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Upper Great Southern Footy League season kicks off this Saturday evening with Premiers Bodddington taking on Narrogin.

Boddington will a strong side again though losing Kane Ransted (WAFL), Captain Alex Townswnd (Kimberley),Craig Edberts (WAAFL) and Joe McCormack (Albany) to name a few. But as usual they will recruit solid and be a main Premiership candidate.

The come up against the Narrogin Hawks, who have under achieved over the past few years. The Hawks get former Coach Chris Wheatcroft who will add experience to the young side.

Katanning look likely to be improver this season with there young side with another season under there belt. Braden Crosby, Dean Fewson and Dusty Allen return, whilst Todd Hetherington and Laurie Collard have moved to the Peel League.

They should be too strong for a Wagin side who have lost Fairest & Best Todd Richards to Avon and Lance Daly (WAFL) and will rely on their youth coming through the grades.

Wickepin will be looking to improve and have gained Kodie Fleay from Perth , and they will take on Brookton/Pingelly who have recruited strongly including Scott Ugle from Peel.

Powerhouse Williams have lost a few good players in Mark Gilhome and Steele Morrell to WAAFL, but have recruited strongly from the SWFL. Kukerin/Dumbleyung have lost good players in Troy Ditchburn, Trent Joyce and Josh Ball but have been on a recruiting campaign to remain in finals contention, including Nathan Willmott and Bronson Leo from Claremont.

Selections Round 1, Boddington, Katanning, Brookton/Pingelly and Williams

After a few rounds it is turning out to be a very close season.
Prediction: 4th spot WILL come down to percentage!!

Williams - Benchmark
Boddington - Has the team to defend the title
Wickepin - Big Improvement on last year.
K/D - Strong as usual - do they have the depth?
Narrogin - Have the players, Fitness and consistency have let them down in recent past.
Katanning - Lost a few, gained a few. Will definately be in the fight for the 4.
B/P - Tough year ahead, can upset teams who dont respect them though
Wagin - Likely Spoon, Must rebuild around a core group of players.

A lot of quality out there this year, will be very competitve again at Landmark Carnival.

The Underdog wrote: After a few rounds it is turning out to be a very close season.
Prediction: 4th spot WILL come down to percentage!!

Williams - Benchmark
Boddington - Has the team to defend the title
Wickepin - Big Improvement on last year.
K/D - Strong as usual - do they have the depth?
Narrogin - Have the players, Fitness and consistency have let them down in recent past.
Katanning - Lost a few, gained a few. Will definately be in the fight for the 4.
B/P - Tough year ahead, can upset teams who dont respect them though
Wagin - Likely Spoon, Must rebuild around a core group of players.

A lot of quality out there this year, will be very competitve again at Landmark Carnival.

Fair summation Underdog. I will add my comments on from what I have seen

Williams - Benchmark/ Solid side again picked up some very good players to cover losses
Boddington - Has the team to defend the title/ Slow starters but will be there when the sparks start flying
Wickepin - Big Improvement on last year./ Back to earth Sunday, but capable of better, 4th at best
K/D - Strong as usual - do they have the depth?/ Have picked up a good core of younger players, top 3 material
Narrogin - Have the players, Fitness and consistency have let them down in recent past./ Will improve as season goes on, 4th at best
Katanning - Lost a few, gained a few. Will definately be in the fight for the 4/ Beat weaker teams cannot match better sides, 4th at best.
B/P - Tough year ahead, can upset teams who dont respect them though/ In for a long season
Wagin - Likely Spoon, Must rebuild around a core group of players./ In for a very longer season

Another week gone and Williams firm as favourites, Boddington and Kukerin/Dumbleyung right in the mix. Narrogin have stepped up and moved into the four whilst Wickepin and Katanning have dropped off in form the past two weeks. Brookton/Pingelly are having a crack but yet to win and poor old Wagin are struggling

Review here on Round 4 au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/regional/great...-wins-close-round-4/

With one round to the Landmark Carnival, the four almost looks settled but positions are up for grabs. Williams hold a nice break at the top, buy the three other sides Boddington, Kukerin/Dumbleyung and an improving Narrogin are not far off the mark, and an even finals series looks on the cards, but it will be a fight to the last round for positions and who gets the double chance. Of the battlers Katanning and Brookton/Pingelly both have played some fair football, but have dropped too many games. Wickepin need there best side on the paddock to be competitive, as they lack depth, and Wagin continue to struggle, with there young side hard triers but simply outclassed.

