For the second year running Central Augusta captain Keatley has been given a position on the Landmark Country Carnival training squad, which involves a trip to Shepparton, Victoria for a football-intensive four days.

He was selected after a recent match at the State country championships in Berri, along with 28 other top footballers from South Australia.

Keatley played with team members from Port Pirie, Whyalla, Port Augusta and other towns in the northern areas, and was selected at the close of the carnival last weekend.

Although there are only 25 spots available on the State team, Keatley said he would love to go again.

He said about 12 footballers that he played with in last year’s event had been selected for the new squad, but would miss out on the team training session on Sunday as Central Augusta take on South Augusta.

Last year he travelled with the South Australian team to Stall in Victoria, and later went on to play a game at AAMI Stadium.

The high school physical education teacher, who said he had played football all of his life, was looking forward to the trip that starts on Thursday and had been lucky to take part in the first part of the carnival over the school holidays.

The South Australian team will take on other state teams in Shepparton, with the possibility of playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground at the finals.

Keatley said that the top players in the Country Championships have the chance to be chosen on an All Australian side - which will travel to Ireland later on in the year.

But, he is not aiming to take on the world and said with his football achievements, he just "takes it as it comes".