Around The Leagues: Injury strikes for House bros, Kade back home, Beeck to debut in GSFL and action Jackson

The Advertiser brings you Around The Leagues, taking a look at football stories from players and personalities in the Great Southern, Ongerup and Upper Great Southern regions. The house is down! In a cruel blow to start the new season, Gnowangerup’s star siblings have gone with injury. State country midfielder Fraser House suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a preseason match and is set to miss the entire season. Claremont forward Timm House featured in the opening round for the Bulldogs in the Ongerup Football Association on Saturday but also hurt his knee. Fraser House was booked to see a surgeon this week, devastating news after enjoying one of his best years in 2022. He was a key part of the Bulldogs winning three straight flags, was outstanding in OFA’s division two triumph at the Nutrien Ag Country Football Championships, and also represented WA Country in a State game and was named the WA Country Football Player of the Year. Still contracted to Claremont, Timm House hasn’t played a WAFL game this season and was on a permit in the first round at home. He kicked three goals before going down with what is believed to be a meniscus injury that could have him sidelined for a couple of months. The Bulldogs were 12-point winners over Newdegate as spearhead and captain Lewis Davis kicked five goals in the opening round. Lake Grace-Pingrup emerged with a big 50-point victory over Jerramungup in the other fixture with Jackson Callope bagging six majors. King Kade returns but Katanning fall short Former AFL player Kade Stewart is back in Katanning Wanderers colours but it wasn’t enough to get them over the line in round one of the Upper Great Southern Football League. The Wanderers went down in a one-point thriller against Wickepin, who are out to get redemption after a heartbreaking grand final defeat in 2022. Stewart was highly influential along with his midfield partner in crime James Laurino but Wanderers went down 10.12 (72) to 11.7 (73). Billy Clay, a former Trinity Aquinas star, was impressive in his debut for the Warriors while in a losing affair Laurence Collard booted five majors. Reigning premiers Boddington kicked 9.13 in the other round one match but emerged with a 39-point triumph over Kukerin-Dumbleyung. Beeck to debut as changes sweep GSFL teams Former Claremont ball winner Jack Beeck is set to make his debut in the Great Southern Football League on Saturday. Beeck has signed with the Albany Sharks after their maiden grand final appearance in 2022. There is some question mark on how many games Beeck, a 150-game WAFL player, will appear in for the Sharks given he has plans to travel. However he is locked in to feature in their round one side that will travel to McLean Park to take on Brad Nisbett’s Denmark-Walpole. Nisbett is set to be a coach only this year after having the player-coach role last season and he will have to find a way to fill a big void left by departing midfield stars Ryan Gaerth and Jaden Guidi. Former South Fremantle utility Steven Edwards is listed as an inclusion for Royals this season but they have been struck down by unfortunate season-ending injuries to Hamish McMorran (knee) and Zak Mola (Achilles). The Lions will face a decimated Mt Barker side on Saturday, the Bulls changing coaches in the fortnight leading up to the new season and without Kleemann Medal star Zach Jackson. The final game of round one in the GSFL will be the traditional Anzac Day clash on Tuesday between Railways and North Albany. The Tigers begin their quest for a historic three-peat without premiership star and the man who shared the league’s highest honour with Jackson last year — Matt Palfrey. Palfrey is another WA Country footballer to go down with a dreaded ACL injury and is already on the mend after surgery on his right knee. He injured his knee during a preseason session with East Perth after deciding to return to the WAFL system. Jayden Bootsma links up with his father Brad Bootsma in Kangas colours this season. Ammos fires into action The Perth Football League bounced into action on Saturday and Brookton’s Mitchell Gill will captain A-grade club North Beach this season. The former WAFL midfielder has spent the past couple of years playing amateurs with North Beach and will skipper their team for the second season on the trot. He is playing alongside ex-Royals ball winner Sam Lamont and the pair were part of their winning round one team as they beat West Coast by 21 points. Scarborough’s top team featured some familiar faces with Taite Clark, the younger brother of Fremantle Docker Jordan Clark, running out in the season opener. Justin Joyce, a State country player during his stint with Kukerin-Dumbleyung, and Albany’s Harley McInerney, also played for Scarborough. Curtin Uni Wesley won the match by 14 points and their side featured Albany-raised Harry Crane and Carden Taylor along with Jerramungup’s Harry Brown. In other A-grade news, Boxwood Hill and Royals product Thomas Bertola was joined by Railways’ Cyrus Upson in University’s side that thumped Wanneroo by 84 points. Awesome Ashton plays in Rogers Cup Albany Sharks talent Marlee Ashton has enjoyed a memorable debut for Claremont. The teenager, who harbours ambitions to one day play AFLW, was part of the Tigers side that scored victory in the Rogers Cup against Swan Districts on Good Friday. Two days before the match, Ashton received a call from the Tigers asking if she was available to play for their young squad in the round five fixture — an opportunity she jumped at. Ashton will continue to play with the Sharks in the Great Southern Football League Women’s competition but is eligible for finals in the Rogers Cup as well. Action Jackson, Zach breaks into league side Last year’s joint Kleemann Medal winner Zach Jackson will play his first league game for Perth on Saturday. Jackson is the brother of Dockers young gun Luke Jackson and spent last year dominating for Mt Barker in the GSFL. After winning the league fairest and best and goalkicking awards, Jackson made the decision to end his country stint and sign with the Demons in the WAFL. The 24-year-old started in brilliant fashion for this new club in the reserves with 28 touches in round one and then racked up 40 disposals and eight marks last week to signal his intent. He was among five changes the Demons made for their clash with East Perth as Jackson looks to add to the 14 league games he played in two seasons with East Fremantle a few years ago. Railways junior Jye Clark has also forced his way into the Demons league side after playing reserves last week. Got a footy story from our region to share? Email cameron.newbold@albanyadvertiser.com