James Murphy
Some of the region’s best football talent will be on show when the eighth Limestone Coast Regional Carnival is held at Kongorong tomorrow.
The annual competition pits the Western Border, Mid South Eastern and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football Leagues against each other.
This year the Senior format remains the same as the 2021 carnival, where a single full-length game will be played between teams from two of the three leagues.
This year’s contest will have MSEFL and KNTFL go head-to-head, with Western Border rotated out this time around.
Junior talent will also be in high supply, with all three leagues contesting the Under 17.5 and Under 15 competitions.
South East Regional Director Scott Duncan expects to see a quality display of football across the carnival.
That includes the feature Senior game which will conclude the day following the junior fixtures.
“With the KNTFL not playing last year, they are keen for Interleague footy this year,” Duncan said.
“I expect it to be a close encounter and a high standard game once again.”
He said the Kongorong Football Club is well prepared for the event and should attract a healthy crowd.
“They have been aware for a while that they are the hosts, so they have been working behind the scenes to get things up and going,” Duncan said.
Each team competing in the carnival will have a playing squad of 23 players, with all 23 eligible to compete in all scheduled matches.
The Senior game is set down for final time slot of the day and will be played in four quarters of 20 minutes, plus time on.
Between quarters there will be five-minute intervals, with a 20-minute break for half time.
The Under 15 and Under 17.5 games will be played in 22-minute halves with no time on and a five-minute interval at half time.
As usual Senior players will be out to impress as the competition provides an opportunity to be selected for the South East Zone team training squad, which will compete in the South Australian Country Championships in July.
Players from the Western Border league are also eligible and will be selected based on their performances at club level.
“We will still pick from the three leagues,” Duncan said.
“It just means the selectors need to work that little bit harder to view the Western Border this year, but we have that covered.”
There will also be some added incentive for junior players to perform, with Glenelg scouts present on the day.
The first game will kick off at 8.50am, with a total of seven matches across the day, concluding with the Senior clash at 2.50pm.
SCHEDULE
Game 1: 8.50am, MSEFL U15 v WBFL U15 (Finish time 9.40am); Game 2: 9.50am, MSEFL U17.5 v WBFL U17.5 (Finish time 10.40am); Game 3: 10:50am, MSEFL U15 v KNTFL U15 (Finish time 11.40pm); Game 4: 11.50am, MSEFL U17.5 v KNTFL U17.5 (Finish time 12.40pm); Game 5: 12.50pm, WBFL U15 v KNTFL U15 (Finish time 1.40pm); Game 6: 1.50pm, WBFL U17.5 v KNTFL U17.5 (Finish time 2.40pm); Game 7: 2.50pm, MSEFL Seniors v KNTFL Seniors (Finish time 5.05pm).
