2025 Community Football League Preview – Part 1

In a four-part series Peter Argent has a look at the different community football leagues as they begin their respective 2025 campaigns.  

This weekend, two SA community football leagues, start their season.

In the second year of the new Limestone Coast Football and Netball League (LCFNL), the Penola Eagles from Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League (KNT) have joined to make it a seven-team competition.

Penola are recognised as the oldest club in SA, formed in 1865.

The Eagles entered the Western Border League in 1964 and spent over two decades travelling south, before moving initially to the Kowree-Naracoorte competition in 1988, which amalgamated and become KNT in 1993.

For the first season in the LCFNL, the Eagles have recruited Shaun Munn from Kybybolite and Will Graetz from Lucindale Roos.

After losing last year’s Grand Final, the Millicent Saints have appointed Jacob Carger, a former Glenelg utility player, as their new coach for the 2025 campaign.

For the East Gambier Football Club, who were winless in 2024, a major signing is tri-club SANFL player James Boyd, who spent the 2024 campaign with the Manunda Hawks in Cairns, after being at the South Cairns Cutters for the previous two years.

He last played in the SANFL with Central District in 2020, having also donned the green, gold and blue of the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles after starting at South Adelaide.

The East Gambier Bulldogs have also acquired the services of the classy Trent Burgoyne, the oldest of Peter Burgoyne’s three sons.

Todd Reid, Glenelg Reserves’ Best and Fairest in 2024, is back at the South Gambier Demons this year.

West Gambier, to be coached by Daron McElroy and captained by Jessie Pfitzner, won the title from fourth place last season, defeating Millicent in the decider.

The opening game of this season is between the North Tigers and East Gambier under lights this Friday evening, March 28 at Vansittart Park Oval, starting at 7pm.

Uniquely, the Tigers have dual sporting talent, SA Outbacks state country cricketer and South East Country Championships representative footballer Nick McInerney, along with Jordan Hollitt as their playing co-coaches for a second year.

The nine-team YPFL also starts on Saturday, March 29 with four clashes across the league with Edithburgh, Wallaroo, Paskeville and Moonta Ovals all hosting round one fixtures.

New coaches for the 2025 campaign include Paul “Robocop” Dorian, a former Kilburn Chicks Division 1 SAAFL premiership player from the 1990s, at the Southern Eagles, while Ricky Depledge is the Wallaroo Bulldogs’ new mentor.

Club stalwart and former Central Zone representative player Aidan Zwar is the new coach of the Moonta.

A Bute assistant in 2024, Michael Box, has taken over as the senior coach at the Roosters.

Big recruits to Yorke’s footy for 2025 include Glenelg premiership defender Michael Virgin to reigning premier Moonta and former AFL listed player with Geelong, Phoenix Foster, who can play roles both as a marking tall forward or in the ruck, joining the Paskeville Magpies.

James Muirhead comes to the YP Demons from Northern Areas club BMW Lions.

Max Sanderson returns after travelling, added to the ruck stocks at the Southern Eagles along with three-time SANFL premiership player, Jarrad Redden.

Redden, who retired from Woodville-West Torrens at the end of last season, will also don the tri-colours of his foundation club again.

Trent Hefferman, Corbin Johnson and Doug Greig, from Adelaide Football League club Port Districts, add all-round strength at the Central Yorke Cougars this year.

Tom Luck, one time SA state junior and Woodville West Torrens Under 18s premiership player in 2024, will play with the Wallaroo Bulldogs.

Former CMS Crows junior, dual premiership Eagle Matthew Goldsworthy is returning to YP footy, expecting to make his debut in the ANZAC Day “Southern Yorke Peninsula” clash against rivals, Southern Eagles.