2021 Think! Road Safety SA Country Championships

The State’s top regional footballers will be on show in Victor Harbor this weekend (July 10-11) for the 2021 Think! Road Safety SA Country Football Championships.

Approximately 250 male and female players and a further 200-plus officials from regional leagues across the State will descend on Victor Harbor and Encounter Bay football clubs for the annual two-day carnival, postponed in 2020 for the first time due to Covid.

The annual SANFL Statewide Super League regional match also will be a feature of this year’s event, with South Adelaide to host Adelaide for the Round 14 match at Victor Harbor Oval on Saturday afternoon.

SANFL Head of Community Football Lisa Faraci said about 5,000 footy fans were expected to attend both the Statewide Super League and Country Football Championships matches across the weekend.

“We’re all set for what will be a great weekend of country footy and there’s a real sense of anticipation after not being able to play the championships last year,” Ms Faraci said.

“We’re also excited to have the Great Southern Football League hosting it at two superb venues – Victor Harbor and Encounter Bay – which have both undergone significant facility upgrades recently.

“Regional communities and footy clubs have been doing it tough, so this is an exciting opportunity to increase participation, bring people together and assist regional footy on its road to recovery.”

Ms Faraci also acknowledged the continuing support of the Country Championships’ naming rights partner, Think! Road Safety, for Community Football in South Australia.

“The State Government’s support, through its Think! Road Safety brand, for regional football across South Australia has been unwavering, even throughout such challenging times,” she said.

City of Victor Harbor’s Chief Executive Officer, Victoria MacKirdy, said the event would be a major economic boon for the region, worth in excess of $500,000 for local business based on previous years.

“It will also provide a significant injection into our local economy during our traditionally quieter winter period,” Ms MacKirdy said.

“The Great Southern Football League and all of those who worked tirelessly to secure this event for Victor Harbor, and the region, are to be commended.”

The SA Country Championships will see male and female representative teams from six regional zones -Central, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Murray South East, Northern and Southern Districts – compete on Saturday and Sunday.

The Open Women’s competition will be played at Victor Harbor Oval and the Men’s will be played at Encounter Bay Oval.

Central Zone will be hoping to defend its 2019 crown in the men’s championships, while the host zone, Southern Districts, will be seeking to repeat its victory in the 2019 women’s championships.

Every match from the carnival will be exclusively live streamed by The Advertiser at advertiser.com.au

The South Adelaide v Adelaide SANFL Statewide Super League match at Victor Harbor Oval commences at 2.30pm and will be live streamed on SANFL Digital Pass and The Advertiser.