Great Southern Football League women’s side to field first-ever representative team at country football champs

After a long delay history will be made today as the Great Southern Football League field a women’s representative team for the first time. A group of passionate female regional footballers will pull on the GSFLW jumper when they tackle four other regions in the Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships that begin in Perth today. The championships were due to take place in July but were postponed due to a snap COVID lockdown in the Perth and Peel regions. The competition will be played today and tomorrow, and feature teams from the Great Southern, Goldfields, Pilbara, South West and Peel. A Great Southern squad has been assembled with this year’s GSFLW fairest and best winner and star Royals midfielder Kylie Douglas as captain. Fellow ball winner Laura Archer is vice-captain with the side coached by Collin Pass. Douglas said a massive amount of work had gone into the organisation of the GSFLW team. “Obviously we had a bit of disappointment in July when it was initially cancelled so very excited that they postponed it and didn’t just call it off altogether,” she said. “I think there will be some strong teams up there so a bit apprehensive to see what the competition will be like but we will have fun. “The one thing about women’s footy down here is that everybody wants to just keep playing, everyone is really loving it. “We are going to take 24 girls up, all passionate, keen and ready to go.” The Great Southern will start their campaign against Goldfields at 12.30pm today at Provident Financial Oval in Joondalup before tackling South West at 2.30pm. Day two will also be at Joondalup with Great Southern facing Peel at 11am and then Pilbara at 2pm before the top two play off in a grand final at 3pm. “Just getting Albany up there with such a young league that we have got, we have only been playing for four years is pretty special,” Douglas said. “I think we have a really strong team, we have got some of the top players for the comp and we have a lot of youth and a lot of fitness so I don’t think we will be run over. “Obviously the South West girls are pretty big and renowned for being quite ferocious. “Whatever happens I think it’s amazing what we’ve managed to achieve getting the team ready. “We will go up and give it our best shot and have a bit of fun while we are there and hopefully do the GSFLW proud.” GREAT SOUTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE WOMEN’S TEAM Tahlia McRoberts (Mt Barker), Ksharna Coyne (Railways), Taylah Orzel (Royals), Skye Cordon (North Albany), Ella Scamozzi (Railways), Maddie Dallimore (Railways), Kylie Douglas (Royals), Stephanie Francis (Royals), Georgina Lilford (Royals), Joanne Porteous (Mt Barker), Lily Wilsher-Saa (Railways), Elizabeth Pattinson (Royals), Bree Davy (Royals), Sheridan Kowald (Mt Barker), Shelley McLennan (North Albany), Laura Archer (North Albany), Mereanna Wynne (Railways), Georgina Kowald (Mt Barker), Joslyn Pass (Royals), Nina Gill (North Albany), Ellie White (Railways), Courtney Featherston (Mt Barker), Amber Jeeves (Denmark-Walpole), Gracie Gibson (Royals). CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES Today at Provident Financial Oval Great Southern v Goldfields — 12.30pm Great Southern v South West — 2.30pm Tomorrow at Provident Financial Oval Great Southern v Peel — 11am Great Southern v Pilbara — 2pm Grand final — 3pm