Whyalla all set for 2022 SA Country Championships

23 July 2021

By SANFL Media

The State’s best crop of country footballers will be on show in Whyalla next month for the 2022 Think! Road Safety SA Country Football Championships.

Around 250 players, and a further 200-plus officials, from regional leagues across the State will descend on Whyalla from July 16-17 to represent their Zone in matches at Bennett and Memorial ovals.

The Round 15 Hostplus SANFL League regional match will also be a feature of the event, with North Adelaide to host Adelaide in the Roosters’ regional zone at Bennett Oval on Saturday afternoon.

SANFL Head of Community Football Lisa Faraci said the Country Championships not only provided an opportunity to showcase the State’s best country footballers, but also provided a major tourism boost for the region.

“The country championships are much more than a footy carnival – it’s one of the largest regional sporting events on the SA calendar, providing a fantastic social and economic boost for Whyalla and surrounding communities,” Ms Faraci said.

“The Championships showcase and celebrates all the great things we love about country footy and leaves a lasting legacy for everyone involved.

“It’s also a great opportunity for Whyalla to capitalise on its outstanding Bennett Oval facility which was recognised as winner of the 2021 AFL Community Facility Project of the Year.”

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

“SANFL has been a strong and committed road safety advocate for many years and the Country Championships event is a vital platform to create awareness and drive home the vital message and education about road safety to our football community,” she said.

“Without our valuable partnership with Think! Road Safety, events such as the Country Championships would not be possible.”

City of Whyalla Mayor Clare McLaughlin said the championships – in particular the showcase Hostplus SANFL League regional match – were expected to bring in thousands of visitors to the city and inject over $1 million into the local economy.

“Our community will once again have the rare opportunity to witness elite athletes in their own city, which is made possible by our upgraded sporting facilities – the best outside of metropolitan Adelaide,” Mayor McLaughlin said.

“I encourage everyone to check out not only the championships, but also our Cuttlefest Community Day on the same weekend, as well as the many other attractions on offer in our region.”

The SA Country Championships will see male and female representative teams from six regional zones – Central, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, South East, Northern and Southern Districts – compete across the weekend.

Southern Districts will be hoping to defend its 2021 crown in the men’s championships, while Northern will be seeking back-to-back glory after taking out its first women’s championships last year.

Online tickets for the event are now on sale via the SANFL website.

Every match from the carnival this year will be exclusively live streamed for FREE on SANFL Now

The North Adelaide v Adelaide Hostplus SANFL League match in Whyalla commences at 4:00pm and will be live streamed for subscribers on SANFL Now.