2025 Community Football League Preview – Part 2

Barossa District is ready to play in its new venue at Barossa Park (Lyndoch Recreational Park) after Gather Round, under new coach Ashley “Red” Barnett.

Expected to be one of the big improvers this season, the Bulldogs will be welcoming a strong group returning, including Brian Fenton, Jayden Goodfellow, Todd Miles and Leigh Ryswyk.

Reigning Premier Willaston have seen 2022 SANFL Grand Final midfielder and 2021 Schluter Medallist Harry Elbrow return, while Nuriootpa have triple Norm Russell Medallist Jarrod Schiller back at the BLG Tigers for the first time since his junior premiership days.

One of the stellar performers for the Southern Districts Crocs in the Northern Territory Football League, Wyatt Ryan, who won the Chaney Medal as “Best on Ground” in the Grand Final in mid-March, will return to the Kapunda Bombers as a fly-in footballer.

He will miss the opening round after playing in a NTFL representative game.

The “E Man”, Immanuel Irra – former South, Port and Norwood talent – after first signing last year, is expected to make his debut with the South Gawler Lions in the opening round.

In the powerful Great Southern Football League there are four new coaches in 2025, Brock Gifford at Langhorne Creek, Wayne Knowles takes on the role at Strathalbyn, while Shane Sinclair is in control at the Yankalilla Tigers and Damian Minervini arrives at Willunga.

They replace Peter Galbraith, Simon Munn, Chad Simmons and Mitchell Portlock respectively.

A notable GSFL recruit is Jaiden Kappler at Victor Harbor, but they have lost two-time Mail Medal winner Jesse McKinnon to St Peter’s College.

Former South Adelaide Panther Hayden Sampson will play with his brothers at reigning premiers Myponga-Sellicks, but the Mudlarks have lost the Kennedy brothers, Ben and Sam.

The Yankalilla Tigers have a group of Tiwi Islanders, Kim and Karlson Kantilla and Michael Thompson amongst their squad for 2025, while a player to keep your eye on is Noongar talent Bailey Gaskin.

Clayton Mesecke, a paramedic who has come across from Whyalla with representative credentials, will play with the Victor Harbor Kangaroos in 2025.

Now a nine-team competition, with the Penola Eagles moved across to the Limestone Coast FNL, the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara FL will welcome to new coaches for 2025.

Dylan Brodie at Kybybolite and former North Adelaide premiership player Alex Barns at the Kingston Saints take on these roles.

Strathalbyn forward Ben Simounds and North Adelaide premiership captain Max Thring have arrived at the Keith Crows, while Glenelg dual flag winner, Billy Stretch and former North ruckman Liam Hoy come into the Kybybolite Tigers program.

The 2019 Glenelg premiership captain and medic Chris Curran will wear a Mundulla Tigers jumper.

Millicent’s Mail Medallist Harry Tunkin and former AFL player Ben Kennedy have joined Barns at the Kingston Saints.

Retired Woodville-West Torrens forward Troy Menzel is going to be Padthaway Lion, while dual Bays premiership defender Will Gould is going to Lucindale.

This year, the KNT has an 18-round season, with each team having two byes after the team reduction. The annual Anzac Day game this year is between rivals, the Naracoorte Demons and Kybybolite Tigers.

New senior coaches to the Mid South East League include Mitch Lowe (Kalangadoo), Matt Roscow (Kongorong), George McWaters (Nangwarry) and Adam Kurzman (Robe).

The Hatherleigh Eagles, one of the premiership favourites, have seen the return of Dion Cownie from North Beach in Perth, have Joe Ferguson-Lane returning from West Gambier, along with siblings Kade and Frazer Bradley coming back from the Millicent Saints.

For the Robe Roosters, Jake Wehl is returning from Kingston, Justin Deoliveira arrives from Pembroke OS and Levi Heath from NEFL club, the South Clare Demons.

Improvers Tantanoola have secured Jordan Gould from Winchelsea, along with the trio of Sam Willis, Jaxon Cushion and Jacob Todd from Millicent.

Nangwarry have recruited well, bringing in four players from the Woodville South Cats in Tyler Wall-Waddell, Ayden Flynn, Jake Mansell and Jacob Murchison.

The Hills Football League Division 1 competition will start on Friday April 11, during AFL Gather Round, with the season opener being a Friday night 7pm clash at Johntson Park, Balhannah between the Onkaparinga Valley Bulldogs and Nairne-Bremer.

The new coach of Onkas is former SANFL player and successful Eastern zone coach Adam Klun, looking to propel the Bulldogs up in the Division 1 ladder.

