In 2015 the CBH Group Colts returned to Mandurah for another year of fast paced action. Reigning champions Peel came into the championships under a cloud after not performing to their usual high standard at the Great Southern Colts Carnival earlier in month, but the other teams knew better than to write them off.
The South West are always a strong side while the young Great Southern can also throw up a few surprises, but it was the two amalgamated sides, Northern Suns and Regional Districts, which started the strongest.

Usually plagued by slow starts to these carnivals due to lack of team chemistry both sides started strong with the Northern Suns getting victories over Great Southern and the South West on the first day of competition. Regional Districts kicked themselves out of win against the South West finishing with a 2 goal 8 behinds before getting a strong victory over Peel later in the day.

The whole carnival was wide open up until the last fixture of the round robin rounds as percentage was going to decide if it was South West or Regional Districts who would take on the Northern Suns in the final and who out of Peel and Great Southern would make the 3v4 play off. In the end Regional Districts scored a healthy win over Great Southern to cement their very first grand final appearance.

Before the Saturday morning grand finals got underway all teams attended a CBH Group Colts dinner hosted by the WACFL to award the carnivals best performers and to hear from country football star Quinten Lynch. Logan Stubber from the Great Southern was awarded the Ken Baxter medal as the carnivals best player and Riley Wojtowicz won the Clem Bray medal as the carnivals rising star. A full squad of all stars was announced which can be found below.

The grand final was held on Saturday morning before the Peel Thunder fixtures and for all of those who attended they were treated to a fast paced and intense contest. The two teams traded goals in the first half of the shortened match with Jacob Miller and Corey Salmon doing the damage for Regional Districts as they had done all carnival. At half time there was a only a few points in it thanks largely to the Northern Suns inaccuracy. The second half of the match opened up and the run of Farren and Gabriel Parfitt through the midfield became integral for the Suns and they looked to build a lead. The carnivals leading goal kicker Morris Comeagain came to life up forward and captain Harrison King was solid down back as the Suns ran out winners by just 6 points. There was one Suns player who the impressed the umpires more than the rest and that was Shannon Broad and he was awarded the game ball.

So in 2015 these two amalgamated sides found a formula that works as they both impressed and it seems now that the competition is changing. Next year proves to be very interesting as the strength of the South West and Peel leagues won’t allow two bad years in a row. Until then though, congratulations to the Northern Suns, the 2015 CBH Group Colts Champions.

2015 CBH COLTS ALL STARS

GREAT SOUTHERN

Dylan Smallwood (Albany), Logan Stubber (Railways), Liam Bennell (Albany)

NORTHERN SUNS

Gabriel Parfitt (Rovers) Jaidyn Paradella (Towns), Harrison King (Kellerberrin/Tammin), Morris Comeagain (Mullewa), Chris Leonard (Chapman Valley), Shannon Broad (Brigades)

PEEL

Chad Wrigley (Waroona), Daniel Nelson (Mandurah), Luke Larkins (Mandurah), Ky Anderson (Pinjarra)

REGIONAL DISTRICTS

Brandon Dowrick (Mines), Corey Salmon (Boddington), Brendon White (Esperance), Jacob Miller (Railways), Jacob Wintle (Katanning), Samuel Franzone (Esperance)

SOUTH WEST

Luke Hutchins (Busselton), Ethan Bowman (Busselton), Perry Francis (Busselton), Ashley Eades, (Bunbury), Tyson Wood (Harvey/Brunswich/Leschenault)

COACH

Robert Lomas, Northern Suns