Around The Leagues: Newdegate legend plays 300th game, GSFL milestones & Les Ganzer medal stays in the family

The Advertiser brings you Around the Leagues, taking a look at football stories of players and personalities from the Great Southern, Ongerup and Upper Great Southern regions. Brilliant Bangers brings up triple century It was a special day for legendary Newdegate footballer Ian Lloyd last Saturday. Lloyd played his 300th league game for the Lions, to solidify his standing at one of the greatest to pull on a jumper at the club. His decades of service have had a lasting affect, not just on the field but also off it. Lloyd debuted in 1999 and after some brief time away from the town he returned in 2003, quickly becoming the club secretary and then league coach in 2004. He spent four seasons as league coach, taking the Lions to two grand finals, and also spent 11 years in the role as president from 2011-21. The man they call “Bangers” is a Lions premiership player in 2016 and has won their fairest and best award six times, to go with six runner-up finishes. In his superb 300 games, Lloyd also won the 2005 Ganzer Medal as the best and fairest player in the Ongerup Football Association. He has captained and played for the OFA at numerous country championships and was named an All-Star in 2004 and 2009. Lloyd is a life member of both the OFA and Newdegate. In the final round of the 2023 season, his beloved Lions grabbed second spot after an impressive 56-point win over Boxwood Hill. Running through a banner to mark the big milestone, Lloyd went on to kick two goals as the Lions secured a finals double chance. They faced Lake Grace-Pingrup in Saturday’s second semifinal while Boxwood Hill and reigning premiers Gnowangerup put their seasons on the line. Milestone achievements in first week of finals There will be plenty of support for a set of Royals brothers and a Railways veteran in the opening week of the Great Southern Football League finals. Brothers David and Brayden Parker will clock up milestones for Royals on the same day, as their team faces a blockbuster elimination final against Mt Barker. David, a Kleemann medallist, dual premiership player and fairest and best winner, will run out in his 200th league game for the Lions. Little brother and now Lions captain Brayden Parker, also a premiership player, overcame a serious knee injury early in his senior days to reach 150 games — a mark that also comes with club life membership. The Parker brothers will be hoping their red-hot side can get over the top of Mt Barker in Sunday’s final to book a preliminary final berth. On Saturday there will be another major milestone, as Tiger Craig Frost plays his 150th game. Frost, 36, has two won flags with the Tigers since moving across from Victoria a decade ago. He finished runner-up to David in the 2014 Kleemann Medal and was league coach for a couple of seasons and has won best and fairest honours with the Tigers. He has also played 150 league games for his junior club Echuca, hence surpassing the big mark of 300 matches. Frost will celebrate the occasion in the highly-anticipated qualifying final against Albany, another meeting between last year’s grand final teams. Both GSFL finals will be played at Retravision Stadium this weekend. Keeping it in the family We love a feel-good story and that was certainly the case last Sunday at the vote count for the Les Ganzer Medal. The award for the Ongerup Football Association’s fairest and best player went to Jerramungup star Jayden Brooks. It was a fair achievement from the dominant ruckman given his Eagles failed to win a game this year. The award is named after Les Ganzer, who is also Brooks’ great grandfather. This year marked 60 years since Colin Ganzer claimed the inaugural medal, formerly called the Gillis Medal, and his son Scott Ganzer was there to present his nephew the prestigious trophy. The pair shared an emotional embrace before Brooks’ acceptance speech in front of a packed Borden Pavilion. Brooks polled 39 votes to cap a superb year ahead of last year’s winner and Newdegate big man Dean Rintoul who came second with 34. Lake Grace-Pingrup duo Luke Bairstow (31 votes) and Mitchell O’Neill (27) finished third and fourth respectively and Gnowangerup’s Lewis Davis (25) rounded out the top five. - with Harry Grigson Cougars charge home to grab second Kojonup are in a strong position to challenge for the Lower South West Football League premiership. The Cougars came from behind at quarter-time to record a stylish 31-point win over Imperials and pinch second spot on the ladder. Imperials and Kojonup finished with a 10-4 win-loss record and 40 points but the Cougars superior percentage ensured they got a double chance in the finals. Football journeyman Dionne Woods booted four goals in the final round win at home while Kyle Smith and Brent Clarke were in the Cougars best players. Smith spent time with Railways and Mt Barker in the Great Southern while Clarke played for North Albany in his stint in the same league. The Cougars will face minor premiers Bridgetown in the second semifinal on August 27 while this Sunday will see Imperials and Deanmill do battle in an elimination first semifinal at Pemberton. Former Swan Districts colts player Patrick Farrant remarkably won the leading goalkicker award with 100 goals in the 14-game season. Farrant booted a big bag of 14 majors in the last round to get to the 100 and is a big reason why Bridgetown finished clear on top of the ladder. Keley boots a bag to secure Katanning top spot This year’s Upper Great Southern Football League season has seen goals galore and this time it was Caleb Keley’s turn. In the absence of the competition’s leading goalkicker Laurence Collaard, Keley was on fire in Katanning Wanderers demolition of Wagin in round 16 last Sunday. Keley booted 10 goals as the Tigers went on to thump the Bulldogs by 175 points, a result that stitched up top spot. Katanning have the bye in the final round this week and sit one game clear of the second-placed Wickepin but the premiership fancies boast a percentage of 252.08. Keley was well supported by hometown hero and ex-South Fremantle star Haiden Schloithe (six goals) and former Hawthorn midfielder Kade Stewart (five). Williams mauled Boddington and Kukerin-Dumbleyung made it two wins on the trot after downing Narrogin at home in the other fixtures. The top four is already set going into the final round with the reigning premiers hosting the Hawks in the sole Saturday fixture this week. In the Sunday games the Cats are at home against the Cougars and the Warriors hit the road to face the bottom placed Bulldogs. Got a footy story from our region to share? Email cameron.newbold@albanyadvertiser.com