The teams for charity football match ‘switch the headspace’ have been officially announced, ahead of next Friday’s showdown at East Gambier Football Club.
The twilight match will raise mental health awareness and event proceeds will be donated to headspace Mount Gambier.
The match boasts a massive line-up of players, including ex-AFL stars, local celebrities and young guns, who have been allocated to either Team Pale Ale or Team Pacific Ale.
A dedicated local committee has worked hard to pull the event together, which includes Adam Todd, Adam Richards, Jesse Plunkett, Celeste and Shane Raymond, Aaron Davis, Matt Roscow and Luke Thomson.
Gates open at 4.30pm and pre-game formalities will commence at 6pm, with a Welcome to Country, a minute’s silence and the committee will speak about mental health.
“We will address why we are here doing what we are doing and just to let everyone know that is the main reason that we are here for, the footy game is good, but we are here to spread awareness about mental health,” Plunkett said.
After formalities conclude, the four-quarter football match will begin and finish around 8pm, which will be followed by an auction.
Live music will be played before and after the game and various mental health and wellbeing services will set up stalls at the event.
The committee hopes people of all ages from near and far will come along and support the inaugural event.
Entry is $10 and under 16s enter with a gold coin donation.
Eftpos will be available at the gate and the event is fully catered, strictly no BYO.
switch the headspace committee member Adam Todd told The SE Voice about each of the players in further detail, with plenty of big names, local celebrities and young stars in the mix.
Team Pale Ale
Celebrities on Team Pale Ale, coached by Matt Roscow, are former Greater Western Sydney imposing figure Shane Mumford, Jordan Murdoch and Brodie Murdoch and plenty of local celebrities and young guns will be joining them on the field.
Jordan Murdoch: Ex Geelong and Gold Coast player. Over 120 AFL Games.
Brodie Murdoch: BOG in a Senior Colts flag. Kicked a bag in a Colts flag. Ex St Kilda player.
Matt Roscow: Footy smarts do not go underestimated. Keep an eye on.
Simon Berkefeld: Premiership player at South and Penola. League medallist. Champion Basketballer. Best winger to play WBFL.
Jon Copping: Multiple time league medallist KNTFL and WBFL. Premiership player and coach at South and Penola. Most elusive player I have ever played on.
Joel Virtanen: Newly appointed captain at Nangwarry, one of the ones to watch. Will impact the game.
Ella Firth: Started her football at North now over in Victoria playing in the midfield running all day and very talented by foot.
Adam Todd: Out of form, played all footy at East Gambier.
Don Pratt: Owner of Confession, has been training for this event.
Tom ‘Chad’ McCourt: Runs the ‘Chad’ nickname with pride, prize recruit of Matt Roscow. Try hard.
Ben McGregor: Port Mac and South Gambier premiership player. Interleague coach. Diverse knowledge in how chocolates are made, especially Maltesers.
Mason Engel: Had a promising career in the making before suffering from syndesmosis … twice.
Sam Lock: East Gambier best under 21, nicknamed ‘Pidge’ for his bowling numbers.
Brady Cook: Can kick them from 50 on the boundary in his sleep. Watch him.
Jason Dawe: Port Mac Reserves premiership player. East Gambier coach. Kicks bags for fun. Knows more about how to grow grass and plants than most people.
Jesse Plunkett: Recovered from a broken wrist he suffered this time last year, has some blistering footwork to show defenders.
Matt Kurzman: Plenty to write about with this bloke, we’ll keep it short. He still has it.
Darcy Hunt: Moving down to the Kongorong this year, this will be a preview for the Mid SE.
Dan Christian: Best golf course superintendent in town. Absolute gun golfer known as D-Bomber. All around good guy.
Jacob Hutchesson: Shifty flanker/winger, comparable to The Bont … deadly skills.
Jordan Brennan: **
Jack Donehue: Was once told he was an A Grade winger, could we see it playing on Bretto?
Darren Turner: Gun baseballer and hockey player (League medallist) in his day. Average golfer who doesn’t like wind and rain on Ambrose days. Knows a thing or two about frames (framing all the guernseys for the auction).
