Around The Leagues: Flag triumph in Exmouth, big bag of goals for spearhead and star forward back in the fold

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. Premiership glory in the Gascoyne Former Railways midfielder Ethan Rowe has landed himself a flag while playing in the north of the State. Rowe played for the Tigers league side in the Great Southern Football League in 2019 and 2020 but has since moved north and found himself playing in the Gascoyne Football Association. He was part of the Exmouth Eagles’ winning grand final team last Saturday, as they beat the Rambler Tigers by 112 points at Talanjee Oval in Exmouth. The premiership triumph capped off a perfect season for the Eagles, winning all eight games in the regular season. There are only three teams in the GFA but the Eagles were a dominant force on grand final day, kicking 11 goals in the opening half and holding their rivals to just three after the long break. Rowe was delighted to play in a flag with the Eagles who won comfortably, 24.17 (161) to 7.7 (49). He played alongside Blake Schlensog, a former Geelong-listed defender. Schlensog played for the Geelong Falcons and then the Cats VFL side before moving to WA and spending two years in the WAFL system with South Fremantle. Legs 11 for Laurie It was goals galore in the Upper Great Southern Football League and Katanning Wanderers spearhead Laurence Collard didn’t miss out. Collard kicked a season-high 11 goals to lead his side to a massive win over the lowly Narrogin in round 15 on Sunday at Quartermaine Oval. The ladder leader Tigers side kicked 37 goals and Collard’s bag of 11 took his season tally to 60 from 13 matches. Partner in crime Haiden Schloithe bagged seven majors in the 194-point rout while Caleb Keley chipped in with five. Collard, who played reserves with South Fremantle in 2012, is 25 majors clear of Keley in the race for the leading goalkicker award. With two rounds left to play in the regular season, the Tigers sit on top of the ladder by percentage over Wickepin. Both sides have 44 points to their name while Williams are clear in third spot on 36 and reigning premiers Boddington are fourth with 28 points. Kukerin-Dumbleyung registered their first win of 2023 of the season as former GSFL player Coen Marwick finished with nine goals in their 52-point triumph against Wagin. Delacey back in the league mix Talented Great Southern footballer Talon Delacey has been brought back into Claremont’s league team after returning from injury last week. Delacey, who hails from North Albany, played his first game back from injury in the reserves against East Fremantle and finished with 15 disposals, six marks and four tackles. He is one of three changes for the Tigers league team as they prepare to face Peel Thunder in a crucial clash at Lane Group Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Delacey has kicked 23 goals in 12 games and was sidelined since round 13 because of a cork. Fellow Great Southern player Tyron Smallwood (concussion) is one of three players out of the Tigers side from their loss to the Sharks last week. Captain and North Albany junior Declan Mountford still remains out of the team with injury while returning key forward Timm House will play at least another week in the reserves as he works his way back from a serious knee injury. Great Southern pair Morgan Davies and Kieran Gowdie are listed as emergencies in the Tigers league team. Trio join WAFL 200 club This week Great Southern pair Jeremy McGovern and Angus Dewar along with Upper Great Southern’s Haiden Schloithe were recognised by the WAFL. The trio were among the latest WA players or umpires to have played in 200 or more games. McGovern has played 169 AFL games in a decorated career with West Coast that includes a premiership and All-Australian jackets. He has also played 31 league games with Claremont to take his tally to 200. Dewar, formerly Litherland, played 25 AFL games with Hawthorn and 71 for their VFL side Box Hill plus a one-off game as a COVID top-up player for West Coast. The star defender has played 112 WAFL games to surpass the 200-game total. Katanning Wanderers product Schloithe played 200 league games for South Fremantle, which included winning the 2017 Sandover Medal. They were recognised alongside Tim Kelly, Leigh Kitchen, Jye Bolton, Cam Eardley and umpires Ryan Shelton and Sam Hunter. Got a footy story from our region to share? Email cameron.newbold@albanyadvertiser.com