Strong Great Southern Storm squad chasing more title success in Kulin for Great Southern Colts Carnival

The Great Southern Colts Carnival returns to Kulin this weekend and Great Southern Storm are looking to make amends after Peel slipped away with the title again in 2024. The carnival brings together some of southern WA’s best young regional talent from eight country competitions, and the Cavaliers have claimed three titles in four years, making it back-to-back victories with a 37-point grand final triumph over Storm last year. The eight teams from the Great Southern, Upper Great Southern, Peel, Lower South West, Ongerup, Eastern Districts, Esperance and Goldfields are split into two pools, playing sides in their pool on Saturday before finals on Sunday. The Storm’s last title win came in 2022, but stalwart coach Darrell Panizza said this year’s side were looking strong. “We’re excited about the group we’re taking away,” he said. “The way they’ve been training together and playing for their clubs, we think we’re in with a good chance this year,” he said. “These carnivals are not just something you turn up to and expect to win, there’s a lot of work and training that goes into it, and many of the other regions have improved over the years as well. “We’re very well prepared and these boys have been playing well for their clubs, so we’ve got every reason to go out and play really well this weekend.” Albany tall Max Grimes will captain the side, with Railways’ Milan Jaggi and Brock Lathbury named as vice-captains. The Storm’s first match will be against Ongerup on Saturday before they face Lower South West and then Esperance in their bid to reach another grand final. A group of selected players from the carnival will form the Regional Districts team which will compete in division two of the CBH Group Colts Carnival at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships in Perth next month, with Great Southern and Peel taking their own side away. “The Great Southern Colts Carnival is a great opportunity to see the best players from our southern leagues come together in what is one of the highlights of WA’s country football calendar,” WA Football’s country competitions manager Brent Sheridan said. “The carnival has such a rich history and is an amazing breeding ground and stepping stone for higher honours which we’ve seen so many examples of over the years, with many players progressing to play in the WAFL and AFL.” Great Southern Storm Team: Blake Tysoe, Beau Veldman, Tarik Hartfield, Ryan Hick, Jared Ballard, Evan Delbene, Cleve Humphries, Ned Shepherd, Lucas Smart, Bailin Curtis, Tom Bradshaw, Max Grimes, Clay Harrington, Declan Reid, Ulrich Kriek, Natale Trichilo, Jesse Owens, Hayden Leo, Dylan Bennett, Henry Roeger, Milan Jaggi, Ben Michael, Hugh Beaton, Regan Christensen, Brock Lathbury, Toby McInnes, and Flynn Jackman.