The West Australian’s sports reporters take a look at what’s happening in the country and amateur leagues around WA in this weekly column.
West Coast champions Josh Kennedy and Lewis Jetta produced plenty of highlights for thousands of fans who headed to Denmark’s McLean Park on Saturday to take in their country football comebacks.
As part of the Carlton Draft initiative, the pair featured in Denmark-Walpole’s Great Southern Football League clash with Royals. Kennedy donned the white and black of the hosts, while Jetta, his skilful teammate from the Eagles’ 2018 premiership-winning side, lined up for the visitors.
Jetta headed to the back-line at the start of the game to line up on Kennedy before the pair quickly went their separate ways.
After missing some early opportunities, Kennedy managed to finish with five goals, while Jetta was also among his side’s best performers and kicked three majors.
Scores were knotted at half-time of the contest before the Magpies produced an 11-goal to five second half to power to a 17.12 (114) to 11.14 (80) victory.
Once the final siren had sounded, the star pair graciously stuck around for hundreds of signatures and selfies, with both praising the atmosphere of the day.
“It’s always good to come out and play in the country,” Jetta said.
“At the end of the day, that’s grassroots, that’s where it all started, so for us, the big fella and I, to come down to today means the world to you guys, but it also means that to us.”
Kennedy said he felt “lucky” to be down in Denmark and see the crowd turn out for the game.
“It was fantastic football,” he said.
“I suppose for us coming down and then drawing a crowd — you don’t really think that we would, but it’s great to see everyone being involved and getting around the football club.
“It’s such a great community.”
Magpies player-coach James Charlesworth — who joked he held bragging rights over Kennedy, having himself slotted six goals — said it was an outstanding occasion for the GSFL and the town alike.
“JK has been here since Thursday and was with the under-14s, under-16s, all the way through to seniors, and he’s just been great to have around — he’s participating in everything that we that we do as as normal for our club, and Jetta was the same for Royals,” Charlesworth said.
-Melissa Sheil, Albany Advertiser
Champion Dockers swim with the Sharks
Kennedy and Jetta were not the only former top-level stars in action in country football on Saturday.
Fremantle AFLW stalwarts Kara and Ebony Antonio headed to Dunsborough to line up in their South West Football League women’s clash against Donnybrook.
And Ebony’s influence on the contest proved particularly telling. The 2022 All Australian slotted all four of the Sharks’ goals to inspire them to a 10-point victory, their first of the season.
The Antonios were not the first former Dockers to have lined up for the Sharks. In what was their first year fielding senior sides in the SWFL in 2023, the legendary David Mundy played a one-off game for the club, helping steer them to what was just their second win at league level.
Sandgropers set for Croweaters challenge
The State country team which will head to South Australia and attempt to improve on a record of only three wins from 12 games against their Croweater counterparts has been named.
Coach Craig Otto has opted to make several changes from the side which went down by 45 points to a representative Perth Football League side last month.
Some of their notable additions include former West Coast WAFL and West Perth winger Jason Gilbee — who is now lining up for Central Midlands Coastal league side Dandaragan after a mid-season retirement from the State league — one-time St Kilda and Claremont forward Tom Lee and former Peel Thunder star Traye Bennell.
The game, which will be played at Barossa Park in Lyndoch, is set to start at 5.30pm WA time and will be available to stream for free on SANFL Now.
WA Country team: Eli Alexander (Hyden/Karlgarin/EDFL), Tom Baldwin (Narembeen/EDFL), Isaac Baum (Albany/GSFL), Traye Bennell (Kellerberrin/Tammin, AFL), Jason Carter (Collie/SWFL), Jason Gilbee, Robert Warrell (both Dandaragan/CMCFL), Tom Gorter (South Bunbury/SWFL), Josh Harris (Cervantes/CMCFL), Brett Hill (Centrals/PNFL), Timm House (Gnowangerup/OFA), Jye Clark, Tye Kemp (both Halls Head/PNFL), Tom Lee, Ben Rushforth (both Quairading/AFA), Simon Panizza (Williams/UGSFL), Jayden Schofield (Chapman Valley/GNFL), Bodhi Stubber (Railways/GSFL), Mitch Tenardi (Busselton/SWFL), Koopah Todd (Boulder/GFL), Andrew Walsh (Rockingham/PNFL), Dylan Winton, Brody Wemm (Pinjarra/PNFL).
Got a country or amateur sports story worth telling? Email josh.kempton@wanews.com.au
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