Strong team named for Ongerup Football Association in division two title quest at country football champs

Ongerup Football Association are confident they can challenge for the division two title at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships in Perth this week. The championships return in full this year after being cancelled in 2020 and then only women’s and colts’ divisions were played last year. Ongerup fell short of reaching the division two grand final in 2019, missing out by percentage, and coach Chris Walker says that result is driving his side to perform better in this year’s expanded seven-team competition. The division will contain Eastern Districts, North Midlands, Mortlock, Ongerup, Central Midlands Coastal, Gascoyne and Central Wheatbelt. Ongerup have named a strong squad, including star midfielders Luke Bairstow and Fraser House. That pair have been named co-captains for the carnival. Bairstow won the trophy as the best and fairest player in division 2 in 2019 and was an All-Star alongside ruckman Jayden Brooks. Brooks and Jeremy Walker will lead the ruck for Ongerup this year to complement Bairstow and tough ball-winner House. Nelson Kent is also expected to play a big role in the middle. Campbell Floyd, Tyson Prater, Dean Rintoul and Brandon Wise are part of a strong defensive unit and up forward Ongerup will have star goal kicker Lewis Davis and Arron Russell as their main targets. “I’m really happy with the squad,” Chris Walker said. “We have a couple of blokes out through injury but this is as good as we can take up. “Last time we got close (to the grand final) so that’s what we are aiming for. “We are definitely shooting to win it and a few blokes have got fire in their belly from that last carnival. “It will be a bit harder this time, we can’t afford to drop a game but hopefully we can be competitive and make the final.” All division 2 qualifying games will be played at New Choice Homes Park, East Fremantle. Ongerup start will a clash against Mortlock at 10.30am on Friday and then meet Central Midlands Coastal at 2.30pm. On Saturday they face North Midlands at 12.30pm and then do battle with Gascoyne at 3.30pm. The division 2 grand final will be played at the WACA at 11am on Sunday. OFA Team Aaron Winters (Jerramungup), Campbell Floyd (Gnowangerup), Edward Moir (Boxwood Hill), Arron Russell (Newdegate), Will Cook (Lake Grace-Pingrup), Luke Bairstow (Lake Grace-Pingrup), George Bungey (Boxwood Hill), Jack Carruthers (Lake Grace-Pingrup), Jacob Hemley (Gnowangerup), Leighton Smith (Lake Grace-Pingrup), Fraser House (Gnowangerup), Tristan Ballard (Newdegate), Samuel Bertola (Lake Grace-Pingrup), Jack Batchelor (Gnowangerup), Tyson Prater (Lake Grace-Pingrup), Jarrad Offer (Newdegate), Lewis Davis (Gnowangerup), Brandon Wise (Gnowangerup), Ian Lloyd (Newdegate), Jayden Brooks (Jerramungup), Jeremy Walker (Boxwood Hill), Ethan Caldwell (Gnowangerup), Dean Rintoul (Newdegate), Thomas Hicks (Jerramungup), Chris Wollaston (Newdegate), Beau Vaux (Boxwood Hill), Nelson Kent (Newdegate), Mitchell O’Neill (Lake Grace-Pingrup, Hayden Richter (Boxwood Hill), Liam Phillips (Gnowangerup)