ONCE a year, 22 talented regional footballers are lucky enough to be selected in the South Australian Country side.
The best of those skilful individuals have been honoured with selection in the SA Country team of the decade and one of the first names included on the list was the Limestone Coast’s Simon Berkefeld.
Berkefeld has made an impact in both the Western Border and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football Leagues for South Gambier and Penola respectively and earned his first state call up back in 2012.
He went on to be one of the first names mentioned on the selection panel over the next six years, with only injury ruling him out.
The team of the decade is an unofficial side selected by SA Country football writer Peter Argent, along with state selector and Murray South East regional director Scott Duncan and SA Country coach Steve Lubcke.
Berkefeld said the honour caught him off guard.
“It was a big shock – I did not even know they were doing a team of the decade to be honest, so it caught me by surprise,” he said.
Berkefeld was named on the wing in the representative side, alongside captain Brian Fenton, Luke Wells, Xavier Watson, Josh Vick and Reece Francis.
Only the midfield has been released so far with the remainder of the team set to be named in the coming weeks in a four-part announcement.
Berkefeld said the recognition ranks among his highest achievements in the game.
“I do not think anything will beat the premierships, but it is a huge honour,” he said.
“I know the other guys named were unreal footballers, so to be alongside them is quite special.”
Berkefeld has seen two eras of the regional state side, with his debut season being the team’s last campaign in the Australian Country Carnival.
In that competition held at Wagga, the multi-sport talent played all six games and was named in the best on four occasions.
Now the Croweaters play an annual match against Western Australia Country, with the clash often a curtain raiser to an AFL game.
In his last appearance for SA Country, Berkefeld claimed the Barry Stringer Medal as the state’s best player in 2018.
Berekfeld said each trip has been a hard-fought battle.
“The standard of the Australia-wide competition probably would have been better, mainly because the Victorian Country side was really good,” he said.
“They were top shelf and a pretty tough side to come up against.
“We have had a few good wins over WA, but they are always tough matches.
“You get a lot of ex-league footballers playing, so it is a high-quality game.”
Part of the experience has been running onto famed stadiums such as Adelaide Oval and Football Park and Berkefeld said it was a unique feeling.
“Adelaide Oval and Football Park were the best two grounds I played on,” he said.
“The only way to describe it is surreal.
“It’s crazy because we were a curtain raiser to an AFL game, so you run out and there is no one in the stadium which was a bit strange.
“But by the end of the game, you get quite a large crowd and it is amazing.”
Having rubbed shoulders with some of the best footballers regional Australia has produced in recent times, Berkefeld looks back at his time with the SA Country team fondly.
“I absolutely loved it,” he said.
“I did not take that opportunity for granted because it is such a journey to get to that level and play in those games.
“The best part of it was playing with really good footballers who you look up to.
“Every time I thought I was pretty lucky to be doing this.”
