Country footy’s 20 biggest names of 2020: where former AFL, SANFL stars are playing
SA country competitions have a host of former AFL and SANFL stars in their ranks this season. Here are the 20 highest-profiled players who are lining up in the bush in 2020.
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South Australia’s country competitions provide an outlet for former AFL and SANFL stars to continue their football careers in a more relaxed environment.
This year there are a host of high-profiled players lining up in the bush.
Football writer Matt Turner has chosen the 20 biggest names set to run around in country footy circles in 2020 if games get underway.
JAMES ALLAN
(Club, competition: Goolwa-Port Elliot, Great Southern)
Former clubs: North Adelaide, Norwood
SANFL games: 144
Highlights: Three Magarey Medals (2007, 2010-11); five best and fairests
Just how many games the triple Magarey Medallist plays for the Magpies this year remains unknown, given the uncertainty around the competition, not to mention his coaching commitments with Rostrevor’s First XVIII and as Norwood’s midfield mentor.
But Allan’s former North Adelaide teammate Todd Miles is Goolwa-Port Elliot’s coach and the club is hopeful he will play enough games to qualify for finals.
KYLE CHENEY
(Hahndorf, Hills)
Former clubs: Melbourne, Hawthorn, Adelaide
AFL games: 85
SANFL games: 21
Fellow ex-Crow Matthew Jaensch lured the tough defender to Hahndorf for the 2019 campaign and the redhead was part of its premiership side last season.
Cheney hails from Warracknabeal in country Victoria but is sticking around this year as the Magpies aim for three consecutive flags.
JUSTIN CICOLELLA
(Hummocks Watchman, Adelaide Plains)
Former clubs: Woodville-West Torrens, Adelaide
AFL games: 5
SANFL games: 267
Highlights: One premiership (2011); three best and fairests
The former Eagles star is 41 and is now a runner at Woodville-West Torrens, but Hummocks Watchman still expects him to play some games this year if the season starts.
Cicolella retired at the end of the 2012 SANFL campaign before joining SMOSH West Lakes and later playing for Padthaway.
CHRIS CURRAN
(Renmark, Riverland)
Former club: Glenelg
SANFL games: 113
Highlights: Premiership captain (2019)
The SANFL’s latest premiership captain will line up for the Riverland’s reigning champion this season after moving to the country for his medical studies.
Curran, who was skipper of The Advertiser’s 2019 SANFL Team of the Year, was expected to play just one season for Renmark before returning to the Tigers.
ALEX GEORGIOU
(Lobethal, Hills)
Former clubs: Norwood, Melbourne
AFL games: 7
SANFL games: 173
Highlights: Two premierships (2012-13); one best and fairest
The former Redlegs co-captain retired from the SANFL at the end of last season and opted to rejoin junior club Lobethal.
Georgiou was a reliable state league defender who also featured for Melbourne in 2014.
RYAN GRIFFEN
(Goolwa-Port Elliot, Great Southern)
Former clubs: Western Bulldogs, GWS
AFL games: 257
Highlights: One-time All-Australian; two best and fairests
The most highly credentialed player on this list is still registered at his junior club Goolwa-Port Elliot and the Magpies are hopeful he will feature again this year, even if there is a shortened season.
Ex-Western Bulldogs captain Griffen played twice for the GSFL side last campaign, flying across from Victoria for the games.
MATTHEW JAENSCH
(Hahndorf, Hills)
Former clubs: Sturt, Adelaide
AFL games: 74
SANFL games: 64
Since rejoining junior club Hahndorf for the 2016 campaign, Jaensch has played in three premierships, including the past two seasons.
He pulled the pin early on his AFL career, aged just 26.
BRETT JAMES
(Kersbrook, Hills)
Former clubs: Norwood, Collingwood, Adelaide
AFL games: 118
SANFL games: 234
Highlights: Two premierships (one AFL, one SANFL); three SANFL best and fairests; SA Football Hall of Fame
James won his AFL flag 23 years ago and turned 47 in December.
But he is still coaching his hometown club Kersbrook and is coming off playing four A-grade games in the Hills competition last season.
NICK LIDDLE
(Yankalilla, Great Southern)
Former club: South Adelaide
SANFL games: 191
Highlights: Five best and fairests
Liddle has been one of the SANFL’s best players during the past decade after coming to South Adelaide from Victoria.
The midfielder will be a tough match-up in the GSFL, where he will play under ex-North Melbourne and Port Adelaide goalsneak Lindsay Thomas.
