Fresh faces in New Holland WA Men’s State Country side for clash against SAMonday, July 21, 2025 - 4:52 PM - by Jordan McArdle

First-year New Holland WA Men’s State Country coach Craig Otto has picked a new-look side for Saturday night’s clash against South Australia at Sullivan Logistics Stadium.

Just four players remain from last year’s loss to SA Country at Adelaide Oval – captain Tom Gorter, vice-captain Tom Lee, Busselton forward Liam Creighton and Cunderin midfielder Kaidyn Fullgrabe.

Several stars of the recently-concluded Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships were picked including Fullgrabe who won the Jock Coleman Medal for Avon as the fairest-and-best player of the Division One competition.

Former Claremont and East Fremantle speedster Morgan Davies, who was a joint-winner of the Bud Byfield Medal as the MVP of Division Two after a brilliant carnival for champions Great Southern, also made the cut.

The Division One-winning South West team has nine representatives including carnival All-Stars Luke English (Collie), Zac Trigwell (Donnybrook), Creighton and Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault ruck Jack Fletcher who won the Nutrien Ag Solutions Medal as best-afield in the decider.

Otto, who takes over from Michael Griffiths after various stints around WA including three years coaching the Peel Football League’s colts, several roles in the WAFL, head coach at Perth Football League outfit Baldivis and midfield coach for the winning WA side at the National Under-18s Championship in 2019, was most pleased about the team’s balance.

“What I’m most happy about is the balance of the side which is so important,” Otto said.

“I’m really happy with the experience as well. We’ve got a few ex-WAFL players in the side but at the same time, we’ve got those genuine country stars.”

Otto was also excited about the pace of the side, highlighted by Davies, ex-Fremantle rebounding defender Jason Carter, former Perth talent Jye Clark, Rockingham gun Andrew Walsh, former West Perth winger Koopah Todd and ex-Sharks on-baller English who will be joint vice-captain alongside Lee.

There’s plenty of weapons inside attacking 50 as well, led by former St Kilda and Claremont big man Lee.

“I think we’ve got some good outside pace,” he said.

“We’re not overly tall but we’ve got Jack Fletcher who will lead the ruck and Brett Hill who will give him a chop out.

“Tom Lee will provide a key target in what I think will be a really exciting forward-line with Sam Stubbs up there, Liam Creighton, Zac Trigwell, Rhys Waters who’s a former Subiaco premiership player and Dustin Walters from the Goldfields who’s still leading the goal-kicking in the State.”

South Australia won last year’s clash at Adelaide Oval, with WA last winning in 2023 at Optus Stadium.

The men’s side will be looking to follow the lead of the New Holland WA Women’s State Country side who prevailed over Perth Football League in a one-point thriller at Gosnells Oval last month.

The match will be streamed live and free on Streamer.com.au from 5.30pm

New Holland WA Men’s State Country squad

Avon: Tom Lee (Quairading/vice-captain), Kaidyn Fullgrabe (Cunderdin)

Central Midlands Coastal: Rhys Waters (Jurien Bay)

Goldfields: Ethan Sambo (Mines Rovers), Sam Stubbs (Mines Rovers), Koopah Todd (Boulder), Dustin Walters (Boulder)

Great Southern: Morgan Davies (Albany)

Lower South West: Travis Abbott (Kojonup)

Peel: Jacob Dragovich (Centrals), Brett Hill (Centrals), Michael Randall (Mandurah), Andrew Walsh (Rockingham)

South West: Tom Gorter (South Bunbury/captain), Luke English (Collie/vice-captain), Ty Anderson (Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault), Jason Carter (Eaton Boomers), Jye Clark (South Bunbury), Liam Creighton (Busselton), Jack Fletcher (Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault), Zac Trigwell (Donnybrook), Durak Tucker (Bunbury)

Upper Great Southern: Simon Panizza (Williams)