GSFL OPINION: Railways forward line is the most important piece in their puzzle as they chase flag three-peat

In less than two months the 2023 Great Southern Football League premiership will be decided and Railways are chasing a historic but elusive third straight league flag. The club has on three occasions won back-to-back premierships (1985-86, 2012-13 and 2021-22) but in their previous two attempts failed to go on and clinch the coveted three-peat. The Tigers are firmly in the mix to content for this year’s premiership but the 2023 campaign hasn’t been without its challenges. The loss of competition star Matt Palfrey to the WAFL and then a knee injury, an early defeat at the hands of rivals Albany and now young key forward Clay Michael will miss the remainder of the year with a knee injury. That combined with the fact premiership players Ryley Valli, Xavier Brenton-Reed, Mohit Jaggi and Fraser Grant also won’t be there as the Tigers launch another finals campaign. So if the Tigers can win a third premiership in a row, it will be the best of them all. Their midfield is top level and their defence is very sound but the one question mark on the Tigers is their front half in the absence of Palfrey and co. They’ve had to change their forward line structure and last week against North Albany it certainly fired. Although it was against a side outside the top four, the Tigers forward line operated in a way that it hasn’t before. The long deep entry inside-50 in the bid to find a winning key forward are gone. Instead it’s short and precise ball movement before finding space and a leading small forward. Despite the situation they find themselves in, the Tigers have options and right now the ability to kick winning scores. Joel Want, a Kleemann medallist while playing as a midfielder, is now enjoying another brilliant season but this time as a hard leading and straight shooting forward. Kane Shephard is averaging two goals a game and Jack Steel had his best game of the season in the win against the Kangas. Zak Hortin (13 goals) and Logan Stubber (10) have also been reliable avenues to goal. The jury is still out on mid-season recruit Ray Daniels and the constant trial and testing of Bodhi Stubber as an occasional forward should be buried forever. In seven of their 11 games so far the Tigers have kicked 15 goals or more and that is the reason they sit on top of the ladder with a month left in the regular season. There are big tests to come, starting with an away trip to Sounness Park and then big games against the Sharks and the rapidly improving Royals but a top two finish is secure and from there the Tigers can attack a three-peat. This is the club’s best chance at a slice of history and if their forward line continues to operate in this new way, it will take them deep into another GSFL finals series.