The South West Football League showed once again that they are the crème de la crème of country football when they took out the division one premiership at this year’s Landmark Country Football Championships.
The side suffered only one loss throughout the round robin matches to the Great Northern Football League, the same side they went on to claim a 14 point victory over in the grand final.
The South West opened the carnival by making a statement when they demolished the Upper Great Southern Football League side 37 points.
Bunbury Bulldog and ex-Subiaco Lion Aidan Parker put on a show with five goals in the game one victory.
Game two may not have been as convincing but the South West was able to claim an 11 point win over the Lower South West.
Parker kicked another two goals in the win to take his day one tally to seven while South West co-captain and Busselton Magpie Daniel McGinlay was a force in the midfield.
Day two’s first match saw the South West take on fellow undefeated side Avon Football Association.
Avon was exposed in the clash that resulted in a 19 point win for the South West and assured a grand final appearance.
However the South West league side experienced their first loss of the carnival when they played the GNFL side in their final round robin match.
The GNFL’s Dale Williamson ran amok over the South West’s backline booting six majors in a 24 point win for his side.
But the South West was able to regain players for the grand final who were unavailable on day two and take out a 9.16.70 to 8.8.56 victory over the GNFL.
Bunbury’s Jesse Gribble amassed possessions around the ground while fellow Bulldogs Marc Re and Parker kicked three goals each.
McGinlay took out the Jock Coleman Trophy given to the fairest and best player for the carnival while South West coach Crandon Keddie took home the Dick Smith memorial award for best coach at the championships.
The South West had four players selected in the division one All-Stars in McGinlay, Gribble, Eaton’s Michael Battaglia and Donnybrook’s Simon Parry.
