Two of the Barossa and Light and Gawler Football Association’s most exciting football talents, Joey Brown and Aseia “Magic” Raikawasa, are on the Friday flight to Perth with the South Australian Country Team for the annual clash against Western Australia Country in Perth this Saturday afternoon.
Raikawasa was member of the victorious SA Country team under Steve Lubcke that defeated Western Australia at Alberton Oval back in 2014, before he moved into SANFL league ranks at Glenelg.
“I always want to play the highest football possible and this is a great opportunity to get to Perth for the first time,” Magic said.
“It’s also good to catch up with a few footy mates and be in a travelling party with them.
“Back in Ceduna I played representative football alongside Myles Warmington and it will be excellent to have that opportunity to play alongside him again.”
Joey Brown was a SA Outbacks state cricket representative in rural New South Wales during January and now adds himself to an elite group of sporting talents who have represented SA Country in both the summer and winter passions.
Light district sportsman James Vandeleur, who plays with RSMU Hawks in football and Gilbert Valley with his cricketing pursuits, is another dual state country sportsman to represent SA Country in footy and the SA Outbacks in cricket.
“I always want to play the highest football possible and this is a great opportunity to get to Perth for the first time,” Magic said.
Brown, who has played a handful of league games with the Adelaide Crows this year said he was happy to be chosen for the football team.
“I'm rapt to get the opportunity,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to going across.
“My family are already there as Darcie is playing in the state schoolgirls under 15 competition in Perth at the moment.”
Currently playing with the SA Secondary Schools under 15 women's competition, alongside Brown, is Zoe Perry from Freeling.
Both are Kapunda High School students, Brown in year nine and Perry in year eight.
In the under 15 boys secondary school team is Hamish Mosey from Robertstown.
Mosey is on his second trip to Perth this month, after playing in the SA Country Under 16 basketball national titles as well.
A third player with a Barossa Light Gawler connection, 2015 Nuriootpa premiership forward who is now playing with East Gambier, Mark Rumbelow, is also in the SA country squad for the clash with WA at Fremantle Oval, which started at 5pm on Saturday.
SANFL U15/17 CHAMPionships
At the 2017 Under 15 State Championships held in Adelaide last week, Central District, coached by Tigers great Allan Norton finally collected a win in the third and final game against North Adelaide at My Money House Oval, at Elizabeth on Thursday.
In a game where Sam Falland kicked four goals, the Bulldogs country side enjoyed a 24-point win.
On the previous day, the side went down to Glenelg at the Gliderol Stadium by a massive 101-point margin in a one-sided affair.
In the team’s opening clash on home turf against Sturt, Central District went down by 18 points.
Among the more consistent players over the course of the week were the trio of Ben Burgemeister, Sam Riggs and Jackson Doherty.
In the under 17 Youth Championships, Central District endured losses to Sturt and Glenelg by significant margins and also went down to North Adelaide in their final clash.
Nuriootpa rookie Mitch Norton was the standout player in the game against Glenelg at the Bay, playing a quarterback role for the Doggies.
Henry McCabe, the son of Jack Oatey medal winner and former Hawk, Luke McCabe, was named the best player in the clash with North Adelaide.
Lachie Westlake was a strong contributor against a collaborative Sturt in the opening game.