Former Sturt and state junior Will Spain will don the red, white and blue for Onkas this year, while Joe Skinner has committed full-time in 2025.

One of the biggest signings in SA country football is 221-game Port Adelaide and Gold Coast power-forward Charlie Dixon at the Lobethal Tigers.

They are also expecting to see SANFL premiership players Alex Georgiou (Norwood), Aidan Riley (Sturt) and Matt Fuller (Norwood) make appearances this year in the black and gold.

Adam Trenordon has moved across from Hahndorf to the Uraidla Demons, while former Sturt footballer James Richards is also back at the Demons.

Cooper Machin has moved to the Mount Barker Barkeroos from Strathalbyn.

Clint Foster is the new mentor at the Nairne-Bremer, taking over from premier coach Dale Eichner, while Tate Coleman is a key recruit.

Declan Carmody has returned to Mount Lofty after a season with Glenelg’s senior squad.

SANFL experienced assistant coach Mick Handby is the new mentor at Blackwood, with Todd Lewis and Ryan Williams returning to the Woodsmen.

Coorong Cats again will start favourites in the River Murray FL with Dan Menzel continuing at the helm, bringing into the title-winning side Keenan Jacobs, a multiple best-and-fairest award winner from the Naracoorte Demons and Seb Kerrish from SHOCs.

Imperials could be the big mover this year again under Brett Todd, with goal kicking ace Johnny Boras back after a year at Broadview.

Siblings Mitch and Brodie Carroll are two big recruits singed by Imperials, boasting League experience at Norwood.

Mypolonga’s Ryan Lewis takes the reins again at the Tigers, but they have lost star Jack Kluske, who has joined the Sydney Swans’ VFL side.

At the Jervois Bluds, West Adelaide premiership player Taite Silverlock enters his sixth year in charge.

Sturt premiership player Ben Hansen is looking very fit again after a bad run of injuries and is seen by many as a new recruit.

West Adelaide champion Tom Keough is the new coach at Southern Mallee Suns.

Mannum Roos have Ben Quinn returning as coach and he’s acquired the club’s junior stars in key forward Chad Reschke and Kobee Dabinett from Sturt.

Murray Bridge Ramblers have former Cove Cobra Ray O’Donnell as their new coach with 2024 Port Adelaide SANFL player Cody Szust their big signing.

Tailem Bend Eagles are abuzz having Crows legend, 300-gamer Tyson Edwards taking the lead role.

New faces include the Zander brothers, Cameron and Daniel from Hahndorf and George Ryan from Keith.

New coach Steven “Toasty” Clay is in charge at Mallee Districts, having a big job taking over the bottom-placed Storm.

A host of new recruits including the Smyth brothers, Adam and Tim from BBH, Brodie Case from Wallaroo, Central Yorke Cougar Shaun Smith and Jared Irvine from the PHOS Camden Phantoms have arrived for Storm.

There are four new A Grade men’s coaches in change of clubs in the Southern Football League this season.

At the Aldinga Sharks, Steve Besley is the man in charge, while the Cove Cobras have given Matt Pethick the nod.

Morphett Vale Emus will be looking to Brad Whyatt to lead their charge, with former SA state country footballer Scott Wendelborn now the off-fielder leader at the Noarlunga Shoes.

The Shoes have recruited siblings Brad and Dusty Inglis, along with defender Aaron Killian from Freeling.

Jackson Bennett from Marble Range in the Port Lincoln Football League, will don a Flagstaff Hill Falcons jumper.

Port Noarlunga have attracted former Glenelg Tigers Richard O’Grady and Tommy Redden, the latter returns after an ACL injury in a trial.

Faithful SFL servant Craig Wallman enters his 20th and final season as League President and board member for a quarter of a century, having started as a player back in 1982.

In the Silver City, big Mitch Henderson is new coach of South Broken Hill Football Club, while the West Robins have selected Chris Jones as their new mentor.

In 2025 the Robins are looking for a breakthrough first flag since 1990.

The BHFL League has introduced a final four for this 2025 campaign, playing 15 rounds up to Mundi Mundi music festival, with the Finals to be played after that.

They start with a lightning carnival Saturday.

One of the more unique competitions in Australia, the last time there was a final four in Broken Hill football was back in the 1990s.

Jordan Etto, who played for the Southern Districts in the SA country champs last year return to the Silver City Magpies for 2025.

Athletes Oisin Gough and Aidan Nolan come into the Central team from the All-Ireland game of Hurling.

Charlie Dixon will come in as marque player for West Broken Hill for a game against the Magpies.