Great Southern football great honoured

If there is a game of football being played in the Great Southern, there is a fair chance Jim Hull will be there.

The man renowned as the voice of country football in the region was last week recognised with life membership of the WA Country Football League, an honour he says he will hold close to his chest.

“I am very proud,” Hull said. “That’s my sixth life membership. To receive something like that, which is Statewide, is a very great honour.”

The retired farmer, who is a life member of the Great Southern Football League and now defunct Tambellup Football Club, has also held the position of president on the Great Southern Football Council and the former Central Great Southern Football League.

But he is perhaps best known for his legendary radio calls of the game he shared with good friend Peter Sheridan for 30 years before switching off the microphone in 2011.

Hull’s 63-year involvement with country football started when he was a boundary umpire for the Tambellup Football Club in 1950 as a 12-year-old. “I was never much of a player, I played a lot of reserves and a little bit of league,” he said.

“It is such a wonderful game. It has been a big part of my life.”

Having watched countless matches in the Great Southern, Upper Great Southern, Lower South West and Ongerup football leagues over the years, Hull said it was the people who continued to draw him to games every weekend.

“I’m not a fanatic of AFL. I want to get out there where the people are, that’s me,” he said.

“There is nothing better than walking into the changeroom of a small country side and seeing these people prepare to represent their town.

“But it is getting harder for these people, there is no doubt about that.”