Country Championships: Strengthened Great Southern Storm to tackle the best sides in top colts division

Great Southern Storm will use the key learnings from their recent campaign in Kulin to help tackle the best colts sides in WA at this week’s Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships. The Storm, representing the Great Southern Football League, have assembled a quality colts group that will battle in division one of the CBH Group colts competition in Perth from Thursday. Coached by Darrell Panizza, the Storm will be up against Great Northern, South West and Peel in the new-look colts format. Each team will play one another in games on Thursday at Scotch College before finals at The Good Grocer Park in East Fremantle on Friday. The top two sides will clash in the grand final while third and fourth will also play off, with the same in division two. After a strong performance at the recent Great Southern Colts Carnival, Panizza believes his squad can mix it with the best over the next couple of days. “We go away as a development group which is exciting,” he said. “Taking four 16-year-olds and four 19-year-olds, we have a lot in the middle. “We’re about development and getting kids through the system. “I think the two halves will suit us rather than four quarters as we are a high-speed, pressure and fast-ball-movement group.” Max Grimes will again captain the Storm outfit with Milan Jaggi and Brock Lathbury named as vice captains. Panizza was particularly excited about his forward line, containing Cleve Humphries and Ned Shepherd and tall target Regan Christensen. Additions to the team from the Kulin carnival are Cameron Walsh, Brock Zambonetti, Henry Smith and Henry Roeger. “We are looking forward to playing the other teams in A-grade and hopefully come away with a win,” Panizza said. “This is a really important competition, it’s the best competition for young talent.” The Storm face Great Northern at 10am before meeting Peel at noon and then South West at 3pm. Great Southern Storm squad 1. Beau Veldman (Railways) 2. Lucas Smart (Railways) 3. Tarik Hartfield (Denmark-Walpole) 4. Darcy Roberts (North Albany) 5. Jared Ballard (Mt Barker) 6. Evan Delbene (Albany) 7. Cleve Humphries (Royals) 8. Ned Shepherd (Albany) 9. Bailin Curtis (Railways) 10. Tom Bradshaw (Albany) 11. Hugh Beaton (Railways) 12. Clay Harrington (Albany) 13. Declan Reid (Albany) 14. Cameron Walsh (Mt Barker) 15. Max Grimes (Albany) 16. Ulrich Kriek (North Albany) 17. Natale Trichilo (Royals) 18. Jesse Owens (Albany) 19. Dylan Bennett (North Albany) 20. Henry Roeger (Railways) 21. Milan Jaggi (Railways) 22. Henry Smith (North Albany) 23. Toby McInnes (Denmark-Walpole) 24. Ben Michael (Railways) 25. Jed Nazzari (Denmark-Walpole) 26. Regan Christensen (North Albany) 27. Brock Lathbury (Railways) 28. Flynn Jackman (Railways) 29. Brock Zambonetti (Royals)