Around The Leagues: Major milestones for Mitch McGovern and Liam Baker plus the makeshift Magpies get a win

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. 100 up for youngest McGovern North Albany product Mitch McGovern will reach a significant personal milestone on Sunday when he plays his 100th AFL game. McGovern was drafted from Claremont to the Adelaide Crows where he played 48 games before making the switch to Carlton. Despite being troubled by injuries in his five seasons with the Blues, the 28-year-old recently played his 50th game for the club. The Blues will tackle Essendon in a blockbuster at the MCG on Sunday where McGovern will reach his 100-game milestone. The rebounding defender and younger brother of West Coast star and vice-captain Jeremy is enjoying one of his best seasons with the Blues having played 11 games already this season. That figure has already bettered the five and seven game tallies he played in disrupted seasons in 2021 and 2022 respectively. McGovern is in the fifth and final year of a lucrative contract with the Blues but there has been speculation that he wants to play alongside his older brother before their AFL careers end. Jeremy, 31, is in the final year of a six-year contract but is set to re-sign with the club to make him an Eagle for life. Baking up a milestone Dual Richmond premiership player Liam Baker will celebrate his 100th AFL game in front of family and friends. The WA boy reaches the 100-game milestone this weekend when his beloved Tigers take on Fremantle at Optus Stadium. His proud parents Kim and Karen, who have a wheat and sheep farm in Pingaring, have watched their son grow from a cheeky teenager playing for the Lake Grace-Pingrup Bombers into an accomplished AFL player at Punt Road. Baker put behind him the disappointment of missing out in the 2016 national draft and the Tigers took a punt on the 173cm talent, selecting him in the 2017 rookie draft. From there the tenacious Baker has won two AFL premierships in 2019 and 2020, finished second in the Tigers’ best and fairest count in 2021 and was last year recognised as the AFL Players Association most courageous player. There will be plenty of support in the stands on Saturday night as the larger than life Baker chalks up his century. The makeshift Magpies get the job done It was unusual and unheard of but it happened. Denmark-Walpole had lost their past nine games, were winless so far in a difficult start to 2023 and were just lacking some real energy around the place. However the Benno Napier Memorial Game helped changed that as the Magpies broke the drought last Saturday. The Magpies surprised many before the bounce as they brought in 13 players from outside their club to play a one-off game. A group of 10 from Napier’s club in Perth had a special link to the game itself, having wanted to be a part of it for some years. The Wesley Curtin crew came down to spend time with Napier’s family in Denmark while pulling on the Magpies jumper in a fitting touch. Further north, Boddington had the bye in the Upper Great Southern Football League and two players Zak Pretty and Sam Wiranata made the trip down while former player Luke Hutcheson returned from Perth to help the club out. The Magpies played superior footy and ran out 63-point winners over North Albany before the majority of the players had to read the words of the team song up on the change room wall. People can have their own views on the decision to play such a different team but it was great to see the Magpies on the winners’ list, even if just for one week. Schloithe takes to the field in a different way WAFL star and Sandover medallist Haiden Schloithe was part of Katanning Wanderers’ 100-year celebrations but just not in a playing capacity. Schloithe has been playing for North Fremantle in the Perth Football League since his retirement from the WAFL. The brilliant midfielder was set to play for his junior club on Saturday however, as part of their centenary celebrations. The move however didn’t eventuate and Schloithe didn’t take to the field as a player, despite initially being named in the Tigers’ team to take on Wickepin. Instead Schloithe took up the role as water boy and the Tigers soared to a terrific win, thumping the previously unbeaten Warriors by 91 points in round eight of the Upper Great Southern Football League competition. There was a big crowd on hand at Quartermaine Oval to mark the 100-year celebrations and they have plenty to cheer about with their league side now sitting on top of the ladder. The Tigers played in special heritage jumpers and local product Kade Stewart won the best-on-ground medal for the clash while his brother Tim Stewart booted five goals in the win. Six snags for high-flying Tom Royals junior Tom Edwards enjoyed a career-best day out in the WAFL last week. Edwards, the son of decorated Royals player Leith Edwards, kicked six goals for Swan Districts in their dominant league win over West Coast. The talented 23-year-old forward has kicked bags of five goals before but his 6.2 was a career best at WAFL level in front of the big sticks. Edwards produced an outstanding display with 22 disposals, six marks and four inside-50s and ended up with some stitches for his efforts as the Swans won by 81 points. He has kicked 14 goals in eight league games this season. Edwards also received a nomination for WAFL Mark of the Week for round eight. It is the same award that Edwards won last year, picking up $5000 after being judged the winner by footy fans. Got a footy story from our region to share? Email cameron.newbold@albanyadvertiser.com