Finals footy is here for National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors

By TOM WYMAN

For thousands of budding junior players across Adelaide, this weekend marks the beginning of finals footy in National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors.

More than 30 clubs and 156 boys’ and girls’ teams from under 12s through to under 17.5s will be in the hunt for premiership glory over the next four weeks.

Among them will be Kangarilla Football Club which only made the move to National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors from the Hills Football League at the start of the 2022 season. The club’s under-14 boys are excited to be competing in their first finals series in the competition.

Having mentored the group for the past five seasons, coach Simon True oversaw the team when it struggled to make up the numbers and fought hard to stay competitive.

Now preparing to play in SANFL Juniors finals, club secretary and junior football director Sash Robjohns was full of praise for True.

“His infectious enthusiasm and pure love for the game, the club, the kids in his team and their families draws players and parents towards him,” said Robjohns.

“Sime [Simon] will argue the extraordinary culture within his team is due to the amazing parent involvement and support network around him, but my argument has always been that this is only the case because of him.

“The kids want to play for him, and their parents want to help and support him, so much so that they go out of their way so be a part of what he has created at the club.

“He is without a doubt the most passionate and selfless person at the Kangarilla Football Club and arguably the most I have ever come across in any sporting arena.”

True’s under 14 side finished third on the Division Five ladder after the home and away season and will face the Adelaide Junior Bulldogs at Reynella on Sunday August 21.

Another talented junior side looking to make its mark in the National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors finals series is the Morphettville Park under 13 boys, who will be eager to taste success again after the team won the Under 12 Division Two Southwest Competition last season.

Coached by Rod Campbell, the ‘Roos team features three players – Hamish Gordon, Jed Petroff and Cruz Campbell – who were members of the SA team which won the gold medal at the recent School Sport Australia 12 & Under Championships.

The Morphettville Park under 13s won 12 home and away games to claim the minor premiership and will host the Fitzroy Football Club this Sunday at their Kellett Reserve Oval home ground.

Playing finals and a win for the ‘Roos will be a significant achievement for the Morphettville Park Football Club, which is looking to bolster its junior girls and boys football program and grow its number of teams across various age groups in 2023.

“We’re a smaller club and the under 14 team is our older junior side, so to see them doing well is really encouraging,” said Junior director Darryl Smith.

For all National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors finals match times and locations for every division, click on the link below.