SOUTH East footballers will band together as they take on the 2019 South Australian Country Championships in Port Pirie this weekend.
The event kicks off tomorrow with minor round games, before finals are contested on Sunday in two days of high-level football action.
Penola’s Adam Merrett will coach the Murray South East Zone team for the fourth consecutive year and is “quietly confident” his team has what it takes to reclaim its crown.
The Murray South East finished third overall in last year’s campaign in its attempt to win a third title in a row, following success in 2016 and 2017.
Injuries and other scenarios impacted the initial training squad as it was cut down to make the final team, but Merrett said he is happy with the group which will take to Port Pirie Memorial Oval tomorrow.
“There has been a fair few injuries and stuff like that which have happened in the last couple of weeks,” he said.
“But that also presents opportunities and we are happy with the group we have put together.”
East Gambier’s Matt Willson is one late exclusion, after he was dealt a two-match suspension at a tribunal meeting Wednesday night, due to a dangerous tackle in Saturday’s Western Border football round.
He was set to captain the Murray South East side and will be a tough loss for the team.
However, Kalangadoo’s Andrew Stone will step up to fill the empty position.
“He has been in red-hot form and is a little left-footer,” Merrett said.
“If it is going to be wet we will need quick blokes and he has a lot of pace.
“He probably doesn’t have the accolades of Matt Willson in what he has done in his footy to date, but it gives him an opportunity to prove himself at the next level.”
There remains plenty of talent in the team, with several players having tasted success at representative level before.
“There is some good experience there with Simon Berkefeld, Nick Pearce and the Pfeiffer brothers (Sam and Alex) from up River Murray way,” Merrett said.
“Then you have some young blokes who are getting their first opportunity to go away, so they will be excited and nervous.
“I think we have a pretty good mix from one end to the other.”
Merrett said the backline will be strong, which will provide an advantage in the shortened format games.
“Matt Tonkin and Scotty Merrett, they have both played state football before,” he said.
“And we have young Reagan Tink from Bordertown who is a good backman as well and has been playing good footy.”
The team also has plenty of firepower in the forward line, with a couple of main focal points in front of the big sticks.
“Ben Davis from the River Murray league, he was a state footballer last year and had some SANFL exposure,” Merrett said.
“He is pretty dangerous in front of goals too.
“Then obviously Brodie Foster at full forward or in the forward pocket.
“He is in form and it will be great to see him snag some goals and take it to the next level.”
Merrett is also eager to blood some of the younger faces in the side, with a strong contingent of Under 21 players.
Tink is among the youth in the team, while several others including Western Border’s Tom Zeitz and Jonah Grimes can be expected to perform if given the chance.
“Young Blake Tabe from up the River Murray way looks pretty lively,” Merrett said.
“We will probably put him out on a wing.
“Jonah Grimes from Millicent is in form with the ruck work and he can go forward or back and play a key role.
“Young Daniel Richardson from Casterton looks pretty promising as well.
“I am sure when they get their opportunity they will grab it with both hands.”
Mount Burr playing coach Tom Renzi also received a mention as one to watch, while Casterton Sandford’s Tom Sullivan is one player Merrett is excited to put into action.
“He is a bit of a livewire and I am looking forward to what he will bring,” Merrett said.
“He was pretty handy last year and I reckon he will be one to watch.”
It will be Merrett’s final year as coach of the zone team, as he takes on a two-year stint coaching the South Australian Country state team starting this year.
Players who perform well this weekend will be selected for the state team and will play against Western Australia Country in a curtain-raiser to the AFL match between West Coast and North Melbourneat at Perth’s Optus Stadium on July 27.
However, Merrett’s main priority at this stage is to taste success in this weekend’s championships.
“We were a little bit disappointed last year,” he said.
“We lost the first game by inaccurate kicking and then won the next game really well and won on the Sunday.
“We have been around the mark and played in a fair few grand finals in the last five or six years, so our aim is to win the two games tomorrow and give ourselves the best chance on Sunday.”
And if there is anyone who can coach a team to victory, it is Merrett.
His decorated career includes almost two decades of playing and coaching football at representative level.
“I think I started playing zone footy in 2002,” he said.
“It has been a pretty long journey as a player and now as a coach.
“I love representative footy and can’t wait to get through this weekend and see some new talent.
“Hopefully we can gel together and play some good footy.”
To add to the excitement of the weekend, a SANFL showdown between the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Magpies will headline tomorrow’s fixture for the first time in Country Championships history.
The match will be played at 2.40pm and will be broadcast live on Channel Seven.
Selected matches tomorrow and all of Sunday’s finals will be live streamed on the SANFL website.
