Country Championships: Hard work paid off in drought-breaking title for determined Great Southern senior side

Great Southern Football League’s drought-breaking Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships title was a testament to everyone involved, according to coach Glynn Verbruggen. Great Southern’s 10-year-long wait without country championships success ended on Sunday when they defeated Esperance by 27 points at Sullivan Logistics Stadium. The last time Great Southern tasted country champions glory was in 2014 when they defeated North Midlands in division three. Having cruised through their four round-robin matches on Friday and Saturday, Great Southern finished the annual tournament undefeated to clinch the division three title and gain promotion to division two next year. It was a remarkable turnaround after the GSFL failed to send a senior team to the championships in 2022, raising concerns about their future in representative football. An elated Verbruggen said the triumph was a credit to the hard work of his fellow coaching staff and the playing squad. “Yeah it was a lot of hard work, mate, so it’s a pretty good feeling now,” he said. “There was lots of work behind the scenes from the working group in the last 18 months to get to this point and I’m pretty proud of them. “I wouldn’t care how we won, just a win’s a win and I’m stoked.” Great Southern’s defence was pivotal throughout the tournament conceding just three goals in their four unblemished qualifying games and allowed just seven scoring shots in the grand final. “Just everyone you know in the back six had different roles, and they all played them to a plumb,” Verbruggen said. “They were a massive, massive part of how we won (on Sunday). “I mean, it was the first time in a long time that we left people out of the 30 and everyone that came away represented themselves really, really well. “We’ll see what the standard will go up to in division two next year but I think the boys are up for it.” Next year they will play in division two against Great Southern counterparts Ongerup and perennial division one outfit Upper Great Southern who were relegated after a poor carnival.