2019 SANFL Key Volunteers and Coaches Awards

By ZAC MILBANK

SANFL has recognised more than 80 of its most dedicated volunteers and coaches at its annual awards ceremony held at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

From those with service records extending past multiple decades, to those welcoming newcomers to the sport through Auskick and Multicultural programs, the variety of tireless contributors was diverse.

The staggering longevity and breadth of Colin Steinert’s career was a highlight of the Magarey Room function, with his involvement in Australian Football beginning in 1962 as coach of the Riverland SAPSASA team.

For the past 57 years, Steinert (pictured above receiving his award from SANFL CEO Jake Parkinson) has juggled coaching, umpiring and administrating schoolboys football in both the metropolitan and country areas.

In this time, Steinert has administered and redeveloped the statewide knockout schools competition, been a member of the SANFL Schools Committee since the 1980s and Chairman since 1999 as well as spending 12 years on SANFL’s Game Development Council.

Now set to retire, Steinert – who also managed squeeze in umpiring 130 SANFL League and Reserves games – is a Life Member of School Sport SA and School Sport Australia.

AFL Merit Award Winner Linda Branson, Multicultural Ambassador of the Year Chen Zhang, Disability Volunteer of the Year Paul Eichner and NAB AFL Auskick Coordinator of the Year Scott Allison were other major award winners.

Significant SANFL Service Award winners in Bob Pearce, Jo Dennis, Nigel Pearce and Michael Cermak were also feted for their unwavering dedication to the game in South Australia.

Colin Steinert – School Football

Bob Pearce                         35 Years
Jo Dennis                           30 Years
Nigel Pearce                       20 Years
Michael Cermak               15 Years

Linda Branson SANFL

Chen Zhang

Paul Eichner

Scott Allison – North Adelaide Zone

Kym Laube – West Adelaide FC

Ben Hunt – Norwood FC

Michael Yeates – North Adelaide FC

Peter Tokarski – South Adelaide FC

Akram Rasheed
James Leggatt
Greg Dennis

Nick Skewes                       Central District Football Club
Matt Bradley                      Central District Football Club
Alastair Dow                       Glenelg Football Club
Tony O’Connell                 Glenelg Football Club
Michael Lukacs & Des Deuter  North Adelaide Football Club
Michael Yeates                 North Adelaide Football Club
Shane Willsmore              Norwood Football Club
Peter Tokarski                    Norwood Football Club
Aaron Roche                      South Adelaide Football Club
Jono Koutsikas                  South Adelaide Football Club
Nicole Fielke                       Sturt Football Club                                                                          |
Shane Wissell                     Sturt Football Club
Paul O’Dea                          West Adelaide Football Club
Bek Keynes                         West Adelaide Football Club
Joseph Haines                   Woodville–West Torrens Football Club
Liam Whitwell                   Woodville–West Torrens Football Club

Daniel Marston                 Central District Football Club
Simon Argent                    Central District Football Club
Matt Cornelissen & Scott Hoskins   Glenelg Football Club
Tom Sambell                      Glenelg Football Club
Scott Allison                       North Adelaide Football Club
Duane Von Senden         North Adelaide Football Club
Belinda Argent                  Norwood Football Club
Graeme Byrnes                 Norwood Football Club
Ryan Stott                           South Adelaide Football Club
Travis Crawford                South Adelaide Football Club
Joh Portelli                        Sturt Football Club
Larissa Goodfellow         Sturt Football Club
Gavin McLean                    West Adelaide Football Club
Ricky Piggott & Leigh Oster    West Adelaide Football Club
Craig Hermann                  Woodville-West Torrens Football Club
Paul Northeast                  Woodville-West Torrens Football Club

Central District – Dan Jarrad
Glenelg – Geoff Hardy
North Adelaide – Damien Grantham
Norwood – Dylan McIntosh
South Adelaide – Alex Pigou
Sturt – Michael Schmidtke
West Adelaide – Kym Laube
Woodville West Torrens – Wayne Prideaux

Central District – Travis Opitz
Glenelg – Alex Oliver
North Adelaide – Matthew Gover
Norwood – Jason Fauser
South Adelaide – Randall Follett
Sturt – Tony Stephens
West Adelaide – Craig Zerk
Woodville-West Torrens – Simon Purdue

Central District – Joe Hay
Glenelg – Simon Quinn
North Adelaide – Rhys McIntee
Norwood – Ben Hunt
South Adelaide – Barry Pilmore
Sturt – Kane Stewart
West Adelaide – David Kennewell
Woodville-West Torrens – Michael Annese

Central District – Dean Terlich
Glenelg – Zacc Cocks
North Adelaide – Nick Hewett
Norwood – Matthew Lienert
South Adelaide – Clint Godwin
Sturt – Dennis Iljcesen
West Adelaide – Ashley Baxter
Woodville-West Torrens  – Mark Tilbrook