Glenelg, SANFL)
■In: Connor Sampson Matt Coulthard and Kyle Bray-Wallace (South Adelaide under-18s), Tristan Pearce
■Out: Jake Veide (Perth), Stephen Conlon (work, Port Lincoln), Luke Irving (injured)
COACH’S WORDS:
“We want to be super competitive and keep improving week by week,” Howes said.
“We’ve had a turn over of players, we’ve lost some, but we’ve also had an influx of serious talent and youth.”
REYNELLA
Coach: Craig Austin (new)
Last year: Fifth
Key recruit: Steve Sullivan (Barmera Monash)
In: Simon Pistilli (returns)
Out: Jason Farrier (retired) Adam Broadbent (retired), Justin Bollenhagen (work)
COACH’S WORDS:
“We hope to show faster play and quicker decision making,” Austin said.
“We are a smallish side so we’ve got to have a lot of run.”
SFL ROUND ONE FIXTURE:
Saturday, July 11
■ Cove v Morphett Vale
■ Happy Valley v Port Noarlunga
■ Noarlunga v Christies Beach
■ Reynella v Flagstaff Hill
SFLW ROUND ONE FIXTURE:
Sunday, July 12
■ Cove v Morphett Vale
■ Christies Beach v Flagstaff Hill
■ Reynella v Aldinga
■ Hackham — bye