Welcome return for Whyalla footy

As Community Football leagues across the State kick off their 2020 season, we take a look at how the first two rounds have shaped up in the Whyalla FL, thanks to Think! Road Safety.

By Nick Dillon

Crowds have flocked to the many returning football leagues across South Australia over the past two weekends and the Whyalla Football League was no different, with bumper crowds turning out to support their local clubs in the opening rounds.

With all six clubs – Central Whyalla, North Whyalla, Roopena, South Whyalla, Weeroona Bay and West Whyalla – still in action, supporters have been treated to some terrific footy with matches played across both Saturday and Sunday.

West Whyalla has asserted its dominance with a 50-point win over Central Whyalla in the grand final rematch in round one, followed by a resounding 95-point victory over South Whyalla in round two.

League secretary Kerrie Weir was ecstatic to see footy back in Whyalla.

“It was great to finally get out there,” she said.

“Everyone followed the guidelines which was good.

“Crowds seemed to be up and we had a good turnout for all games. People have been stuck inside and have wanted something to do.”

Weir believes the hard work done by the clubs and league would benefit them in years to come.

“I think we’ll come out of this stronger,” she said.

“We all worked together with the one aim of playing football this season.

“This has made us more determined to continue as a league.”

Each club will play 10 games before finals, while junior football will commence this weekend across Whyalla.

Players from neighbouring leagues have joined the WFL in recent weeks in a huge boost to the competition.

“There’s a few players that have signed for clubs that were struggling and we welcome them with open arms,” she said.

“Hopefully next year they can go back to their own leagues and continue to play.”

Roopena is the league’s other undefeated team after comfortable wins over South Whyalla and Weeroona Bay.

ROUND ONE

West Whyalla 15.11 (101) d Central Whyalla 8.3 (51).

BEST: West – R. Starkey, M. McNamara, B. Cleary, B. Everett, S. Winders, T. Quinn. Central – H. Quirk, C. Pickhaver-Tupe, D. Sims, M. Woolford, D. Colson.

GOALS: West – R. Starkey, S. Winders 4, B. Butler 3, B. English, D. Coyne 2. Central – D. Colson 2, S. Marshall, M. Tansell, M. Woolford, H. Quirk, C. Huish, S. Collison.

Roopena 14.12 (96) d South Whyalla 5.8 (38).

BEST: Roopena – no details supplied. South – J. Reschke, M. Phillips, T. Ritter, B. Clements, D. Eldridge.

GOALS: Roopena – no details supplied. South – J. Fitzgerald 3, G. Jonker, A. Shearwood.

North Whyalla 14.8 (92) d Weeroona Bay 6.6 (42).

BEST: North – D. Chapman, D. Collison, S. Venning, C. Beaty, J. Trezise, T. Richman. Weeroona – S. Jackson, M. Baker, A. Rogers, N. Gale, D. Harris, R. Mitchell.

GOALS: North – D. Collison 8, M. Hudson 2, C. Dempsey, C. Beaty, S. Venning, D. Chapman. Weeroona – N. Gale 2, L. Ringland 2, S. Jackson, M. Baker.

ROUND TWO

Roopena 12.13 (85) d Weeroona Bay 5.6 (36).

BEST: Roopena – K. Crompton; R. Maitland; P. Shepherd, S. Seeley, A. Kwaterski, R. McIntosh. Weeroona Bay – S. Jackson, A. Rogers, R. Walsh, R. Mitchell, D. Pedler, D. Harris.

GOALS: Roopena – P. Shepherd 4, K. Buhlmann 3, R. Maitland 2, K. Smith, J. Henderson-Ewings, K. Grund. Weeroona Bay – A. Rogers, A. Rogers 2, M. Baker.

West Whyalla 17.14 (116) d South Whyalla 3.3 (21).

BEST: West Whyalla – C. Hollingworth-Hughes, B. Cleary, B. Butler, S. Winders, D. Frodsham-Press, B. Haseldine. South Whyalla – J. Newsham, P. Eades, D. Eldridge, D. Maslin, B. Francis.

GOALS: West Whyalla – B. Butler, C. Hollingworth-Hughes, J. Quinn, R. Winders, A. Smith 2, B. Haseldine, N. O’Connor, T. Quinn, B. English, D. Frodsham-Press, S. Winders, R. Starkey. South Whyalla – J. Bristow, J. Fitzgerald, T. Ritter.

Central Whyalla 10.13 (73) d North Whyalla 10.5 (65).

BEST: Central Whyalla – C. Pickhaver-Tupe, M. Rosalia, C. Huish, N. Gale, S. Ellis. North Whyalla – J. Ackland, D. Chapman, N. Sanders, D. Atkinson, S. Venning, D. Collison.

GOALS: Central Whyalla – N. Sims, S. Collison 2, V. Graham, C. Huish, S. Marshall, J. Maddigan, M. Woolford, B. Colson. North Whyalla – D. Collison 4, C. Dempsey, N. Sanders, C. Clothier, J. Ackland, S. Venning, J. Trezise.

Rd 3

Sat, July 18: Central Whyalla v Roopena; West Whyalla v North Whyalla.

Sun, July 19: Weeroona Bay v South Whyalla.

Rd 4

Sat, July 25: Weeroona Bay v West Whyalla; South Whyalla v Central Whyalla.

Sun, July 26: Roopena v North Whyalla.

Rd 5

Sat, Aug 1: West Whyalla v Roopena; North Whyalla v South Whyalla.

Sun, Aug 2: Central Whyalla v Weeroona Bay.

Rd 6

Sat, Aug 8: Central Whyalla v West Whyalla; Weeroona Bay v North Whyalla.

Sun, Aug 9: South Whyalla v Roopena.

Rd 7

Sat, Aug 15: Central Whyalla v North Whyalla; Weeroona Bay v Roopena.

Sun, Aug 16: South Whyalla v West Whyalla.

Rd 8

Sat, Aug 22: South Whyalla v Weeroona Bay; Roopena v Central Whyalla.

Sun, Aug 23: North Whyalla v West Whyalla.

Rd 9

Sat, Aug 29: North Whyalla v Roopena; West Whyalla v Weeroona Bay.

Sun, Aug 30: Central Whyalla v South Whyalla.

Rd 10

Sat, Sept 5: South Whyalla v North Whyalla; Weeroona Bay v Central Whyalla.

Sun, Sept 6: Roopena v West Whyalla.

SECOND SEMI-FINAL: Sat, Sept 12

FIRST SEMI-FINAL: Sun, Sept 13

PRELIMINARY FINAL: Sat, Sept 19

GRAND FINAL: Sat, Sept 26