Laughlan Brooker: Western Australia local football star spends his days now in the gym, will be an interesting one to keep an eye on in the game.
Tom InglIs: Apollo Soccer Club player, making the code switch to Australia’s game.
Connor Little: Loves his sport, may see him lead hard from the full forward position.
Garth Willoughby: Wicked player at North on his day, now spends his days destroying every gym he enters.
Jesse Pfitzner: West Gambier Vice Captain. WBFL young gun.
Isaac ‘Izzy’ Raymond: Ball of muscle, runs a hard tag on your favourite midfielder. Threat.
Team Pacific Ale
Celebrities on Team Pacific Ale, coached by Luke Thomson, include Winis Imbi and former Collingwood stars Dane Swan and Leon ‘Neon’ Davis, who will join local celebrities and young guns to go head-to-head with Team Pale Ale.
Luke Thomson: Helped Nangwarry Seniors to their first win in a bit at the helm. Funny guy.
Winis Imbi: Portland premiership player and coach. Rookie listed at Essendon. Won Essendon Reserves Best and Fairest. WBFL mail medallist.
Zack Williams: Port Mac premiership player. Port Mac captain. Best hand-eye coordination ever and is blind as a bat. Gun golfer.
Koby Chant: Backman who can run like Heath Shaw kicking to Dane Swan.
Aaron ‘Azza’ Davis: The East Gambier thoroughbred, subject to a fitness test.
Will Vickery: Another member from Kongorong to play. Gun backman.
Toby De Wit: Dual sportsman who enjoys the life of a local celebrity.
Kaelan De Nys: Can take a grab if his back lets him, watch him on a flank.
Tim Brennan: Champion footballer, played a huge part in getting Indigenous round at Kalangadoo.
Lauren Frost: One of the women in the match. Champion of the game.
Ben Mules: 200 games at Glenelg, captain 2006 to 2011. Hall of Fame Glenelg. Captained and coached Kalangadoo premierships.
Connor Barry: Young versatile big, can stretch the floor well.
Jake Turner: Lead singer in a metal band. Known for double cobra goal celebration. East Gambier and Port Mac footballer.
Jason Dunn: A name everyone will know, class is his middle name. Will be good to see him back in action.
Adam Richards: Both sides of the body are present with Richo. Talent is a given here.
Nathan Humphries: Tarps local, another dual sportsman but not your typical sports.
Troy Bell: Gun forward pocket. Can win the game off his own boot.
James Byrne: Consistent backman that was eating out of a straw due to broken jaw suffered getting a hardball.
Shannon Smith: Port Mac premiership player. MSEFL Life Member. Musician and surfer.
Liam Van Schaik: East Gambier junior. Played reserves at Glenelg. Joint creator of phone app TraitSelect.
Nick McInernEy: Champion for North Gambier. Tough as nails through the midfield.
Ben Juste: Chef by trade, but only cooks off the footy field.
James Brennan **
Nick Kourmouzis: He has a bung shoulder, he’s a plate smasher. Danger
Hoggett Merrett: Everyone knows the name, neck surgery won’t slow him down.
Josh Kranz: Handy left footer who runs all day and does all the team things right. Played most of his footy at West and Kongorong.
Brett O’Neil: Multiple WBFL league medallist, will challenge Jack Donehue on the wing.
James McGregor: Port Mac premiership player and coach. 96 and 98 Senior Colt league medal. Legend of a bloke.
Darron McElroy: West Gambier and Port Mac premiership player. West Gambier coach. Multiple time league medallist.
Jamie ‘Coatsy’ Coates: Fisherman extraordinaire. 6x A Grade darts runner up. Potentially the most well-known man in Mount Gambier.
Paul Robinson: The Carlton draft, looking to see if the footy ability is as good as his sport merch ability.
** The Brennan Boys have played for a couple clubs now but they both shone at Kalangadoo. Doesn’t matter if you can’t tell the difference they will both beat you to the ball.
