Footballers in the zone

LEADER: Zacc Cocks will take on the role as captain for the Mid South East senior side in the South East Zone Interleague Carnival this weekend.

THE Blue Lake City will definitely be painted red (and black) on if the Mid South East Football League (MSEFL) can win the fourth annual South East Zone Interleague Carnival at McDonald Park in Mount Gambier.

If the MSEFL can indeed lower the colours of its two neighbours, it will certainly be one of the proudest days since the league was founded 81 years ago.

However, the MSEFL stocks have plummeted following the unavailability of several key players due to illness, injury and other factors.

Among the missing players are Kalangadoo’s Ben Mules, Port MacDonnell’s Will Macdonald, Robe’s Jaryd Dawson and Tantanoola’s Tom Holmes.

History does not favour the team coached by Robe mentor Jack Kelly for the first time.

The MSEFL has lost five of its six matches against the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League (KNTFL) since this expanded league was formed in 1993.

The losses have come at Hatherleigh (1993), Naracoorte (2003), Port MacDonnell (2004), Mount Burr (2015) and Naracoorte (2016).

The sole success against the so-called Knights came three years ago at the inaugural SE zone carnival at Vansittart Park in Mount Gambier.

The record against the Western Border Football League (WBFL) is not much better with the breakthrough victory coming only a year ago at Naracoorte.

Footy supporters can remember a match at Blue Lake Sports Park in Mount Gambier in the late 1980s when the MSEFL was thrashed by the WBFL by a hefty amount.

The ‘double blue’ team then achieved wins at the 2014 and 2015 carnivals and it looks much stronger this season with ex-Millicent coach Steve Duldig at the helm.

The MSEFL could have as many seven ex-WBFL players in its lineup on Saturday.

Up to 21 players who will pull on the red-and-black jumper on Saturday began their footy careers in the underage ranks of the MSEFL.

Just one of the likely MSEFL players with WBFL experience has played with East Gambier which uses McDonald Park as its home ground and that is Shaun Phillips.

In a similar way, only two of Kelly’s team has recent knowledge of the KNTFL.

They are Jed Jarrett and Kane Cuthbertson who transferred from Bordertown to Robe over summer.

The team looming as the strongest threat to the MSEFL is the WBFL which not only has the home ground advantage but possibly the largest supporter base given Saturday’s location in the Blue Lake City.

As reigning title-holders, the KNTFL will also make a strong play for another pennant.

With its close proximity to Adelaide, the KNTFL competition is regularly boosted by big numbers of capital city players with AFL and SANFL experience.

It is not yet known if many of these “travellers” will join the KNTFL team at McDonald Park on Saturday.

The third and final MSEFL training run will be held tonight at Hatherleigh and Kelly believes his team is well prepared for the championship.

Kelly said over half the team had played at Naracoorte a year ago and the team’s leaders would be announced tonight.

“We have appreciated the support we have received from the majority of the MSEFL clubs,” Kelly said.

“I trust all Mid SE players will honour their selection and wear the jumper with pride.”

MSEFL president Peter Mitchell said the interleague football experience would be remembered by players after they retired.

Mitchell said players would recall some major games and finals as well as the matches they played against other leagues.

He paid tribute to the senior MSEFL players like Chris Mules (ninth interleague game) and Zacc Cocks and Ben McGregor (sixth apiece).

“I am happy with the preparation and the squad we have got,” Mitchell said.

“It is a good mix of talent with youth and experience.

“The league has every confidence in coach Jack Kelly and selector Simon Beggs.

“How they perform as a team will depend on how they play for each other”.

Hatherleigh co-captain Jase Bateman said he was honoured to be picked in the MSEFL interleague team for the second consecutive year.

Bateman said he learned about football from his interleague team mates.

He welcomed the appointment of Kelly as coach as he had experience of playing at a higher level in the SANFL and had a different approach to game structures.

“Jack is a good leader and very enthusiastic,” he said.”