A community pillar

FOOTBALL means a lot to Riverland families.

There’s parents making the early morning trips between Riverland towns for junior matches, dedicated families of volunteers who help run the beloved canteen and bar facilities, and the sense of pride and achievement when a premiership is won at the end of a season.

That sense of achievement was exemplified at Panther Park on Saturday, as Berri Demons legend Peter Safralidis took to the field for his 300th game in the red and blue.

The Demons claiming a gritty 26-point win reflected how important the occasion was for all involved, with emotions at a clear high after the match.

One can imagine a few cold beers were enjoyed back in Berri afterwards to celebrate the milestone.

The fact that Berri’s A grade side has seen such impressive improvement over the past two seasons, with Safralidis as a key cog, shows that he remains integral to the club’s potential finals success in 2026.

However, anyone familiar with ‘Saf’ would know his positive influence across the Riverland stretches far outside the boundaries of a football oval.

He has been a long-term mentor for many through the education system, and has tirelessly devoted many volunteer hours in supporting community initiatives like the Riverland Christmas Appeal.

Even his contributions to this newspaper, through the regular SAPSASA event reports, have been a valuable way to highlight the sporting achievements of the region’s youngsters.

Saf undoubtedly deserved the accolades and success that came his way last weekend, and will hopefully continue to be a central pillar of the Berri Football Club, and wider Riverland community, long into the future.