Around The Leagues: Laurie earns State coach gig, Arthur shines on big stage & Uppers mates together again

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. State coach honours for Denmark trailblazer Denmark’s Parris Laurie will coach in a State game for the second consecutive year. The former West Coast Eagles ruck is coaching Wembley in the Perth Football League and this week was announced as the head coach of the PFL State women’s team. Laurie coached the State women’s side to a two-point win over the WA Country Football League last year and also guided Wembley to a B-grade flag. This year Laurie has pulled the boots back on as a player-coach, with Wembley unbeaten and on top of the A-grade women’s ladder. This year the State women’s side will tackle the Victorian Amateur Football Association on July 15 in Victoria. It will be a double header at Elsternwick Park with the State men’s team also in action. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity to help 23 women get exposure for their hard work and talent,” Laurie said. “It’s really exciting that the team gets to play interstate this year and potentially open doors for these girls and their futures in football. “We’ve seen girls drafted from the PFL and I feel privileged to be selected to help these girls continue to develop their skills and their love for the game.” Former South Fremantle player Craig White, who is coaching A-grade for Curtin Uni Wesley, will be in charge of the State men’s team. Arthur’s star shining bright Mt Barker-raised Arthur Jones is relishing his chance at AFL level this season after making his debut in round three. The clever small forward has played seven games with the Western Bulldogs this season and injected some real spark in their front half. Jones kicked a crucial goal to go with 14 disposals, five tackles and six score involvements in their win over Carlton last week and in round eight he booted two goals from 12 touches in the win over Greater Western Sydney. The 19-year-old is a proud Yamatji and Menang Noongar man and this week appeared on the Bulldogs’ social media platforms wearing their 2023 Indigenous guernsey. The Bulldogs and Jones will wear the specially designed jumper as part of Sir Doug Nicholls Round this weekend when they face Adelaide. The club will also wear their Indigenous guernsey in round 11 against Gold Coast and in round 17 when they face Collingwood during NAIDOC Week. Becroft kicking goals for the Tigers Albany’s Rachael Becroft is loving her time on the footy field and she’s having plenty of impact as well. Having moved to Perth after school in Albany, Becroft has spent the last four years playing footy with the Canning South Perth Tigers. The Tigers women’s side are playing in B-grade of the Perth Football League and sit fourth on the ladder with a 4-1 record early in the season. The 22-year-old kicked three vital goals last Saturday as the Tigers won by 28 points over Coolbellup. The crafty forward has kicked five goals in five games this year. The Tigers have a strong Albany connection with Jonah Muir, Kieran Loveridge, Josh Alison, Matthew Barnes, Hudson O’Dea and Brendan Crudeli also playing in their men’s teams. Mates from the grassroots days in Upper Great Southern Around The Leagues was sent this cracking photo that has been some years in the making. Pictured are four players from the Upper Great Southern region who have remained mates and now featured in their first league game together after four years in the WAFL system. Tom Blechynden (Brookton-Pingelly), Jarrod Salmeri (Boddington), George Wessels (Boddington) and Nathan Spooner (Wagin) all played together for South Fremantle’s team as they beat East Perth last week. Wessels kicked two goals and Blechynden continued his superb season, named in the best players with 28 touches and nine tackles They are pictured alongside Bulldogs head physiotherapist Rachael Mottershead, who is from Boddington. It is a big week for the region with Blechynden making his WA debut on Friday in the State clash with South Australia in Adelaide. Mottershead has also made the trip across as the WA physio. Great Southern’s link to the Goldfields There are two familiar names playing good footy in the Goldfields Football League. North Albany’s Jack Steel and Mt Barker’s Jordan Reid have both found themselves in the GFL playing for Railways. The pair spent time in the WAFL after leaving the Great Southern and are now a key part of the Panthers outfit way out east. Steel, who tied for the GFL’s top honour the Mitchell Medal last year, has kicked 14 goals in four games this season for the top-of-the-table Panthers. Reid has been in the best players in all bar one game in 2023 and has also booted seven goals. The Panthers have lost just one of their first five games this season as they try to win back-to-back league premierships. Got a footy story from our region to share? Email cameron.newbold@albanyadvertiser.com