Northern Backyard league?

[Hazbeen]

In the country edition of the Sunday Mail and Advertiser for the last two weeks they have given results from a 8 team league called the Northern Backyard.

I have never heard of it in SA? has anyone got any idea or is someone having a joke?

The teams are listed as Mulga Valley, Stone Hut, Southern Blues, Mundinnie Hill, Northern Roosters, Port Belalie, Black Rock and Central Forrests.

Their is no mention of this league on CountyFooty SA.

[Bearno5]

In the country edition of the Sunday Mail and Advertiser for the last two weeks they have given results from a 8 team league called the Northern Backyard.

I have never heard of it in SA? has anyone got any idea or is someone having a joke?

The teams are listed as Mulga Valley, Stone Hut, Southern Blues, Mundinnie Hill, Northern Roosters, Port Belalie, Black Rock and Central Forrests.

Their is no mention of this league on CountyFooty SA.

I have not heard of it either however did some research and found this on the Mission Australia Website

Instead, the new League -- being launched on Sunday, August 26 with the support of leading community service organisation Mission Australia -- has signed up dozens of players who’ve never worn a footy guernsey before or haven’t been near an oval in years.

“Football is clearly one of the most important social and sporting events in most country towns in Australia, but not everyone gets a chance to play, let alone shine,” Mission Australia State Director Mark Herselman said.

“The aim of the Backyard Football League is to get together people who may never have had the chance to play or couldn’t go on with it because they felt they weren’t good enough, had too many work or family commitments, or their clubs were forced to close down,” Mr Herselman said.

“Now their time has come,” he said.

Jamestown Backyard Football League President Michael Butterick said organisers have been overwhelmed by the response to the initiative.

“We just put up blank team sheets in the local hotel one night in the hope we might be able to field two teams to start with, but we had 40 names in a week,” Mr Butterick said. “Now we’ve got enough for four teams, and others on a waiting list for the next season.”

The League is being launched this Sunday with an inaugural Finals Series, and it’s hoped a once-a-month Sunday League will begin in May 2008.

Mr Herselman said Mission Australia, which runs a series of community service programs in rural and regional South Australia, was pleased to support such an innovative program to help strengthen the capacity of a diverse regional community.

“These are the sorts of initiatives that can really make a difference to the lives of individuals and communities, literally at the grassroots level,” he said.

The Backyard Footy season gets underway on Sunday, August 26 at 11am with an Under 12s match, featuring the Mini Swans vs the Mini Saints.

The First Semi-Final at 12.20pm will feature Port Belalie vs Central Forests, with the Second Semi-Final at 2pm pitting the Northern Roosters against the Southern Blues.

[Hazbeen]

Thanks for that, I do recall seeing this last year, perhaps it is now a regular comp.

[Bearno5]

Sounds like a good initiative. Lets hope it continues as a pure amateur Country Football comp.

[Footy Chick]

Where would Black Rock play? There's nothing at Black Rock (not even a black rock )

Oops, except a dirt circuit track..

[FlyingHigh]

Could be wrong, but think it is a super-rules or pub comp or C-Grade in the Northern Areas area, Jamestown, Crystal Brook, etc, but not sure whether it is necessarily affiliated with them. Thought they played on Sundays, about half-a-dozen games a year.

[GWW]

I had no idea either about this league either when i saw it in the SM, and thought it might even be a mis print but then remember hearing about the well known bakery at Stone Hut, being just outside Crystal Brook, so then knew the general area.

[Ian]

I had no idea either about this league either when i saw it in the SM, and thought it might even be a mis print but then remember hearing about the well known bakery at Stone Hut, being just outside Crystal Brook, so then knew the general area.

Stone hut is just a few km North of Laura