FANS of Footy HQ and the South West Football League have voted and let us know which players they would like to see in the league’s 2015 Landmark Country Football Championship side.
Three weeks ago the team from Footy HQ – WA compiled polls featuring the players we felt were in with a shot at representing the South West in July’s carnival.
Almost 1700 votes were recorded and now we can present the Footy HQ – WA fantasy team. Click here to see a higher resolution version of the picture below.
Kane Bumann (Bunbury - 185 votes (33.45%))
Moving to Bulldog land this season, Bumann has been strong against tall forwards and is known to spoil well. He is hard working and runs a tight ship for four quarters.
Matt Blackford (Collie - 61 votes (11.03%))
Matt Blackford is a physical defender who missed the first six games of the season through suspension but is still sure to be in the mix come carnival time. He can run all day in defence and has proved to be a hard player to kick goals on.
Will Oelsnik (Eaton - 54 votes (9.76%))
The ever-reliable Eaton defender has led the Landmark side from the front and played a big part in getting the South West’s name on the shield for the past four years. He has been in his usual dominant form in season 2015.
Brandon Jetta (Carey Park - 39 votes (7.05%))
Brandon Jetta is lightning fast and runs off the Panther’s half-back line really well. In season 2015 he has grabbed a few screamers and is not afraid to take on a forward bigger than himself.
Matt Cavedon (Carey Park - 31 votes (5.65%))
Carey Park’s Matt Cavedon has established himself as a leader in defence and while some people have called him aggressive, he has no problem putting his body on the line to win the hard ball.
Matt Wilkinson (South Bunbury - 30 votes (5.42%))
With his long-locks flowing, Matt Wilkinson has established himself as a strong up-and-coming defender in the South West and gets given a big task each week. Not just a good defender, Wilkinson has versatility and can easily find himself on the wing and heading forward. One to watch.
Jeff Smith (Donnybrook - 35 votes (23.97%))
The two-time Hayward Medallist has spent a lot of time playing forward at Donnybrook this season and has had a hand in their 2015 dominance. Smith is a regular customer come Landmark and is sure to feature prominently again if fit for selection.
Corey Griggs (Collie - 114 votes (17.25%))
Corey Griggs has been a long-standing work horse in the Collie midfield and is their reigning best-and-fairest. He could be a handy player in this year’s carnival side.
Curtis Guglielmana (Donnybrook - 54 votes (8.17%))
Donnybrook’s Curtis Guglielmana is handy with a football and has been a key part of his side’s midfield success. Other leagues that will play against the South West will be scared by what they see because with this much ability at a young age, he will be around for a long time yet.
Simon Parry (Donnybrook - 32 votes (4.84%))
The former Claremont Tiger was a vital part of last year’s South West side and is sure to be again. He has been another key driver in Donnybrook’s powerful midfield with his ability to pull down some strong overhead marks.
Graham Jetta (Carey Park - 31 votes (4.69%))
Graham Jetta has had an instant impact on the league after coming back from Swan Districts, and will be one to watch on Hayward Medal night. This smooth operator has silky skills and can move the ball quickly.
Chris Atthowe (Eaton - 32 votes (4.84%))
Chris Atthowe has been a powerful player for years and took home the Pike Medal for best-on-ground in Eaton’s 2014 premiership success. This season Atthowe is leading a developing midfield from the front.
Matt Michael (Collie - 77 votes (22.13%))
Matt Michael has the ability to play in the midfield or on the wing but shows his best form up forward. This year he has kicked a few bags of goals, including 12 against Bunbury on Sunday, and could be a handy addition to the South West team.
Matt Martin (Carey Park - 44 votes (12.64%))
Matt Martin the leading goalkicker in the South West Football League and, like Buddy Franklin, regularly bags more than five goals a game. He has nailed 37 goals in the first eight games and would love to rack up a big tally against the other leagues in the state.
Jace Cormack (Eaton - 41 votes (11.78%))
Jace Cormack is a former South West Football League rising star and is making waves in the competition this year. With his side losing a few of their key-forwards in 2015, he has stepped up to cover the job well.
Ash Thornton (HBL - 39 votes (11.21%))
Ash Thornton is second in the league for goalkicking and has been a bright spot in a struggling Lions side this season. He is a huge target up forward and is reliable when it comes to finding the ball and putting it through the big sticks. The comparisons between Thornton and West Coast’s Josh Kennedy are real.
Jayce Fontana (Collie - 39 votes (11.21%))
Collie’s Jayce Fontana can have a real impact on games despite his tender age. 2015 has been a breakout season for the young man and he has shown he is capable of kicking goals consistently.
Mitch Gerrans (AMR - 21 votes (6.03%))
With his side on the up, Mitch Gerrans has worked hard to kick goals and lift the skills of the players around him. He is a solid target up forward and kicked an outstanding match-winner in the wet against Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault back in round five.
Blake Piggott (Eaton - defender - 20 votes (3.62%))
One of the league’s premier half-back flankers, Blake Piggott has also spent a lot of time running in the midfield and finds his own ball. He has silky foot skills and can hurt teams with his long, damaging kick.
Kris Clarkson (Donnybrook - forward - 20 votes (5.75%))
Donnybrook’s Kris Clarkson is versatile utility type who can play all around the ground. He has sharp skills and a lot of power at the contest.
Josh Krispyn (Harvey - midfielder - 31 votes (4.69%))
Harvey’s Josh Krispyn is small but extremely talented and is capable of playing forward or in the midfield. You would be hard pressed to find another player so willing to put his body on the line to win the ball.
Daniel McGinlay (Busselton - midfielder - 28 votes (4.24%))
Busselton’s Dan McGinlay has successfully led the SWFL Landmark side for a number of years and is a highly skillful player. He runs all day, can kick goals and always seems to find a way to stand up when the game is on the line.
Andrew McDougall (Harvey - ruckman - 30 votes (20.55%))
The efforts of this former West Coast Eagle has helped to make the Harvey Bulls a competitive outfit this season. McDougall can play in the ruck and also takes plenty of strong mark around the half-forward line, something the Bulls have needed more of in recent times.
Hamish Shepheard (AMR - midfielder - 27 votes (4.08%))
Much like McDougall, Shepheard has led a resurgence at the Hawks and is a talented link player through the midfield. He makes an effort to be at every contest and can also hurt opposition teams on the scoreboard
Brett Lofthouse (Harvey - defender - 26 votes (4.7%))
Solid as a rock, we are pleased to see Lofthouse making it into the side. The talk around the league about his ability sees him in demand and always squares off against the number one forward.
What do you think? Do you agree with the selections in the fans Footy HQ - WA fantasy Landmark team? If not post a comment below or join in the conversation on the Footy HQ -WA Facebook page.
