Footy season is fast approaching, with only a few weeks until the first bounce.
The SE Voice’s resident MSEFL expert Fred Smith has cast his eye around the region to see what’s been happening ahead of the season opening.
It was a homecoming of sorts for the opposition coach when Millicent hosted an extended trial game against Glencoe at McLaughlin Park on Friday night.
The non-playing coach of the Murphies was Reece Duncan who spent much of his underage and senior career at this venue with the Saints.
Duncan spent three seasons at the helm of Mount Burr and this is his second season as Glencoe coach.
Friday night also marked the coaching debut of new Millicent mentor Jacob Carger.
The six-quarter contest began in broad daylight at 6pm with play finishing under lights.
Among those to impress the large gathering in the tin shed viewing area was Millicent recruit and former Kalangadoo skipper Sam McManus.
TOP ROOSTERS
The Robe Football Club has reappointed reigning Mail Medallist Henry Lawrie as its skipper for the 2025 season.
He heads a four-strong on-field leadership group as there are three joint vice-captains Jake Wehl, Jack Sneath and Zac Deane.
EDWARDS RETURNS
Former coach Tom Edwards and his family are returning to Mount Gambier and the Glencoe sporting community after spending 2024 living in Port Pirie.
During that time, Edwards played at the Ports Football Club in the Spencer Gulf Football league.
His season was capped by being named best and fairest in their league side.
Edwards was a premiership player at North Gambier and then took on the A Grade Coach coaching role with the Murphies in 2022 and 2023.
He was club champion in that second season.
HARD COPY RETURNS
The Mid South Eastern Football League has decided to again print a hard copy of its weekly Budget as well as make it available online.
The first edition of the Mid South Eastern Football League Budget went to the printers almost 70 years ago in May 1956 and over 1500 editions have since appeared.
It is widely regarded as one of the best publications of its type in any sporting code in regional South Australia.
When the first edition appeared, it was known as The Pines Football Budget and its editor was Kalangadoo Hotel publican and MSEFL secretary Fred Basheer.
His successors in the league secretary’s role have also been the Budget editor to this day.
SHORTER QUARTERS
The MSEFL has fallen into line with most other competitions across the nation.
It will now have 20 minute quarters rather than 25 and time on will apply.
