Budding AFLW stars at Mundulla: Crows visit a boost for local footy talent

The hallowed turf of Mundulla Oval will buzz with excitement in late May as legendary Crows AFL and AFLW players, including Tony Modra and Chelsea Biddell, pull into town for a weekend of country footy fun set to advance the game in the South East.

Viterra and the Adelaide Football Club are teaming up for the Country Connect weekend, kicking off Saturday 31 May through to Sunday 1 June. Saturday’s events will see Crows greats take part in match day activities and evening entertainment with a Front Bar style Q&A panel. On Sunday is a junior coaching clinic open to all children aged five to 15, with registrations via the Viterra website.

For Mundulla Football Club President, Nick Davis, the weekend will be a fantastic opportunity for the club’s junior colts and families alike. But it’s the town’s burgeoning women’s side which he’s most excited to see get involved, with a special Sunday morning team session organised with visiting AFLW players.

“Our women’s team is the only one within a 70km radius and we’re seeing more and more girls keen to get involved, so having AFLW stars like Brooke Smith and Chelsea here is a game-changer for some of our up-and-comers,” Nick says.

“We have girls from Kaniva and Keith in the team and sometimes it’s a 400km round trip to play just one game, but they’re willing to do whatever it takes and with two flags won in the last six seasons, the talent is clear.

“Just a few weeks ago, one of our younger players, Tori Evans, was recruited to Glenelg in the SANFL, so who knows? The next big AFLW star could be a Mundulla Tiger.”

The Mundulla Country connect weekend is the first of three events that will see the Adelaide Crows Football Club and leading agriculture network, Viterra team up to give a boost to grassroots footy and community connections in rural towns.

Crows Chief Executive Officer, Tim Silvers says the Country connect initiative helped the Club strengthen its relationship with rural fans.

“We’ve made a concerted effort to get into the regions over the past couple of years and connect with as many of our passionate supporters as possible,” Tim says.

“This is another great opportunity and we’re looking forward to engaging with the hundreds of footy players and their families, and in the process support the growth of the game.

“A number of our past and present players have come from regional South Australia, including Mitch Hinge who actually comes from Mundulla.”

Viterra General Manager Grower Services, Andrew Wilsdon says supporting country football is significant because it keeps the communities across Viterra’s network active and connected.

“We are proud to once again partner with the Adelaide Crows and give back to the rural communities such as Mundulla where our customers and employees live and work,” Andrew says.

“We have employees travelling from Adelaide and across our Eastern region to get involved and support the weekend’s events, and we’re all really excited to help out and connect with our grower customers and the community.”

The match day and evening events on Saturday are open to all, but those looking to get involved in the Sunday junior coaching clinic are encouraged to book their spot early to avoid disappointment.

By registering, attendees to the clinics will receive one of 150 complimentary junior and adult Country Crow memberships, valued at $108 and include general entry to two Crows AFL home and an additional one AFLW home game as part of this programme, among other benefits.

To register for the junior coaching clinic or learn more about the Country connect programme, head to viterra.com.au.