Country Championships: Details announced for 2025 champs with Lower South West returning and colts spilt

This year’s edition of the Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships will break records again with 25 teams to contest over five divisions in Perth in July. WA country football’s biggest stage will return to the Perth and Peel regions from July 10-13 with several changes from 2024. Most notable of the changes for 2025 will be the CBH Group colts competition split into two divisions for the first time since 2010 and after last fielding a team in 2018, the Lower South West will return to the senior ranks. The championships are in its 59th year and Country Football WA is also marking a 51st year of partnership with Nutrien Ag Solutions. More than 50 games will be played at eight venues across the championships, the colts divisions being played on July 10 and 11 while the Nutrien Ag Solutions men’s divisions will run from July 11-13. The Lower South West, comprising of seven clubs, has not played in the championships since 2018 and will return in division three of the men’s competition. Another major change is the colts competition spilt into two divisions after the return of Pilbara which sat out the 2024 edition. Division three winners from last year Great Southern will make the jump to division two while Great Northern will test themselves in the top grade after taking out the division two grand final in 2024. Other changes will see Public School Association venues Scotch College and Guilford Grammar hosting the first day of the colts divisions, the first time school grounds have hosted the country championships. A return to the newly redeveloped East Fremantle Oval, now named The Good Grocer Park, will also happen at this year’s championships. Country Football WA country competitions manager Brent Sheridan said excitement was building ahead of the event. “It’s amazing to see the strong passion and commitment to the Nutrien Ag Solutions Championships continue,” he said. “With 17 men’s teams and eight colts teams playing across five divisions, 2025 is arguably going to be our biggest championships to date. “We are thrilled to again bring the championships into the homes and on to the screens of people throughout country WA, with all games being live streamed on the Streamer platform this year.” In 2024 South West reclaimed the division one title with an 11-point win over Avon in the final while Peel were the colts champions after a three-point win over South West. Teams will travel from around WA to compete, including Kimberley in the north and Esperance in the south. Entry to all colts games this year will be free and fans can watch every match live on Streamer. Fixtures for the championships are expected to be released in the next week. South West, Avon, Goldfields, Peel and Great Northern will tackle division one while Upper Great Southern, Central Midlands Coastal, North Pilbara, Eastern Districts, Ongerup and Great Southern all feature in division two. Mortlock, Esperance, Hills, North Midlands, Central Wheatbelt and Lower South West make up division three in the men’s competition. In the colts, Peel, South West, Great Southern and Great Northern will contest division one and division two will consist of Regional Districts, Kimberley Spirit, Avon-Mortlock and Pilbara.