By ZAC MILBANK
Western Zone will be desperate to prove it is no flash in the pan when it defends its South Australian Country Championships crown in Port Pirie on Saturday July 13 and Sunday July 14.
The boys from the Eyre Peninsula claimed their first title since 2011 and second since the turn of the century when they defeated Central by 30 points in Renmark last year.
After winning three of the first five titles on offer since the Championships restructure in 1994, the Hawks will be looking to return to their winning ways at the redeveloped Memorial Oval.
And for the first time, Western will field a team in the Women’s SA Country Championships which will enter its second campaign after a highly-successful introduction in 2018.
Eastern – led by player of the championships Jiarna Zerella – will be seeking to repeat its victory last year on the neighbouring Port Pirie West Oval.
Qualifying matches will be played on Saturday morning and evening with the Round 13 Statewide Super League Showdown between Adelaide and Port Adelaide taking centre stage at Memorial Oval from 2.40pm.
Things will get serious when the SA Country Championships finals matches, including Grand Finals, are held on Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon.
A Team of the Championships will be selected for the Men’s and Women’s dvisions at the conclusion of the two-day tournament, with those selected in the Men’s Team in the mix to represent SA Country against WA Country in Perth on Saturday July 27 at Optus Stadium.
Individual awards such as Player of the Championships and Best Under-21 Player will also be revealed on Sunday afternoon.
Memorial Oval Saturday 13th July
9:00AM – Qualifying Match 1 |
Home |
Eyre Peninsula |
|
Away |
Southern Districts |
|
10:10AM – Qualifying Match 2 |
Home |
Eastern |
|
Away |
Northern |
|
11:20AM – Qualifying Match 3 |
Home |
Central |
|
Away |
Southern Districts |
|
12:30PM – Qualifying Match 4 |
Home |
Murray South East |
|
Away |
Eyre Peninsula |
|
5:20PM – Qualifying Match 5 |
Home |
Eastern |
|
Away |
Central |
|
6:30PM – Qualifying Match 6 |
Home |
Murray South East |
|
Away |
Northern |
|
Pirie West Oval Saturday 13th July
9:00AM – Qualifying Match 1 |
Home |
Eastern Women’s |
|
Away |
Northern Women’s |
|
10:00AM – Qualifying Match 2 |
Home |
Eyre Peninsula Women’s |
|
Away |
Southern Districts Women’s |
|
11:00AM – Qualifying Match 3 |
Home |
Murray South East Women’s |
|
Away |
Northern Women’s |
|
12:00PM – Qualifying Match 4 |
Home |
Eastern Women’s |
|
Away |
Central Women’s |
|
1:00PM – Qualifying Match 5 |
Home |
Murray South East Women’s |
|
Away |
Eyre Peninsula Women’s |
|
2:00PM – Qualifying Match 6 |
Home |
Southern Districts Women’s |
|
Away |
Central Women’s |
|
Memorial Oval Sunday 14th July (Men’s)
9:30AM – 5th v 6th |
11:15AM – 3rd v 4th |
1:00PM – Championship Match |
3:00PM – On Field Presentations |
Pirie West Oval Sunday 14th July (Women’s)
9:30AM – 5th v 6th |
11:00AM – 3rd v 4th |
12:30PM – Championship Match |
2:00pm – On field presentations |
SA Country Championships Zones
Central
Adelaide Plains FL
Barossa, Light and Gawler FA
North Eastern FL
Yorke Peninsula FL
Eastern
Hills FL
Mallee FL
Riverland FL
Murray South East
River Murray FL
Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara FL
Mid South East FL
Western Border FL
Northern
Far North FL
Broken Hill FL
Northern Areas FA
Spencer Gulf FL
Whyalla FL
Southern
Southern FL
Great Southern FL
Kangaroo Island FL
Western
Eastern Eyre FL
Far West FL
Great Flinders FL
Mid West FL
Port Lincoln FL
SA Country Championships Honour Roll - Men
Champion, Best Player, Best U21 Player
1994- Eyre Peninsula (Western)
1995 – Southern Districts
1996 – Southern Districts
1997 – Eyre Peninsula (Western)
1999 – Eyre Peninsula (Western)
2001 – Mid North
2003 – Southern Districts
2004 – Southern Districts Matt Joraslafsky (SD) Adam Merrett (SE)
2005 – Southern Districts Justin Henscke (SD) Todd Miles (C) & Leighton Wilksch (C)
2006 – Central Adam Merrett (SE) Ryan Darling (C)
2007 – Southern Districts Damien Stevens (MMB) Tyrone Hill (SD)
2008 – Murray Mallee Todd Miles (C) Ryan Bennett (MMBB)
2009 – Southern Districts Mitchell Portlock (SD) Greg Bain (Eastern)
2010 – Southern Districts Josh Vick (SD) Ben Yeomans (C)
2011 – Eyre Peninsula (Western) Matthew Woolford (N) Levi Konitzka (EP)
2012 – Southern Districts Tyson Wait (MSE) Tom Johnson (SD)
2013 – Central Michael Liebelt (Central) Patrick Barrett (Eastern)
2014 – Murray South East Liam O’Neil (MSE) Jack Kenny (EP) & Ben McIntyre (MSE)
2015- Southern Districts Jack Kenny (EP) Campbell Combe (Northern) & Xavier Watson (EP)
2016 – Murray South East Brian Fenton (MSE) Campbell Combe (Northern)
2017 – Murray South East Jack Kelly (MSE) Domenico Costanzo (Central)
2018 – Western Jesse Kemp (Western) Scott Merrett (Murray South East)
SA Country Championships Honour Roll - Women
Champion, Best Player
2018 – Eastern Jiarna Zerella (Eastern)