SCOTT MCMAHON
(Imperial, River Murray)
Former clubs: North Melbourne, Sturt
AFL games: 124
SANFL games: 44
Highlights: Two SANFL premierships (2016-17)
McMahon has helped turn Imperial around since joining the club as player/coach after a stellar SANFL and AFL career.
He took the River Murray side from wooden spooner to premier in his first season, winning the league’s best and fairest along the way, then took it to a preliminary final last year.
AIDAN RILEY
(Lobethal, Hills)
Former clubs: Sturt, Adelaide, Melbourne
AFL games: 25
SANFL games: 107
Highlights: Two SANFL premierships (2016-17)
Riley is among a host of high-profiled off-season signings in the HFL.
He was renowned for his fierce attack on the football during his time with Sturt and should thrive at the lower level.
CHRIS SCHMIDT
(Southern Saints, North Eastern)
Former clubs: West Adelaide, Brisbane, Adelaide
AFL games: 20
SANFL games: 146
Highlights: One premiership; one Jack Oatey Medal (both 2015); one best and fairest (all SANFL)
Being appointed player/coach of the Saints at the end of 2019 marked a homecoming for Schmidt.
The ex-West Adelaide skipper cut his teeth playing for Robertstown, which merged with Eudunda to form Southern in 2009, and he was set to reunite with his brother, Nick, at the Saints in 2020.
JAMES SELLAR
(Langhorne Creek, Great Southern)
Former clubs: Glenelg, Adelaide, Melbourne
AFL games: 44
SANFL games: 100
The ex-Glenelg, Crows and Demons key position-player was best on ground in Langhorne Creek’s grand final win last season, booting five goals.
Sellar was appointed as the GSFL club’s player/coach during the off-season.
ROBERT SHIRLEY
(Cummins Ramblers, Great Flinders)
Former clubs: Woodville-West Torrens, Adelaide
AFL games: 151
SANFL games: 119
The long-time Crows tagger has been lining up for Cummins Ramblers for seven seasons after moving to the Eyre Peninsula to work as a salesman at a farm machinery business.
Shirley was planning on retiring this year but expected to pull on the boots again in 2020 in the club’s lower grades.
PAUL STEWART
(Tanunda, Barossa)
Former clubs: Port Adelaide, Woodville-West Torrens
AFL games: 101
SANFL games: 106
Highlights: One SANFL premiership (2006)
The Barossa’s reigning premier has strengthened its stocks by adding the ex-Port and Woodville-West Torrens utility.
Stewart played five games for Lucindale in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara competition last season.
JESSE STRINGER
(Central Eyre, Eastern Eyre)
Former club: Geelong
AFL games: 19
Stringer returned to play for his junior club after the Cats delisted him in 2014.
A local wheat, barley and sheep farmer, Stringer is one of the stars of the Eastern Eyre competition.
STEVEN SUMMERTON
(Angaston, Barossa)
Former club: Port Adelaide
SANFL games: 228
Highlights: Three best and fairests
Summerton continues to chase his first senior premiership and will line up for Angaston for a second consecutive season in 2020.
The ex-Port Adelaide skipper was denied a breakthrough flag last year, coincidentally by a Magpies side, Tanunda.
DEAN TERLICH
(Tanunda, Barossa)
Former clubs: Melbourne, Norwood
AFL games: 35
SANFL games: 86
Highlights: One SANFL premiership; one Jack Oatey Medal (both 2012)
Terlich is among a host of ex-SANFL stars featuring in the Barossa competition in 2020.
His impressive 2012 campaign for Norwood helped him land on Melbourne’s list, where he spent four seasons.
LINDSAY THOMAS
(Yankalilla, Great Southern)
Former clubs: North Melbourne, Port Adelaide
AFL games: 212
SANFL games: 14
Highlights: Two-time North Melbourne leading goalkicker
The crafty small forward, who kicked 329 majors during his 12-year AFL career, spent last season at division three Adelaide Footy League club Portland before joining the Tigers as playing coach.
Thomas will be hoping to drag the club up the ladder after finishing eighth and ninth the past two seasons.
MAX THRING
(Keith, Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara)
Former club: North Adelaide
SANFL games: 123
Highlights: Premiership captain (2018)
Two seasons after guiding North Adelaide to its first flag in 27 years, former Roosters skipper Thring will join his brother, George, at Keith in 2020.
Midfielder Thring missed a lot of football through injury last season but was a heart-and-soul player at his best.