Carnival future in doubt after winless campaign

The future of the Great Southern Football League’s participation at senior level of the Landmark Country Football Championships is in serious doubt after a winless campaign left them languishing in last place in their division 2 pool.

After a disappointing 40-point loss to Ongerup Football Association in the regional clash last month, the GSFL senior campaign has been full of drama, with then-coach Wayne Stubber quitting and more than a dozen changes in personnel.

Despite the changes, the GSFL were bundled out of the division 2 title race after a goalless first half against Eastern Districts Football League led to a 32-point loss in their first match at East Fremantle Oval on Sunday, but the worst was yet to come.

Knowing they were not able to finish top of the south pool and progress to Sunday’s grand final, the GSFL faced a classy Goldfields Football League outfit and were embarrassed in the second half as they were thumped to the tune of 90 points in the game consisting of two 20-minute halves.

The heavy defeat left the GSFL in last position in the south pool, and they could only manage two goals in the Goldfields drubbing to compound their woes.

The GSFL kicked just six goals in their two matches in Perth and the heavy defeat by the Goldfields was made worse by the fact they were beaten by Central Midlands Coastal Football League in the division 2 decider by 32 points.

GSFL president Joe Burton said hard decisions now needed to be made on the future of the senior team after a disappointing campaign.

“While the blokes want to go away, we will try and accommodate that, but we do need to be more competitive,” Burton said.

“We are much better than what we are playing, but we have to get that passion back.

“Goldfields beat us easily and got belted in the final, so how far off are we?

“There is not the standard of players required to be competitive at that level.

“We may be at the crossroads, to decide if we do go away or not.”

Burton said the league would discuss at length the future of competing at senior level at the championships in the coming weeks, but stressed they must see serious support from clubs and players going forward if they were to continue.