Grand final venues to be rotated

The venue for the Great Southern Football League grand final will be rotated from next year, which will see the league's three powerhouse Albany clubs relinquish their stranglehold on the biggest day on the local football calendar. *

GSFL club presidents have voted unanimously to rotate the season decider, starting with Mt Barker's Sounness Park next season in a six-year trial that could be followed by all finals being rotated, including semifinals and preliminary finals. *

Traditionally, the club that wins the second semifinal hosts the season decider, but the GSFL will follow other WA leagues, including the Ongerup Football Association, that rotate their grand finals. *

Denmark-Walpole was the last club outside Albany to host a grand final in 2010, the only time in the past 15 years the final has been moved out of the city. *

Royals have hosted the most grand finals in GSFL history, followed by North Albany, which have hosted two of the past three. *

GSFL president Joe Burton said the move had initially met some objections, but all clubs now understood the move was necessary for the viability of the competition. *

"It's going to help - a combination of a lot of things has to happen and giving every club an equal crack at it will help financially," he said. *

"It's a good step and all the club presidents are trying to make the league better." *

North Albany president Iian Woods said the move was required for the viability of the competition. *

"It is needed in the bigger picture to help the outlying clubs continue and make them more competitive," he said. *

"Mt Barker and Denmark have two of the best viewing grounds in the competition, so we need to utilise that." *

Having lobbied the league for the past 12 months for the change, Mt Barker president Brad Hook said his club was pleased to be able to host the season decider in 2016. *

"For a club like us or even the Sharks, it's a significant windfall," he said. *

"Every other league around us does it, it just makes sense." *

Railways president Craig Bevan said the six-year trial could lead to all finals being rotated, while Denmark-Walpole counterpart Christine Venkatachalam was also in support of the move. *

Centennial Oval has been touted as the possible 2017 venue after it is revamped. *