By Lachlan Onions
THE 2023 South Australian Country Championships are upon us with the annual zone competition set to take place at the Barossa Valley this season.
The South East has been a competitive side the last two years but has yet to take home the silverware as it has finished runners-up on two years running.
The team is coached once again by Michael Hunt, who heads into the competition off the back of leading Mundulla to the 2023 Limestone Coast Women’s Football League Premiership.
He will be joined by North Gambier’s Fiona Young as co-coach with Scarlett Jared and Ella Little as assistant coaches.
Hunt said the preparations have been going well in the lead up to this weekend’s carnival with six training sessions taking place.
“Not all of the girls have made all six as there’s been a few girls struggling to get there for work and playing football over the border but generally, there has been a core group at training who have been doing really well,” he said.
“The last couple of weeks, they have been starting to understand how far each other can kick, where they turn under pressure and all that sort of stuff.”
Hunt highlighted league medallist Dellie Brown and league medallist runner-up Casey Lodewyk as standout players for his side and was also impressed with Casterton-Sandford’s Gabby Sullivan.
However, he expects the entire team to make a contribution and won’t be relying on the trio to do all the work.
“The style of game we play, we don’t rely on stars, instead it is just a good, even group,” Hunt said.
The major challenge the squad has faced has been getting ready after almost three months without playing with the Limestone Coast Women’s Football League wrapping up in mid-April.
“The big thing we have to worry about is can we go into game mode after not having a game for more than two months,” Hunt said
“We have been doing a bit of pressure stuff and with that, you get girls who are getting a bit sore at training but we are trying to replicate as much as pressure at training as we can to make them match ready.”
The South East team will play two games on Saturday, before a finals game on Sunday.
They will take on Southern Districts first up in a grand final rematch, then will face-off with Eyre Peninsula on Saturday afternoon.
“Southern Districts especially will be tough,” Hunt said.
“We have beaten them once two years ago, they beat us in the grand final last year and always have a strong group.
“They (Southern Districts) can draw from the SANFL competition a bit.
“Those who have not played a lot of games in SANFL go down there and if they play one game in the Southern League, they can qualify for the zone.
“So there is always a few of those better players in amongst the group but they are strong anyway.
“The we play Eyre Peninsula and three years ago, they didn’t really have a competition to draw from but now they have been a bit stronger in the last couple of years.”
While it would be easy for Hunt to aim to go one better and bring home the trophy, he is not getting ahead of himself and is instead focusing on making sure the women hit the ground running.
“The goal is to be really competitive in our first half to give ourselves a chance,” he said.
“Once we have done that, we will tick off the next one and try to be competitive and win that first game.
“If we win the first game, then we can start to dream but if you lose the first game then it will be a bit of a slug to do anything better than third place.”
SOUTH EAST WOMEN’S ZONE TEAM
Casterton-Sandford: Zhane Crawford; Gabby Sullivan.
Kongorong: Evie Sealey; Jade Longbottom.
Kybyolite: Dellie Brown; Ella Boston.
Millicent: Kelsie Wilkinson; Kalli Brown.
Mundulla: Erin Horsnell; Casey McElroy; Zoe Hawker; Nat Twigden; Kellsey Hinge; Melody Maddern; Natasha Horne.
North Gambier: Mikaila Pitt; Luca Roulstone; Alice Tentye; Emmason Ilsley; Laura Chester.
Penola: Jasmine Ryan; Heidi Berkin; Riley Mitchell; Shandeen Balshaw.
Emergencies: Renae Feder (Mundulla); Makayla Hutchins (Casterton-Sandford).
