Country Championships Returns After Two Years Tuesday, July 12, 2022 - 2:34 PM - by Mark Readings

The Nutrien Ag Country Championships made a successful return after a two-year hiatus, showcasing the best of regional football. 

Into its 56th edition, the four-day Carnival attracted hundreds of footballers from around the state, with the event embraced by everyone who attended. 

Brent Sheridan, West Australian Football Commission Manager Country Football Development – South, reflected on the challenges during the Pandemic. 

“The Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Championships was a huge success. 

It’s been a long couple of years for our leagues and clubs, including 2022, so to see them come together again to represent their communities was fantastic,” Sheridan said 

Despite the two-year break, the quality on game day couldn’t be questioned. 

“As always, the standard of the Championships was excellent. 

Each Division was incredibly competitive which led to some outstanding football, he said. 

The Championships went through a transitional phase in 2022. 

“We were down a couple of sides in the Nutrien Ag Solutions' Men’s Divisions this year, though we’re hopeful of regaining those teams and more next year. 

Our CBH Group Colts Division grew to seven teams this year and the Rio Tinto Women’s Division in September will grow to eight teams for the first time,” Sheridan said. 

Among the highlights of this year’s Carnival included finals footy being played at the WACA for the first time, while Luke Bairstow from Ongerup (Lake Grace/Pingrup FC) won his third Bud Byfield Medal as the Division 2 Fairest and Best Player, a remarkable achievement. 

Sheridan believes there was a great cross section of Grand Final winners. 

“It was great to see Ongerup claim the Division 2 Championship. 

It’s a small league in the south of the state, which has a great tradition of carnival football and they applied themselves incredibly well. 

The South West showed why they’re the powerhouse of Country Football with a dominant display in the Division 1 final against Avon. 

Peel made it back-to-back Championships in the CBH Group colts in what was our most competitive colts Championships in a long time,” he said. 

2022 marked the 48th year of Nutrien Ag’s support of Country Football, which is one of the longest running sporting sponsorships in Australia. 

2022 Nutrien Ag Country Championships Grand Final Results 

CBH Group Colts Division 

Peel Football and Netball League (8.2) 50 

Great Northern Football League (1.5) 11 

Ken Baxter Medal: Jack Cocking – Great Northern 

Nutrien Ag Solutions Men’s Division 1 – Grand Final 

South West Football League 17.13 (115) 

Avon Football Association    3.3 (21) 

Jock Coleman Medal: Patrick Farrant (SWFL) & Tom Lee (AFA) 

Nutrien Ag Solutions Men’s Division 2 – Grand Final 

Ongerup Football Association 10.7 (67) 

Central Midlands Coastal FL 7.9 (51) 

Bud Byfield Medal: Luke Bairstow (OFA)