New faces line up for Landmark battle

Some fresh faces will play in the Great Southern Football League senior team for the first time as they begin their division 2 title campaign against the Ongerup Football Association on Saturday to start the Landmark Country Football Championships.

The GSFL will do battle with the OFA for the second straight year in the regional fixture played as part of the annual championships, with the rest of the carnival to be played in Perth next month.

Last year the OFA were convincing 60-point winners in the corresponding fixture at Mt Barker’s Sounness Park, with Luke Bairstow awarded the Jim Hull Medal, and this year the GSFL will travel to Gnowangerup to take on their neighbouring rivals at 2pm.

Ryan Gaerth, Jack McPhee, Corey Ward, Joel Want, Ethan Knee, Jesse Wynne, Shaquille Narrier, Shane Braimbridge and Jack Horrocks are all in line to play in the GSFL senior side for the first time under new coach Wayne Stubber.

State country representative and ex-WAFL player Matt Orzel will captain the GSFL side and Gaerth is another big-name inclusion to boost their midfield.

Stubber said a stack of players from the original squad were unavailable or injured but he was confident there was enough quality in the final team to challenge their rivals.

“It’s been very hard getting blokes to play,” Stubber said.

“Out of the original squad of 47, I think there is only 15 out of that playing.

“None of the top five goal kickers are playing so that’s where we are struggling the most.

“Hopefully we can bring our small forwards into the game.

“I’m happy with the midfield and I think our backs will stand up.

“We need to be hard at the contest and physical because they have more mature and bigger bodies.”

McPhee (corked back) and Dave Parker (ankle) remain in doubt for Saturday’s clash, while a host of stars, including last year’s captain Bodhi Stubber, Shayne Zanetti, Luke Cameron, Peter Taylor and Sam Baddeley-Holmes will miss because of injury.

The OFA have named a very strong squad as they search for back-to-back wins over the GSFL, with Kelvin Holmes again in charge of the side.

Among the OFA side are State country trio Jayden Brooks, Luke Bairstow and Jordan McAllister, while gun midfielder Isaac Baum, Tyler Caldwell, Tyson Bell and Ian Lloyd are also named.

“We are still missing a few but it should be a really good contest,” Holmes said.

“There is definitely 12 from last year’s team not playing but we are trying to inject a bit of youth into the side.

“We have a pretty even team but to win now gives the team a bit of confidence and belief.”

Squads:

GSFL - Matt Orzel (North Albany) — Captain, Ryan Kinnear (Royals) — Vice Captain, Graham Ross (North Albany) — Vice Captain, Zane Marwick (Railways), Ethan Knee (Railways), Joel Want (Railways), Logan Stubber (Railways), Ryan Gaerth (Denmark-Walpole), Jesse Wynne (North Albany), Shaquille Narrier (Albany), Rory Callaghan (Royals), Ben Grey (Royals), Alec Haskins (North Albany), Matt Van Schayk (Railways), David Stone (Mt Barker), Rick Wallis (Albany), Haydn Sproxton (Railways), Jack Hickey (Denmark-Walpole), Shane Braimbridge (Railways), Jack Horrocks (Mt Barker), Aaron Gliosca (Royals), Jack McPhee (North Albany), Dave Parker (Royals), Corey Ward (Royals)

OFA - Damien Stewart (Gnowangerup), Rohan Vaux (Boxwood Hill), Luke Bairstow (Lake Grace-Pingrup), Thomas Stewart (Gnowangerup), Ian Lloyd (Newdegate), David Newman (Newdegate), Matthew Campbell (Boxwood Hill), Tyler Caldwell (Gnowangerup), Jedd Herbert (Gnowangerup), Isaac Baum (Boxwood Hill), Joel Ebert (Jerramungup), Alex Baum (Boxwood Hill), Chris Wollaston (Newdegate), Jeremy Richardson (Newdegate), Ben Hankinson (Gnowangerup), Brandon Wise (Gnowangerup), Jayden Brooks (Jerramungup), Alex Duckworth (Lake Grace-Pingrup), Courtney Waddell (Newdegate), Darcy Townsend (Lake Grace-Pingrup), Michael Swarbrick (Boxwood Hill), Glenn Peacock (Boxwood Hill), Dean Rintoul (Newdegate), Jordan McAllister (Jerramungup), Tyson Bell (Lake Grace-Pingrup)