2026 SA Community Footy League Previews – Part 1

In Part 1 of the 2026 Community Footy League preview series, Peter Argent casts his eye over the coaching changes and major player moves from across the State.

Reigning Premier – Mundulla Tigers

In the expansive KNT competition, Bordertown will have Nick Hampel, a local born and bred lad with a 300-game playing career, as its senior coach.

At the Keith Crows, career coach Brad Richardson officially returns.

Richardson previously had coaching success with the Naracoorte Demons, winning premierships in 2009 and 2010, along with being in charge of Padthaway and Kingston.

The Padthaway Lions have premierships mentor Adam Jeffries returning 12 years after his first stint at Padthaway back amongst the 2014 and 2015 flags.

Border Districts, under the tutelage of Zac Richards, has the trio of Matthew Nunn – former Norwood captain – Isaac Hewson and Mackenzie Bower, who all played with Payneham Norwood Union, travelling down this year.

Bordertown have attracted athletic former Sturt and Essendon forward, Jordan Houlahan.

Jordy Aitshison and Cooper Machin are also travelling from Mount Barker to the KNT Roosters.

Chris Barns is coming down to play alongside his brother Alex at the Kingston Saints.

Hamish Gordon is returning to the Lucindale Roos.

Reigning Premier – Millicent

Last year’s runner-up to the LCFNL Best and Fairest for League, Callum Currie, is the new Casterton Sandford Cats mentor.

Evergreen footballer, Matt Willson, is returning to East Gambier this season.

Having coached at Naracoorte and having a long and extensive playing career, which has included being SA country skipper, Willson has previously coached East to premiership in 2017.

After playing for West Gambier, Jack Casey, will be the club’s senior coach.

Casey, a South East zone representative comes from Kalangadoo Magpies.

South Adelaide big man Koby Cockshell has arrived at East Gambier.

SA State country player Jayden Eldridge is returning to East Gambier Bulldogs after coaching the Penola Eagles for the past couple of years.

Reigning Premier – Hatherleigh Eagles

Port MacDonnell have a returning coach in Simon Merrett, after the departure of Josh Woodall and leading three-time Mail Medallist, Will McDonald, who have both moved across the border and are playing for the Casterton-Sandford Cats.

Merrett had previously coached the Port MacDonnell Demons in 2022.

The Robe Roosters have Oliver (PAOC) and Harry McGuinness (Mayne) returning, along with Jimmy Murch.

Jake Schulz, from North Gambier Tigers, has moved to the MSE Tigers.

Billy Wade from Keith Crows has arrived at the Mount Burr Mozzies and former coach Jake Dowdy is returning to the club after stint at the West Gambier Bulldogs.

Reigning Premier – Victor Harbor

Clubs in the Great Southern Football League (GSFL) were ruthless in the off season, with six clubs changing their coaches.

Headlined by the departure of Victor Harbor’s Damien Cross, the 2025 premiership coach has passed the reins to former club champion Tarquin Brown.

The 2024 premiership coach, Darren Shillabeer, has been replaced at Myponga-Sellicks by Mitch Wilkins and Justin Richardson.

Wade Foggo has been replaced by Michael Moller at Encounter Bay, while former South Adelaide Panther Nick Manhood has been moved on at Mount Compass, with former SANFL Eagle and Panther, Tom Whittlesea, coaching in 2026.

Former Crow and Glenelg utility James Sellar is back coaching at Langhorne Creek.

Another former AFL player, Troy Menzel, will guide Goolwa-Port Elliot in 2026, replacing Dale Cuthbert.

The Mudlarks have recruited Jeremy Finlayson and McLaren Districts have favourite sons returning from the SANFL – Jimmy Mathews (Sturt premiership player) and Liam Fitt (South Adelaide).

Reigning Premier – Western Districts

In the five-team Kangaroo Island competition, the Wisanger Panthers have a new coach, Andrew Arnold.

At Western Districts, the competition’s dominant club for the past couple of seasons, Tim Larcombe is the new man in control.

Former Panther local Patrick Newman returns from Adelaide Footy League, while former premiership player Peter Reichelt returns to the Dudley Eagles.

The quartet of Charlie Powell (Lobethal), Seb Menta (Woodville-West Torrens), James Bailey and Sam Noble (both Woodville South) will don a jumper for the Kingscote Hounds.

At the Parndana Roosters, Heath Keatley arrives from the Horsham District Football League.

Reigning Premier – Port Noarlunga

At the Ironbark-Cherry Gardens Thunder, Clint Godwin (ex Brighton and Langhorne Creek) has taken over from Elijah ‘Noodles’ Ware.

Morphett Vale Emus have a new mentor as well, Wade Foggo from Encounter Bay.

Port Noarlunga Cockledivers have former Carlton footballer and West Adelaide premiership defender, Adam Hartlett, who coached at the Bloods as well, taking over from Andrew Jarman who finished on a high last year.

Media legend Ryan Fitzgerald is the new president at his foundation club, the Cockledivers.

Noarlunga Shoes will not field an A grade team in 2026.

Darren Walters has moved SFL clubs from Port Noarlunga to Happy Valley Vikings.

