SA Country line-up for interstate clash announced

Tuesday July 23

SANFL has today announced the South Australian Country team to tackle Western Australia Country at Adelaide Oval this Sunday, July 28.

To be played as a curtain-raiser for the Adelaide v Hawthorn AFL game, the men’s State country clash is an annual tradition between the rival regional Croweaters and Sandgropers.

SA Country, coached by former Collingwood AFLW senior coach and 2017 Norwood SANFLW premiership coach Steve Symonds, is largely made up of the players selected in the Team of the Championships at the 2024 Think! Road Safety SA Country Championships in Victor Harbor.

The team will be led by captain Matt Willson, a State Country veteran who has played in the past two matches for the Croweaters after also appearing in 2016 and 2017.

“We are thrilled to be hosting the great tradition of State Country football at Adelaide Oval in a rivalry which has continued to build since 2011,” SANFL Head of Community Football Shawn Ford said.

“This match is always a great showcase of SA and WA’s best regional players, and a unique and prestigious opportunity for them to play on the iconic Adelaide Oval on an AFL match day.”

Originating from Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula, Symonds brings a wealth of experience having coached across all levels and states in his 28-year coaching journey.

Featuring six players from the victorious Eastern Zone line-up and six from Eyre Peninsula, SA also boasts plenty of players with SANFL experience.

Former North Adelaide midfielder Will Combe heads the list, with Norwood premiership forward Ben Jarvis – who boasts AFL experience with Geelong – and ex Central District goalsneak Shay Linke looming as other key players in the formidable line-up.

Ex-Double Blue Joel Parker-Boers, who was awarded the Don McSweeny Medal for Player of the Championships earlier this month, will be one to watch, along with the EP zone’s Johann Wagner after winning the Leading Goal Kicker Award at the championships.

The SA Country team was selected by a panel including Symonds, assistant coach Adam Klun (coach of champions Eastern zone) and chair of selectors Scott Duncan.

Proudly supported by West End, SA Country will be desperate to reverse last year’s result against the Sandgropers, with the Croweaters succumbing to WA by 45 points at Optus Stadium in Perth.

SA, however, boasts a 7-3 win-loss record in head-to-head meetings since 2011, with the match postponed for two years during Covid.

The Barry Stringer Medal will be awarded to SA’s best player in the match, with Troy Blackwell judged best afield last year.

The SA Country v WA Country match commences at 12:50pm on Sunday and will be live streamed for free on SANFL Now, www.sanflnow.com.au