SA Regional Footy’s Chook Harslett delivers ‘The Chook Report’
Last Saturday saw two leagues kick off in SA REGIONAL FOOTY’s Livestreaming patch, with Yorke Peninsula and Great Flinders blowing the siren to open the 2026 season.
Ardrossan Holds Crisis Talks as Yorke Peninsula Footy Gets Underway
Yorke Peninsula’s round one action started off with last years premiers, the CMS Crows, having an 66 points win over Wallaroo. Kadina accounted for the Bute Roosters by 23 points. The Southern Eagles left Maitland with a 63 win under their belt after a high quality contest, and in what turned out to be the Game Of The Day (in regards to margin) Paskeville, at home, got the job done against the Moonta Demons by 12 points.
Despite having the bye, Ardrossan had a busy week, holding a crucial community meeting about the club’s future. The decision was made not to field a Reserves team for 2026 season. In a public announcement, the club emphasized its determination to support its players, protect junior development and strengthen player numbers as urgently as possible.
The club recognised the support given by the Ardrossan Football Club committee, the local community, the SANFL and the YPFL. Greater SA and SA REGIONAL FOOTY Livestreaming wish them well moving forward.
The Great Flinders Football League’s round one showed that last years grand finalists are in for another good year. Both the Lock Roos and United Yeelanna scored good away-from-home wins of over ten goals against Cummins/Kapinnie and Eyre United respectively.
This weekend it’s “game on” for several other league & todays footy wrap will predict what’s likely to be the games of the round…
SA REGIONAL FOOTY Livestreaming Heads to the Adelaide Plains for Round One
Kicking off the Adelaide Plains season, Hamley Bridge Football Club will host the United Tigers, Angle Vale will travel to Balaklava and Hummocks Watchman will play at their Port Wakefield home ground, taking on Virginia.
The potential “Game of the Day” will be the repeat of the 2025 Grand Final and the “battle of the birds”, with Mallala Magpies at home against the Two Wells Roosters. At the same location in September, the Mallala side got the job done by 26 points.
Its ridiculous to predict outcomes this early, with new recruits, new styles and new tactics – BUT the clash between these two teams will still be huge, and SA REGIONAL FOOTY Livestreaming will the there and we can’t wait!
Northern Areas Kicks Off With Round of Rivalry
Speaking of recruits, the Northern Areas Football Association (NAFA) have plenty sprinkled throughout, and 2026 will be another close contest in the popular six team competition.
There’s always great rivalries in every league, but this weekend’s NAFA clashes could almost be called the rivalry round.
Crystal Brook, 2025 champs, will travel to Port Broughton Oval to take on Broughton/Mundoora. Southern Flinders will head to Jamestown Oval to take on a fresh looking Jamestown/Peterborough. The Mapgpies have been busy recruiting during the off season and look like having a big ’26.
In what will likely be the game of the day, Orroroo will host B.M.W., with both teams boasting some high quality recruits for the season ahead. NAFA Games kick off at 2.45pm.
Chook Backs MinMan for a Round One Win in the NEFL
Blyth/Snowtown at home against the Southern Saints, South Clare at Clare will battle with B.S.R. (Brinkworth, Spalding, Redhill) who last year won their sixth flag in a row and aren’t planning on stopping their run anytime soon.
R.S.M.U.(Riverton, Saddleworth Marrabel United) will host B.B.H. (Booborowie, Burra, Hallett) at Riverton. And, what’s likely going to be a beauty, the MinMan (Mintaro, Manoora) Eagles will host the North Clare side at Mintaro. With it being the first round, we won’t predict any margins, but I’m thinking it will be a great spectacle….with MinMan just getting the job done.
NEFL Games Start at 2.30pm.
Rumour Mill Predicts “Ripper” at Kapunda for Round One Barossa Light and Gawler
This season’s opening round will see last years premiers, Nuriootpa Tigers, at home taking on the strength of South Gawler. Whenever these two teams play it’s always worth watching – first round, last round, minor final or gran final…it’s always a goodie.
Last years Runners-Up, Willaston, will take on Freeling at Willaston Oval. Kapunda Bombers will host Barossa District. Gawler Central will play at home against the Tanunda Magpies, and Angaston will start with the BYE. All games start at 2.20pm, and like most years the recruiting committees have been busy with many comings and goings throughout the league.
Game of the Day?…Well if you listen to the rumour-mill the Bombers at home taking on the Barossa District side should be a ripper…but once again, it’s round one so anything can and probably will happen with so many new faces.
Eastern Eyre Fires Up
Cowell will start with the BYE in round one, with other games being played at Wudinna, where Central Eyre United will take on last seasons champs Kimba Tigers. Port Neill is the location for Ports to start their season against 2025 runners-up, Ranges. Both games will be of high quality with 2.30pm the starting time to catch all the action.
Will Western United’s Winning Streak End at Streaky?
With players coming and going and recruiting committees working flat out, will Western United ‘s 48-game winning streak continue? Who’s going to be the team to put an end to the streak?
One huge recruit to the league is West Coast Hawks newbie, 273 game Ex-Adelaide Crow Brodie Smith. But the word coming from WEFL is that there will be many new faces popping up in the 2026 comp.
Week one will see the Hawks take on Western United. Will the winning streak end at Streaky?
Koonibba will want to get their season of ’26 off to a good start when they host Wirrulla at the Aboriginal Sporting Complex, and the last game of the round will see Ceduna Blues taking on Thevenard at the Ceduna Blues Sports Club. Games kicki off at 2.40pm
Round Two on the Yorke Peninsula
Wins last week to the Southern Eagles and Paskeville will mean when they play each other on the weekend at Yorketown we’ll all expect an absolute beauty.
Both teams looked good and their recruits seemed to fit in just fine…with many of them featuring in their respective teams list of better players during their wins.
In the Moonta Demons first home game, they’ll take on the CMS Crows in a repeat of 2025’s Grand Final, where the Crows took the glory by 39 points.
Last week’s loss will add some extra fuel to Moonta’s desire to get a win over the Crowies.
Round two will see the Ardrossan Roos taking on Kadina at the lovely Ardrossan Oval…unfortunately they’ll only be fielding an A-Grade side (as mentioned above) due to lack of numbers. We wish them well and hope it’s onward and upward for their magnificent club moving forward.
Three Big Great Flinders Clashes
Last weeks start to the season was a split round, so this weekend we’ll get a chance to see the remaining Great Flinders teams. The results of the two games last week saw 2025’s grand finalists off and running, both with 60+ point wins.
Last years premiers, Lock, will host Elliston Districts, who, if you believe the rumour-mill, have recruited well.
In other clashes, United Yeelanna will play Tumby Bay at Karkoo, and the final clash of the round will see the big grudge match between the two Cummins teams…the Ramblers hosting the Cougars. There’s no point predicting the game of the day in this league, there are arguments for all three clashes taking that mantle. It’ll be a great round no matter what oval you head to….2.40pm Game On!!
Spencer Gulf, Kangaroo Island, Far North, Whyalla and Port Lincoln all start the 2026 season ANZAC Weekend
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