Week before finals and the Narrogin Hawks are the team on a surge to the top of the table with wins over other Finals aspirants Williams and Boddington and a final round clash with 4th placed Kukerin/Dumbleyung.

The Hawks kicked eight goals with the aid of a strong breeze against Williams, held them for two quarters before holding off a late charge from the Cats. The Hawks only kicked four goals after quarter time but the 50 point deficit was too much for Willaims to claw back.

Last week Narrogin smashed Boddington, who were severely under manned and were outclassed in the muddy conditions, with numerous players coming in to cover some very good Eagles players who were missing. As good as the hawks were hard to take a form line out of the match.

The possible chink in Narrogin's armour is toughness, and they will get a finals preview of what will be expected when they meet the Kukerin/Dumbleyung this Sunday who play a physical brand of Football.

Williams will finish second, and play a battling Brookton/Pingelly, before setting sail on a finals campaign. The Cats are an experiences side that play a solid brand of football, with there achillies heel been a lack of pace against quick sides. Expect them to make every final a toughin close dog fight.

Boddington struggle to get there best side on the paddock each week, but at full strenght can test anyone in the League. They will fine tune against a young Katanning side before a First semi next week against Kukerin Dumbleyung.

Kukerin/Dumbleyung will finish fourth, and no one is ever keen to play them in finals, but with the lack of a top Ruckmen they look hard pressed to advance after next weekend, but hard to completeley right them off as they have been a very good team for a longtime.

Of the teams going into mothballs Katanmning and Wickepin have had fair seasons, but tend to struggle when hit with injuries. Brookton/Pingelly look to have under achieved for the season, been competitive in so many games but unable to play four quarters of football. Poor Wagin have been obliterated all year with a very young and experienced side that has also been hit by injuries. The Club will be glad the season ends this Sunday, but must be on the ball from the word go to get competitive next year.

Finals start this Sunday at Katanning with last years premiers Boddington taking on Kukerin Dumbleyung in what promises to be a hard hitting close encounter.

With plenty of Ex WAFL players in both sides, experience is likely to play a big part, and star Boddington forward Brett Davis, is the one player Kukerin/Dumbleyung must stop.

Boddington hold the advantage in the ruck with former WAFL/SANFL player Rob De Jongh and Hayward, but Kukerin Dumbleyung work well as a team with a physical presence that makes the game hard and in close. If Boddington are allowed to run free it will be hard to hold Davis down who is capable of kicking a bag of goals

Boddington Kukerin/Dumbleyung
1 M.Salmeri 1 R.Taylor
2 D.Baker 3 A.Vaughn
3 A.Bland 6 T.Atkins
5 D.Beach 7 N.Wilmott
6 K.Hill 8 J.Doney
7 M.Guimelli 10 N.Ditchburn
8 B.Heeney 13 B.Leo
9 M.White 14 B.Lawrence
10 S.Moore 15 T.Cook
11 M.Larkins 16 P.Joyce
15 B.Edwards 18 K.Gooding
16 R.DeJongh 19 R.Gooding
17 D.Haywood 20 M.Roberts
18 T.Bruce 23 C.Davidson
20 C.Milne 25 A.Gray
21 D.Hassett 26 S.Miller
23 B.Davis 27 J.Ward
24 K.Lang 28 M.Mcwhirter
29 B.White 33 C.Doney
30 D.James 36 K.Patterson
31 D.Hay 38 S.Taylor
33 C.Salmon 45 G.Bolt
34 T.Fairclough 56 D.Gooding
45 P.Dawson 57 S.Jefferis

Yesterday was a brutal game of hard hitting football with Boddington surviving after running with a battered bench from half time and withstanding a third quarter fight back by Kukerin Dumbleyung.

Both sides felt each other out for the first ten minutes with little scoreboard action, before the Eagles pushed to a 12 point quarter time lead, but had already lost two players including handy mid fielder Tim Bruce.

The second quarter saw Boddington take there chances and the Cougars did not take theres, with Full forward Brett Davis taking charge Boddington took a match winning 33 point lead into the break.

Kukerin Dumbleyung came out in the third quarter knowing it was there last shot and the already hard hitting game kept getting casualties with Boddington Coach Brett Edwards off with Hamstring tigtness, his opponent Jon Ward broke free to goal before he succumbed to injury as well. The Cougars lost Jared Doney injured, so with both sides literally without a bench, Kukerin clawed back and two set shots late in the quarter could have had them back to 10 points at 3/4 time but both missed and the break difference was 21 points.

