James Murphy
AFTER a two-year absence from Interleague competition, the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League will be out to win tomorrow’s Limestone Coast Regional Carnival at Kongorong.
The new format of the competition has two of the region’s three leagues go head-to-head in a single full-length game.
With no event in 2020 due to Covid and missing out in 2021 when Western Border and Mid South East squared up, the KNTFL will now have a chance to show its strength again.
Mundulla A Grade coach Nick Davis has the top job for the side, while Lucindale’s Sam Logan has signed on as assistant coach.
Davis has confidence in his team and said everyone looks forward to getting back to representative football.
“We have a good mix,” he said.
“We have a few Adelaide boys who have put their hand up, who travel down each week, then some older good-quality locals and a heap of young kids.”
The team was finalised on Sunday, with no shortage of talent.
That includes Penola Interleague veteran Brad Bryant and young-gun Jacob Robbie, who are the only Eagles represented this year.
Bryant has been listed in the half-back line, while Robbie will start on the bench and be one of several Under 21’s looking to impress.
Due to the prolonged absence of Interleague competition, the team has been itching to play, with good numbers at the three Sunday training sessions.
“A lot of the boys have missed a couple of years of their prime opportunity to play Interleague so they are all keen to get out there and have a crack,” Davis said.
Davis is eager to see how the two styles of football match up on the day.
It could take some adjusting for the KNTFL side, with the home-ground advantage going the way of MSEFL this year.
“I did ask that question the other day and not one person in the squad had played footy at or been to Kongorong,” Davis said.
“It will be a new experience for all of us getting there, but I am sure on the day it will have goal posts at each end and we will make it work for us.”
He looks forward to playing a full-length game and thinks it will be a good indication of league strengths.
The Senior game will kick off after the junior fixtures with a 2.50pm start time.
TEAM
F: Matt Kelsh (Lucindale), Tobin Cox (Padthaway), Lachie Eats (Bordertown).
HF: Daniel Bibby (Keith), Tom Whittlesea (Bordertown), Henry Tregoweth (Lucindale).
Ruck: Rory Tink (Bordertown), Daniel Noll (Mundulla), Anthony McCarthy (Lucindale)
M: Darcy Boyanton (Padthaway), Jake McGrice (Mundulla), Matt Willson (Naracoorte).
HB: Brad Bryant (Penola), Jacob Eats (Bordertown), Seb Schreiber (Keith).
B: Jack Guy (Mundulla), Tom Gaden (Mundulla), Campbell Watts (Kingston).
INT: Todd Lockwood (Kingston), Jacob Robbie (Penola), Nathan McCarthy (Padthaway), Tom Jennings (Kybybolite), Dylan Mosey (Mundulla).