Lachlan Murphy from the Adelaide Crows has signed with the Cockledivers for the 2026 campaign.

Goal kicking forward Jak Goodman-Glassen has moved the Thunderers to Happy Valley Vikings.

Six-time A grade premiership player at the Flagstaff Hill Falcons, Sam Tharaldsen, has retired from playing due to concussion, but will continue as senior coach.

Reigning Premier – Nairne Bremer Rams (Division 1)
Reigning Premier – Macclesfield (Country Division)

Three new coaches come into Division 1 of the Hills Football League, Damian Stevens at the Hahndorf Magpies, Mitchell Weeks at the Lobethal Tigers and Brett Baldy has arrived at the Barkeroos.

The Hills Country Competition, which was the first to start this year, have employed Norwood premiership captain Jace Bode as the senior mentor of the Bridgewater Raiders.

Shayne Collins is in charge of the Birdwood Football Club.

Both the Redden siblings, Jarrad, the three times Woodville West Torrens premiership ruckman and his brother Daniel, who played in the 2019 YPFL Southern Eagles flag will play for the Uraidla Districts.

Former Brisbane Lions and Glenelg footballer Jarryd Lyons and Riley Clamp will line up with Hahndorf.

At the Lobethal Tigers, former Central District and Sturt big man Hugo Munn will don the black and gold, along with Mitch Jenkin, while Jamie Braidwood will be seen as a new recruit after being injured for nearly all the 2025 season.

Ruck Daniel Roberts, the former Hahndorf big comes across to Maccy Bloods in the Country Division, after a couple of years off.

Reigning Premier – CMS Crows

There are four new coaches in the nine-team Yorke Peninsula Football League.

Former West and South Adelaide footballer Matthew Rankine arrives at the Wallaroo Bulldogs, looking for a first flag since 2000.

Dave Higgins is the new boss at Ardrossan, while Luke Pridham, the recent YPFL senior representative coach, is in charge at the Paskeville Magpies.

Danny Champion is the 2026 boss at the Central Yorke Cougars.

From a playing perspective Nathan Studham, the former Woodville-West Torrens Eagle, comes to the Southern Eagles after success with the Mundulla Tigers.

Tyson Irlam, the former Willaston 2024 premiership captain, and an Adelaide Crows top up player, will play alongside his sibling at the Moonta Demons.

Dual SANFL Eagles premiership player Angus Poole returns Kadina after two years at Lockleys, while Ben Edwards return to the CMS Crows after a couple of 100-goal seasons in rural Victoria.

Jake Summerton, former skipper of the South Adelaide Panthers, returns to his foundation club, the Wallaroo Bulldogs.

Glenelg premiership defender Will Gould and Southern Districts zone representative player Bailey Gaskin are with the Bute Roosters.

Ezra Foster, the younger brother of Paskeville’s Phoenix, will play alongside his sibling at the Magpies.

Reigning Premier – Lock Roos

Local legend and former Mail Medallist Xavier Waston taken over Luke Duncan at United Yeelanna.

SA State country footballer Zane Montgomery from Lincoln South is coaching Cummins Ramblers and Eyre United Saints have Dave Gray from the Boxton Tigers in Port Lincoln as their senior coach.

For reigning prermier Lock, Bryson Keeley will strengthen their side, coming from Marble Range Magpies.

Former Sturt, North Melbourne and Norwood defender Brad McKenzie will be a flying-in footballer with the Tumby Bay Blues.

Harry Viney and Anthony Giannini will also be teammates of McKenzie this year at the Blues.

Elliston Districts have collected goal kicking ace from Western Districts, First Nations talent Bryon Pickett Junior, along with Cruz Polkinghorne, who has recently played with Nightcliff in the NTFL.

Reigning Premiers – Coorong Cats

Taking over from the successful coach, former AFL footballer and SANFL premiership player Daniel Menzel at the Coorong Cats, is his assistant for the past couple of seasons of success, Kyle Challinger.

At the Mallee Districts Storm, Ben Hall in their mentor, while Mannum’s new boss is Jason De Luca.

At Imperials, successful junior mentor Jacob Rance will take the reigns as playing coach, while former club junior and Mail Medallist Adam Eckermann is in charge at the Mypolonga Tigers.

Inside midfielder Blake Fidge will be donning the black and gold at Mypolonga, adding to their playing stocks.

Other new players into the RMFL include strongly-built ruckman (and former SACA first grade cricketer) Luke Hajdu who has arrived at Mallee Districts, while Tom Mickan is also going to Districts.

Harry Hawkins is moving from Port District to Mannum, as is Jack Fergus from Broadview.

Sturt premiership vice-captain Henry Carey is a new signing at the Coorong Cats.

The 2026 campaign is the centenary season for the Jervois Bluds, with the club welcoming Justin Hardy, a Ken Farmer Medallist who played with Central District.

Former Crow Tyson Edwards is at Tailem Bend and has recruited goal kicking forward Cameron Jarred and 185cm big man Peter Atsikbasis from the Adelaide Footy League.

Murray Bridge Ramblers mentor Ray O’Donnell has been appointed Eastern zone coach.