West Australian Football

The West Australian Country Football League released its Annual Report at the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday, February 6.

Season 2009 proved to be a great year for Country Football with record participation numbers exceeding 27,000. There was also record funding distributed to the Leagues through grants sponsorships and rebates in 2009.

FORMER Kojonup junior and East Fremantle back-man Kyle Hardingham was selected with pick seven in yesterday’s AFL Pre-season Draft and will head to Essendon to commence his AFL career, highlighting another strong crop of country recruits.

Six country players were selected in last month’s AFL National Draft including Anthony Morabito from Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault, Bunbury excitement machine Lewis Jetta, Lake Grace’s Nat Fyfe, Gerrick Weedon from Broome, Eaton’s Aaron Black (pictured) and Margaret River's Ben Stratton – four of which were picked in the top 25.

FOOTBALL development in regional Western Australia will come under new leadership heading into the 2010 season following the appointment of five new RFDC Chairmen.

The recent announcement of Paul Omodei as new South West RFDC Chairman has been followed by the appointment of Tony Power as Goldfields Chairman, Damien Leeson as Midlands Chairman, Michael Kain as Wheatbelt Chairman and Peter Watson (pictured) as Great Southern Chairman.

AN initial squad of 54 country players has been selected to begin preparations for next year’s Australian Country Football Championship in Canberra.

The group will play its first intra-squad practice match as a curtain-raiser to the West Coast Eagles and Port Adelaide AFL fixture at Subiaco Oval on April 3, 2010, with subsequent practice games to be played against the WA State Amateurs and WA State 18s in May.

FORMER State Cabinet Minister and Liberal Party leader, Paul Omodei, has taken over the leadership of the South West Regional Football Development Council after Kevin Lynn stepped down as Chairman after six successful years. 

Omodei has a great passion for the game with strong links to the Lower South West Football League and in particular with Southerners Football Club in Pemberton.