Boddington goaled early in the last and that was pretty well the ball game, though a strong tackle by Davis on Kukerin's Craig Doney, rendered him unconcious, Davis lucky to stay on the field.

At the final bell Boddington were victors and will need the weeks break as they left the field, the walking wounded.

FIRST SEMI FINALS AT QUARTERMAINE OVAL KATANNING


League:
Boddington 3.4 10.7 11.7 13.11 (89)
Kukerin/Dumbleyung 1.4 5.4 7.10 8.12 (60)


Goals: B - B Davis 5, S Moore 2, D Baker 1, D Beach 1, B Heeney 1, M White 1, R De Jong 1, C Milne 1; KD - T Akins 2, N Ditchburn 1,J Ward 1, C Doney 1, S Taylor 1,
G Blot 1, S Jefferis 1.


Best: B - R De Jongh, M Giumelli, D Baker, T Fairclough, B Heeney, K Land; KD - G Bolt, T Atkins, K Gooding, S Miller, P Joyce, M Roberts.

Veteran Williams mid fielder Jon Price won his third the Leo Graham Medal tonight for F&B in the UGSFL over Boddingtons Tim Bruce and former Peel player Quinton Bolton (Narrogin)

Great write up on Price here, one of the best country footballers I have seen play

Jonathon PRICE
200 League games - Williams Football Club v Wickepin (21/7/2013)
 200 games (19 finals) 186 goals
 Premierships 1997,2009,2010,2011. Fairest & Best 2001,2003,2004,2005.
 Leo Graham medal 2010, 2012. Captain 2004, 2005.
 League Coach 2009, 2010, 2011. 34 Games UGS.
 4 Country week titles 2004,2005,2009,2011. WA State country side 2005, 2009, 2010.
 All Australian Country side 2004. 2006 - 2008 North Mackay. 2 Premierships.
 M.J.Miller Medal (Association F& 2006, 2007, 2008.
 Association side 2006, 2007, 2008 - Captain twice.
 State Country side 2006, Qld player of the carnival 2008.
As the above resume shows Jon has achieved many personal and team successes during his long playing
career. Following his initial premiership in 1997 as a talented 16 year old he has continued to give great
service to the Williams football club.
From 2001 to 2005 Williams only played finals in 2002 (fourth) and 2003 (third) but during this period
Jon possibly played some of his best football winning 4 club Fairest &Best and although on a couple of
occasions he finished high up in the Leo Graham medal (a 2nd and 4th I think) its with some surprise to
me he didn’t win one.
It was during this period where he honed his skills in the packs and although often roving to a losing
ruck he became a tremendous clearance player.
In the words of Allan Jeans Jon is a very good player in traffic.
He was also now making his mark at Association level and was a key player in turning around the
fortunes of the UGS this marked by wins at Country week in 2004 and 2005.
Jon played with great distinction in his three years in Queensland with North Mackay and the State
Country side before he and Tracy returned in 2009.
The club in its wisdom appointed Jon league coach on his return and this proved to be a great decision.
Building on the work done in 2008 Williams under his control went on to win a hat trick of
Premierships. He is a good thinker of the game and has the ability to lead by example.
I think those qualities were no more evident than at halftime in the 2010 grand final at Wickepin against
Katanning. We were trailing in a low scoring game and the players were carrying on with the usual ra ra
talk and he stood up before them and said “in here (meaning the change rooms) is for thinking out there
is for talking so lets start to think about it”, he then spent the next 15 minutes on the trainers bench as
they tried to free up his back as he could barely move or bend over.
Just before the players were to go back out he stood and delivered what I thought was the perfect
message which was I don’t think they can play any better and we certainly can’t play any worse, he then
went back on the ground and led us back into the game and ultimately to a hard fought 15 point win.
Since his return Jon has achieved individual success winning the Leo Graham medal in 2010 and 2012
and all indications to this stage in season 2013 he may well add another this season.
Jon is currently coaching the UGS league side and last year with a relatively new and young side made
the final going down to the strong Peel side. At the time of writing this he was preparing to take charge
of the Uppers again, I hope they have gone OK.
I know he is starting to pull up a bit sore after games now like you do as you get older but on current
form he has still got a lot of good football left if he wants.
I also know he is very team driven so a couple more premierships for him and the club would be nice.
This Williams Football Club would like to thank Robert Duff for this write up and congratulate Jon on