Around The Leagues: House brothers return to Gnowangerup, Kojonup begin title defence, GSFLW prelim preview

The Advertiser brings you Around The Leagues, taking a look at football stories of players and personalities from the Great Southern, Ongerup and Upper Great Southern regions. The walls are back on Gnowangerup’s big House Brilliant brothers Timm and Fraser House will play together again for Gnowangerup in the Ongerup Football Association this year. Former Geelong-listed key position player Timm will play for his home club having finished a stint with Claremont in the WAFL. Last year, a knee injury limited Timm to two reserves games for Claremont, one for Gnowangerup and one for University. Fraser missed the entire 2023 season with an ACL injury but the State country midfielder will return in a big boost for the Bulldogs. The pair will significantly strengthen the Bulldogs, who won three straight premierships from 2000-2002 but were knocked out in last year’s elimination final. Round one begins on Saturday with reigning premiers Newdegate hosting the Bulldogs in a spicy encounter while grand finalists Lake Grace-Pingrup, hungry for retribution, host 2023 wooden-spooners Jerramungup. Kojonup suit up to defend their 2023 premiership Kojonup’s Lower South West Football League title defence will officially start this weekend when they square off with Boyup Brook at home on Saturday. The Cougars celebrated their centenary spectacularly with a gripping overtime victory in last year’s decider against minor premiers Bridgetown. A Cougars goal after the siren forced the two to play 10 minutes of extra time before clinching a 10-point victory — their 15th premiership. The Roos enter the fixture on the back of a thrilling eight-point round one triumph over the 2023 runners-up. The round two clash between the Cougars and the Roos bounces down at 2.05pm this Saturday at Kojonup Sporting Complex. Bulls host Tigers in GSFLW prelim for spot in decider Railways hope to keep their dream Great Southern Football League Women’s finals run alive when they face the Bulls in the preliminary final in Mt Barker on Friday evening. The Tigers overcame a slow start to upset last year’s premiers Royals in a rousing elimination final on Friday, ending their cross-town rival’s season prematurely. Meanwhile, the Bulls will be out to avoid a disastrous end to their season with a straight sets exit looming after they were downed by last year’s grand finalists Albany in the qualifying final on Friday. The Bulls left their comeback slightly too late, defeated by just three points by the Sharks at Retravision Stadium. The match bounces down at 6.45pm on Friday at Sounness Park with the winner advancing to the big dance against the Sharks. The GSFLW fairest and best winner will be announced on Saturday night. The past two winners Laura Cinanni (2023) and Taylah Orzel (2022) now play at Claremont. Panthers back in action After a year out of the Upper Great Southern Football League, Brookton-Pingelly are back for 2024. The Panthers chose not to field any teams in 2023 after the club was fined $20,000 and lost eight premiership points for WA Country Football League salary cap breaches in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. However, they are once again determined to take to the field with league, reserves and D-grade sides playing in the new UGSFL campaign. Ben Perry will coach the Panthers league side and several former players have returned after the hiatus. Brayden Fairhead, Antonio Brizzi, Daniel Trevaskis and Jack Walsh are among the Panthers’ big names. The new UGSFL season starts on April 27 with the Panthers’ first game on the road against Narrogin before hosting their first home game in Pingelly on May 4. Leaders of the pack in Perth Football League The new Perth Football League season A-grade captains feature some familiar faces. Great Southern pair Claire Roocke and Parris Laurie are set to lead their respective women’s teams in 2024. Roocke, who hails from Walpole, captains Curtin Uni Wesley’s women’s A-grade side. Former West Coast ruck Laurie is the skipper of Wembley’s top women’s team. Brookton junior Mitch Gill will captain North Beach’s men’s A-grade team for the second straight year. The new PFL season began on April 6.