THE possibility of a three-peat for Murray South East was put to bed early at the South Australian Country Football Championships when the former champions lost in their opening game of the carnival in Renmark.
However, the team-orientated style of football was one of the factors Murray South East coach Adam Merrett was proud of.
There were no passengers in the side, which finished in third place out of the six zones in what was a tough weekend of football.
Murray South East had five players achieve team-of-the-carnival selection, which inlcuded Penola’s Simon Berkefeld and Scott Merrett, along with Millicent’s Clint Gallio and Keith’s Billy Lawrie and Ben Simounds.
Merrett claimed the Under 21 of the carnival, while Simounds booted five majors for the weekend, which earned him leading goal-kicker of the championships.
Lawrie also took home the Murray South East’s player-of-the-carnival with a consistent three games through the mid-field.
Adam Merrett was proud of Lawrie’s efforts, but stressed he was not the only player to perform.
“Scotty Merrett showed how much he is growing as a footballer,” he said.
“He is an all-rounder, he is just such a competitor, he was right behind Billy in the points for the player of the weekend for our zone.”
Berkefeld and Gallio were another two footballers to step up to the plate for Murray South East.
“Berky was our captain and he led from the front,” Adam Merrett said.
“Clint Gallio has been out for 12 months and came back into zone football after just a month of playing and was really competitive.”
Merrett also commented on Tom Hutchesson and Tom Sullivan’s adaptation to the high standard of football after making their debuts for the Murray South East on the weekend, while another first-timer who caught Merrett’s eye was Henry Crauford.
“Henry was outstanding on Sunday,” he said.
“Not just his tap work, but he worked hard around the ground, used his hands and his agility really well.
“Matt Altmann also stepped up as the second ruck and took a lot of marks around the ground.”
While taking home the championship was the ultimate goal, Merrett said he was proud of his players and their never-say-die attitude.
“There were plenty of good footballers that is for sure,” he said.
“You could go through them all.
“I do not think there was anyone who did not do something.
“I was really happy with the whole group.”
2018 South Australian Country Football Championships accolades
Team-of-the-carnival
B: Brae McConnell (Central), David Wright (Western), Aisea Rakiwasa (Central)
HB: Scott Merrett (Murray South East), Aseri Raikiwasa (Central), Joel Palmer (Northern)
R: Todd Miles (Central), Billy Laurie (Murray South East), Steve Rusca (Central)
C: Simon Berkefeld (Murray South East), Xavier Watson (Western), Mitchell Johnson (Southern Districts)
HF: Ben Davis (Southern Districts), Jesse Kemp (Western), Brett Ellis (Southern Districts)
FF: Matthew Crettendon (Western), Ben Simounds (Murray South East), Jesse Stringer (Western)
INT: Clint Gallio (Murray South East), Luke Teasdale (Eastern), Shane Ballantyne (Northern), Darren Shillabeer (Central), Samuel Alexopoulos (Southern Districts), Jordan Hind (Western), Reece Rayson (Western).
Don McSweeny Medal – player of the championships: Jesse Kemp (Western).
Bill Murdoch Medal – coach of the championships: Scott Feltus (Western).
Best Under-21 player of the championships: Scott Merrett (Murray South East).
Leading goalkicker: Ben Simounds (Murray South East) – 5 goals.
Umpire of the championships: Josh Niederer (Southern Districts).
