2021 Community Football Preview – Part 1

In the first of a series of articles on SA Community Football in 2021, Peter Argent looks a number of the key appointments and players arriving in the Yorke Peninsula, Adelaide Plains, and BLG competitions.

Former Crows ruckman Sam Jacobs, coming straight out of AFL football, has recently been appointed senior coach of his home club, the Ardrossan Roos, after the club parted ways with Malcolm McGrath six weeks before the start of the 2021 campaign.

Combining his role with his full-time job as the Adelaide Crows’ Club Engagement Executive, Jacobs will have Tom Van Schaik as his assistant.

“It was always my plan to go back and play at the Roos,” Jacobs said in a recent interview.

“The league looks to be in good shape and we’re keen on a big season.

“I have a number of senior experienced players to lean on as well.”

Jacobs has former WWT Eagles underage teammate and 2015 YPFL Mail Medallist, Josh Lawson, another Ardrossan export Angus Rowntree and former Crows SANFL player, state country footballer Sam Pfeiffer, to help rebuild the Roos’ assault.

At the Kadina Bloodhounds, Rian Nelson, a coaching journeyman, takes over the role of senior coach.

Nelson has previously coached at Wallaroo, enjoyed premiership success at Gumeracha, and at Hamley Bridge in the Adelaide Plains after starting at Barossa District, his foundation football club.

At Maitland, the Central Yorke Cougars have appointed ruckman/forward Luke Trenorden as their new coach, with David “Freddie” Freeman and Lucas Bagshaw as his support on the bench.

Trenorden was an Adelaide Football League Division II St Peter’s premiership player in 2018.

Former club best and fairest Lachlan Wilson, originally appointed in 2020, will coach the Paskeville Magpies this year.

Benny Abela, a Wallaroo footballer and Paskeville junior, will take over the senior role from Dean Cutting at the YP Bulldogs.

Tanunda has acquired the service of Sturt’s 2019 Best-and-Fairest, Sam Colquhoun as their playing coach.

A junior at Birdwood and Angaston, along with being a premiership player with the Double Blues in 2017, Colquhoun was still a dominant force at state-league level last year, earning The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year honours while placing equal fourth in the Magarey Medal count.

Now 26, he presides over a team that will include fellow former AFL footballers Paul Stewart and Christian Howard, while Tanunda is also expecting to see club junior Justin Westhoff return after his Port Adelaide retirement.

“We’ll be looking to play an attacking style of football, utilising the talent we have on hand,” Colquhoun said.

“I live in the district and also play cricket for Tanunda, so I’m keen to take up this challenge.

“The Tanunda Magpies are a proud football club with a rich history, an aspect we want to continue to build on.”

The BLG Magpies have bounced from premiers in 2019 to wooden spooners in 2020 while moving back to premiership favourites this winter.

Colquhoun already has a significant football journey, playing school footy for Faith Lutheran School in Tanunda and being named South Australian MVP of the Under 18s side in 2012. He made his AFL debut in 2013 with the Power, enduring an ACL reconstruction and playing SANFL league footy across three clubs, starting at Central District and including the Magpies.

The other new BLG coaches include 200-game SANFL footballer Kyle Jenner at the Nuriootpa Tigers and dual Magarey Medallist Andrew Jarman at the Willaston Donnybrooks.

Another SA Football Hall of Famer, Roger James, takes on the senior role at Freeling, while loyal clubman Simon Wills, the husband of Central District SANFL Women’s player, Taryn, will coach the Barossa District Bulldogs.

Shane Moss is the playing coach of the Balaklava Peckers as his club returns to Adelaide Plains football in 2021.

Moss posted a productive season with the Gawler Central in 2020, where he played a strong role in a potent forward line for the Tigers in an undefeated campaign.

“(I’m) Looking forward to the opportunity to help to get the Peckers back up and running again,” Moss told the SANFL website.

“I played at the Peckers since 2018, playing predominately as a deep forward, where I reckon I play my best footy.

“Now is about handling both the playing and coaching roles.”

A flag winner at Moonta in 2016, Moss kicked 100 goals in each of the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Balaklava, before being involved in a premiership at Gawler Central last season.

Moonta player Phil McPeake comes to the club to play a key role in defence, while veterans with SANFL experience, Chad Norsworthy and Craig Taylor, will also be wearing the green and gold.

Virginia have employed BLG champion and former Willaston coach Shaun Baker as their senior coach for 2021.

Young Donnybrooks talents Alex Barclay and Brayden Coombs have arrived at the Rams.

Mallala will have Liam Whitwell, after a successful stint at NEFL club Brinkworth-Spalding-Redhill where he secured three titles at the Tigers in four years, return to the Magpies.

The Hummocks Watchman Eagles’ new coach is the experienced Jared Wilson.