SANFL golden couple Zoe Venning and Kobe Ryan bleed red and black
They are the SANFL’s golden couple, lighting up the women’s and men’s state league competitions for West Adelaide. They also have a steely resolve to lead the league’s battlers out of the doldrums.
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They are the SANFL’s golden couple.
And together they are driven to lift struggling West Adelaide out of the doldrums to become regular finals contenders in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
SANFLW star Zoe Venning, who last week was crowned the women’s league’s 2025 best and fairest player, and her long-time partner, ace SANFL midfielder Kobe Ryan, who finished third in last year’s Magarey Medal, have not only become one of the town’s glamour couples but they are integral to returning the battling Bloods to relevance.
The 21-year-old sweethearts bleed red and black.
“We are beyond happy at the club and desperate to help it win more games and get back to playing finals,’’ Ryan said.
Venning, who became the fourth West player to win the SANFLW medal - a league record - said her overriding goal was to win a flag with the Bloods.
“I associate West Adelaide with family and I’m really focused on building the club and trying to be the best we can be,’’ she said.
“The club has done so much for me and to be part of its first women’s premiership would be amazing.’’
The pair is leading from the front, showing a steely resolve to turn the Bloods’ fortunes around.
Their men’s team hasn’t made the finals since their last premiership in 2015, winning the dreaded wooden spoon for five consecutive seasons from 2019-23, while their women’s side hasn’t played in the major round since losing the 2021 grand final to Glenelg.
Venning, a dashing midfielder, won a thrilling count to claim this year’s SANFLW best and fairest medal by one vote.
Trailing star South Adelaide ruck Soriah Moon by a single vote leading into the final round, Venning was awarded two votes for her standout 32-disposal performance in a win against Glenelg to jump to the top of the leaderboard, with 24, and join Hannah Button (2018), Rachelle Martin (2020) and Lauren Young (2021) as other West SANFLW medallists.
She finished runner-up for the medal in 2023 and fifth last year.
Named on the wing in the 2025 The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year, Venning - a three-time State player and club best and fairest winner and one of the hardest-running players in the competition - polled votes in 10 of the 14 minor rounds, illustrating her remarkable consistency.
She averaged 26 disposals and five clearances.
Ryan, who polled a whopping 27 votes in last year’s Magarey Medal count - seven behind runaway joint winners Will Snelling (Sturt) and Harry Boyd (Norwood) - made his South Australia State debut against the VFL this year after tying for last year’s West best and fairest award with fellow midfielder Sam Frost.
A former state under-18 vice-captain, he was selected in last year’s The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.
Venning and Ryan have been together for six years after being introduced at a party when they were 15.
They started dating a month later and have been inseparable since, even after Ryan discovered that his then under-16 midfield coach, Damien Venning, was Zoe’s dad.
The pair inspire each other to greater heights with their football, following each other’s games closely.
Venning started her Bloods sojourn in the under-14s, while Ryan began in the under-15s after a SANFL recruiting zone change, which forced him to switch from Glenelg.
“I try to give Zoe some advice but you’ve got to pick the right time or you could be in the doghouse,’’ Ryan joked.
“I’m on to her about handballing so much instead of kicking because I’m more of a kicker, so we would be really good in the same team.’’
Venning described her advice to Ryan as “constructive feedback’’.
“I love watching the boys at the Bloods play and me and Kobe really respect each other’s opinions and often ask each other for feedback, it’s something we enjoy doing,’’ she said.
Ryan is such a student of the SANFLW that he predicted Venning would win this year’s medal.
“I was very confident and when she won, I kept saying ‘I told you so’,’’ he said.
“Westies were in a lot of close games during the year and Zoe finds plenty of the ball, so I wasn’t surprised at all to see her win.’’
But Ryan wasn’t at the count at Adelaide Oval, instead watching at home with his parents and siblings.
“He’s really invested in our team and wanted to come but I was like, ‘nah, it’s just us girls there’ and all that,’’ Venning laughed.
“A lot of the tickets were already allocated, so I told him, ‘I’m not going to win anyway, so don’t worry’’.
Shocked at the time by her stunning win, an elated Venning said her success was a victory for her club.
“Upon reflection and having a bit of time to really digest it all, I started to think about my footy journey and all the people I’ve had in my corner,’’ she said.
“I associate West Adelaide with family, I’ve got my father there (he is now the club’s SANFLW midfield coach), my partner there and my brother (Zac) used to play there and we have a great one-club culture.
“The club has just looked after me so well for so long, which I’m extremely grateful for.’’
Venning started her football journey with her local club Mitcham before moving to Blackwood.
She made her SANFLW debut for West at age 15 in 2019 and has played a club record 85 league games.
Ryan, who has played 53 league games after debuting in 2022, said he could not be prouder of Venning for etching her name into the history books with her medal win.
“It’s a testament to the person she is,’’ he said.
“She just works so hard on her game and her fitness and deserves every accolade that comes her way.’’
Venning noted that Ryan had an equally strong work ethic, with the pair often undertaking fitness training together.
“Kobe likes the gym, I’m more into running, but we make it work,’’ she said.
Both Venning and Ryan, who will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, have dreamt of playing in the big leagues, but it is not the be-all and end-all for them.
“As an 18-year-old my dream was to play in the AFLW, which I’m still open to, but when I didn’t get drafted my focus turned to just trying to be the best version of myself and controlling the controllables,’’ Venning said.
Ryan, who was considered very unlucky not to find an AFL home in his draft year, also hasn’t given up on his AFL dream.
But, like Venning, he is focused on “being the best version of myself’’ and trying to help West become a power again.
As for bragging rights, Ryan said they currently belong to Venning.
“I’m getting a lot of messages from the boys asking how it feels to be in her shadow, which is awesome to hear, because I’m so proud of her,’’ he said.
NUMBERS GAME
98
Adelaide’s margin of victory against Port Adelaide in Showdown 58 - the biggest in Showdown history.
46
Three-quarter time deficit St Kilda overcame to beat Melbourne - the biggest in VFL-AFL history.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“If I was a fan of our footy club right now, I’d be pretty excited.’’ - Crows coach Matthew Nicks after the 98-point demolition of the Power.
“I think that’s just the gulf between the two teams at the moment.’’ - Power coach Ken Hinkley on the record Showdown 58 loss to Adelaide.
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