GSFL 2023: Round five played as part of Belt-Up Round as WACFL marks 25 years with road safety message

North Albany will be without co-captain Nick Barrow for their intriguing clash with Royals, as part of Belt-Up Round in the Great Southern Football League this weekend. Barrow has a broken finger and will miss the round five clash at Collingwood Park as they Kangas chase their second win of the season. The Lions will also be in search of their second win of 2023 and Barrow expected it to be a hot contest. “It’s going to be pretty even I reckon, both teams have a few players out and some coming back so it should be a good contest between two pretty young teams,” he said. “I think Kobi Keen might be a chance to come back in this weekend which will help out a lot but we’ll have to see. “I won’t be playing unfortunately after I broke my finger on the weekend against the Bulls. “Belt-Up is an important round for the league and everyone involved, it’s a very important part of the fixtures and we’re looking forward to it.” Belt-Up Round runs from May 19-21 in country leagues around the State. This marks the 25th year of partnership between the WA Country Football League and the Insurance Commission in promoting the Belt Up road safety message. The round has a special significance for the 12,500 country football players, as many know someone affected by a road crash. To remember those injured or killed on the road, players will hold a minute of silence before league games this weekend. All league footballs and player uniforms continue to carry the Belt Up logo for this and every round of senior men’s and women’s football in regional WA. To celebrate the 25th year of the WACFL’s partnership with the Belt-Up message, special guernseys have been designed to be presented post-match to the best player in each team across every women’s, men’s and colts fixtures in country WA. WAFC country football and facilities executive manager Tom Bottrell said that Belt-Up Round helped drive better behaviour on country roads. “The Belt-Up message is synonymous with country football in WA and we can’t be more proud than to be celebrating 25 years of helping to make our roads safer in country WA,” he said. Belt-Up Round in the GSFL will start on Saturday with Denmark-Walpole hosting Railways at McLean Park while Albany will look to extend their unbeaten streak when they face Mt Barker at Retravision Stadium.