Southern District, Northern zones win titles at 2021 SA Country Footy Championships (SA Country Champs)
A phenomenal final term has sealed victory for Southern Districts at the SA Country Football Championships. Read our grand final reports and watch replays of every match here.
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Southern Districts has stormed home with a procession of fourth-quarter long bomb goals to defeat reigning premier Central and claim the 2021 men’s SA Country Football Championships on Sunday.
Chasing its 11th title, Southern trailed by three points at the last change but put together a phenomenal seven-goal final quarter to record a 42-point win at Victor Harbor Oval.
Central was kept scoreless in the fourth term in the 11.16 (82) to 6.4 (40) defeat.
Earlier, Northern secured the women’s title in a thrilling four-point finish against Murray South East.
Southern Districts coach Scott Wendelborn said it was extra special for the zone to secure the title on home soil.
“Momentum is a big thing in footy and we were able to grab it at the start of the last quarter and just ran with it from there,” said Wendelborn, who was awarded the Bill Murdoch Medal for coach of the championships.
“All the little things we did throughout the weekend, the recovery things, allowed us to run out the game.
MEN’S GRAND FINAL REPLAY – CENTRAL v SOUTHERN DISTRICTS
WATCH REPLAYS OF EVERY MATCH AT THE CHAMPIONSHIPS HERE
“We really didn’t have any passengers for the weekend, which is half the battle at these comps.”
Southern was the better side but struggled to convert its early dominance on the scoreboard as Central led 6.4 to 4.13 at the last break.
But when Lee Hoey nailed a long-range bomb straight out of the centre bounce to start the fourth quarter, Southern sparked into action and never looked back.
They slammed on seven majors for the term – many of them from 50m or more from goal – in a scintillating showing.
Central zone coach Steve Lubke, while disappointed to fall just short of back-to-back titles, was full of praise for Southern’s electric display.
WOMEN’S GRAND FINAL REPLAY – NORTHERN v MURRAY SOUTH EAST
“They were just sensational in that last quarter,” Lubke said.
“I don’t think I’ve seen a better quarter in zone football in all the years I’ve done it than what they produced in that last quarter.
“Obviously we’re really disappointed we didn’t achieve what we set out to do, but to make the grand final is a success.”
Lubke said Central was well led by veteran Leigh Ryswyk and credited him for continuing to put his hand up and give back through representative football.
In the women’s clash, Northern prevailed in a seesawing affair over a spirited Murray South East side.
Northern led for the majority of the contest but had to ward off several fightbacks from their opposition before prevailing 5.2 (32) to 4.4 (28).
MSE’s Ella Little and Central’s Dakota Williams were named joint women’s player of the championships.
Northern zone’s Jordan Fuller won the Don McSweeny Medal as men’s MVP.