Change of format for interleague carnival

CHANGE OF FORMAT: The Mid South East and Western Border football leagues will go head-to-head in this year's South East Zone carnival in a four-quarter game, rather than the previous short-format games.

By Trevor Jackson

A CHANGE of format will see the 2021 Limestone Coast Regional Football Carnival run with just two leagues competing in the senior competition.

The Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara league will only compete in the Under 15 and Under 17.5 games, this year, with the Western Border and Mid South East senior squads to face off, all at McLaughlin Park, Millicent on June 12.

The junior games will be played in two halves, kicking off at 9.50am, with six games set down for the day, while the senior’s will play a four-quarter match from 2.50pm.

The juniors will run two halves of 16 minutes plus time on, while the senior format sees four quarters of 20 minutes each plus time on.

The senior game will be rotated each year between the three Limestone Coast leagues, including those two competing this year and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League.

Next year’s carnival will see this year’s host not playing and will continue like this in ensuing years.

All players competing in this carnival are eligible for the training squad for the Murray South East Zone team which will compete in the South Australian Country Championships on July 10 and 11.

The KNTFL players will still be eligible for selection in the Murray South East squad, with the zone to rely on club performances and selectors to choose the final squad.

Murray South East regional director Scott Duncan said the change came about from the desire for leagues – particularly the KNTFL – preferring to play four-quarter games.

“We discussed the format previously, with the KNTFL preferring to play four quarters rather than the shorter format,” he said.

“This year they had no interest in playing interleague – they just wanted to get their league back up and running and get footy up and running in the community.”

Duncan said historically the KNTFL had been well represented in the Murray South East squad and expected that to remain the same this year.

He said one of the main factors to consider was the inclusion of all three leagues in the junior competition.

“That was always important for the development the three leagues,” Duncan said.

“The key outcome, no matter what the seniors wanted, was the juniors could still play and I think we have accommodated that well.”

For WBFL interleague coordinator Graham Gill the new format is welcome, rather than the old “big bash” style in the shorter games.

“Most of the players and the league are happy to play the one game,” he said.

“The squad and the coaches are rapt to be able to play one game against what will be a strong opposition.”

Gill said he felt it was important to judge selected players over a full four-quarter match.

“To me that is more important because a game of football is played over four quarters,” he said.

“To be able to judge and get the best knowledge of players, you have to watch them over four quarters, especially in the modern game with all the rotations and tactics.”

Gill said the WBFL would sit out the 2022 carnival, but would look at other avenues to allow its players to compete at a higher level, maybe via a trial game with another league.

Duncan noted the format may change back in the future, but going forward this would be the new style for the competition.

Despite the changes Duncan said one thing was clear after the COVID-19 pandemic closed the sport down last year.

“We were looking forward this year to get footy started, which has happened,” he said.

“Now we have interleague up and running so those who wish can play at the next level, then the Murray South East side in SA Championships.

“Overall we are just looking forward to some sort of normality coming back to footy.”