SA Country defeat WA Country in Perth

By ZAC MILBANK

South Australia Country has continued its dominance over Western Australia Country with a comfortable 32-point win in Perth on Saturday.

Bursting out of the blocks with a seven-goal first quarter, the Croweaters were quick to signal their intent as they led at every change to back up last year’s 43-point success against the Sandgropers at Adelaide Oval.

Now boasting an ominous 9-3 win-loss record against their Nullarbor rivals since 2011, SA Country continued to extend its lead until it opened up a commanding …point advantage at three quarter-time.

The visitors were outscored in the final term but the damage was well and truly done across the first three quarters of the clash which was played after the South Fremantle v Subiaco WAFL match at Sullivan Logistics Stadium.

SA was impressively led by experienced coach Steve Symonds, who made it two wins from two starts under his guidance after taking the mantle in 2024.

Former South Adelaide SANFL midfielder Ben Heaslip put in a fine performance on debut as captain, the Victor Harbor star finding plenty of the footy to claim the Barry Stringer Medal as SA’s best afield.

Broughton Mundoora’s Kallis Freer was also a strong contributor while the Eyre Peninsula pairing of Jesse Chandler and Johann Wagner also provided WA’s coaches with plenty of headaches.

Wagner, who previously played in the SANFL with Port Adelaide, kicked a team-high haul of five goals while Chandler joined Mount Lofty’s Tyson Hone and Lincoln South’s Ben Jarvis in booting two majors.

Assisting Symonds in the coaching box was dual Magarey Medallist Zane Kirkwood, former SA Country defender Sam Tharaldsen and victorious South East mentor Daron McElroy, while last year’s captain, Matt Willson, was the bench coach.

SA Country  7.3  11.6  14.9  15.15 (105)

WA Country  3.2  6.4  7.4  11.7 (73)  

BEST – SA Country: Ben Heaslip, Jesse Chandler, Kallis Freer, Johann Wagner, Nathan Studham

GOALS – SA Country: Johann Wagner 5, Tyson Hone, Ben Jarvis, Jesse Chandler 2, Frazer Bradley, Nathan Beenham, Harlee Chandler, Joel Parker-Boers

Barry Stringer Medal – Ben Heaslip (Southern Districts/Victor Harbor)

At Sullivan Logistics Oval, Perth