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.
Harwood to Lead PFL Again
The coach of the Perth Football League side for last year’s historic win over the Victorian Amateur Football Association in Victoria has been retained for next month’s clash with the State’s best country footballers.
Jackson Harwood, who masterminded the first ever win over the VAFA in Victoria for the competition’s representative side and coaches PFL A-grade premiership contenders Kingsway, will head up the team which will take on a Country Football WA outfit on June 19.
This year’s PFL side will be without some of their stars from their stunning upset of the VAFA, with former West Coast midfielder Connor West and dual-sport star Clint Hinchliffe among their big names who have returned to the WAFL.
While admitting there would be something of a “changing of the guard” in the team, Harwood said his group would also retain plenty of representative experience.
“A lot comes down to who’s available and who can commit, but we felt we got it pretty right last year,” Harwood said. “It’s another opportunity to test yourself and put together the strongest side available against quality opposition.”
The city-against-country game will be played at HIF Health Insurance Oval.
Women’s Side Led by Kowald
The regional side are yet to announce their men’s coach for the clash, but will be led by Sheridan Kowald in the women’s contest.
Kowald is a two-time premiership coach with Mt Barker in the Great Southern Football League women’s competition and had served as an assistant coach to Rennie Meadmore with the representative side in recent years.
“I’m really looking forward to working with a talented group of players and building a strong, connected team,” Kowald said.
April premiers to be crowned in Albany
The two combatants for what is surely the first football grand final in WA in 2026 have been set.
In Friday night’s GSFL women’s season decider, Railways will be looking to cap off a strong season against Albany at Retravision Stadium.
The two teams clashed in a close qualifying final two weeks ago, which the minor premier Tigers won by three points. The Sharks responded by notching a 24-point preliminary final victory over Denmark-Walpole to book their place in the grand final for the second year running.
Railways are captained by former Hockeyroo Kathryn Slattery, who was crowned the winner of the competition’s best and fairest award last week.
A new premier will be crowned regardless of the result of the game, with the winners of the 2024 and 2025 grand finals Mt Barker suffering a thrilling one-point loss to the Magpies in the elimination final.
Got a country or amateur sports story worth telling? Email josh.kempton@wanews.com.au
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