Country Championships: Great Southern and Central Midlands Coastal unbeaten in division two after opening day

Great Southern produced a stellar opening day of the division two senior competition to be one of two unbeaten teams, the highlight knocking off powerhouse side Upper Great Southern on Friday. After being promoted up to division two of the Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships this year, Great Southern proved they belong after two superb victories at HIF Health Insurance Stadium. Facing perennial division one outfit Upper Great Southern in their first clash, Great Southern stunned many with a two-point victory. Great Southern then backed that up with an impressive 21-point win against Eastern Districts and sit second on the ladder, percentage behind Central Midlands Coastal who are also unbeaten. Upper Great Southern kicked an early goal in their meeting with Great Southern but two majors from Darcy Clarke and one from Jayden Scott had Great Southern up by 15 points at half time. Smooth midfielder Ryley Valli then put Great Southern 21 points up early in the second half before Upper Great Southern stormed back into the contest. Key forward Will Wiggett and Malachi Bolton trimmed the deficit and when Wiggett added his second, the nerves started to grow for Great Southern as they led by just three points with more than three minutes to play. Great Southern defended strongly in the final minutes to cling on to one of their best championship wins of this decade, 4.3 (27) to 4.1 (25). In their second game against Eastern Districts, who kicked with the aid of the breeze in the first half, Great Southern trailed by five points at the break. Four unanswered goals in the second half completed a statement day in the competition, as they put themselves firmly in the hunt to play in Sunday’s grand final. Former AFL star Brett Peake put Great Southern in front and then Travis Conn extended the margin from the goal line. Inspirational skipper Isaac Baum, who was outstanding in game two, then stepped around an opponent and banged home another goal on the run before Clarke sealed the deal, turning to the crowd and pumping his fists as Great Southern went two from two, 6.6 (42) to 3.3 (21). Central Midlands Coastal are in the box seat to qualify for the grand final, having beaten Ongerup by 13 points and then crushing North Pilbara by 45 points. Former Subiaco player Rhys Waters was electric for Central Midlands Coastal, kicking two goals in both victories. With a percentage of 300 at the top of the ladder, Central Midlands Coastal face Eastern Districts and Upper Great Southern on Saturday. Upper Great Southern kept their carnival alive after a gritty 33-point win over Ongerup. Ongerup failed to kick a goal in the loss as Ryan Melvin, Simon Panizza and Jordan Heil powered their side to a much-needed result. Cooper Schulz kicked two goals while Bolton, Wiggett and Kayle Kirby also contributed as Upper Great Southern jumped to third in the standings with a strong percentage ahead with games against Eastern Districts and Central Midlands Coastal to come. Eastern Districts got their first win of the championships as Rhori Williams-Jolley and Codan Daddow kicked two goals each to steer their side to a 36-point triumph over North Pilbara to close out day one. Former Geelong midfielder Sam Menegola is on Ongerup’s team list but didn’t play on Friday and their title hopes are all but over after blowing a strong start in the opener. Going against the breeze, Ongerup trailed by only three points against Central Midlands Coastal but never fired a shot in the second half. WAFL premiership midfielder Justin Joyce dominated in the first-up loss but even the move to swing Timm House forward in game two couldn’t turn the tables. Both Ongerup and North Pilbara are without a win. Great Southern had good players everywhere but Morgan Davies and Bodhi Stubber were highly influential in the back half. Daniel Patching, Valli and Jayden Scott were instrumental in the middle of the ground while Baum and Clarke provided class forward of the ball. Tristan Ballard and Robbie Lee are expected to come into the Great Southern side on Saturday for games at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with North Pilbara first-up and then Ongerup in the afternoon.