Country Championships: Great Southern and Ongerup square off in football clash for first time since 2017

For the first time in seven years neighbouring rivals Great Southern and Ongerup will square off in a country football championship game. Great Southern Football League and Ongerup Football Association are among the six teams that will fight it out for division two honours at this week’s Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships. Perennial division one outfit Upper Great Southern are also in division two along with Central Midlands Coastal, North Pilbara and Eastern Districts. The championships which begin on Thursday with colts action before seniors kick off on Friday, will provide a long-awaited encounter for Great Southern and Ongerup. The two sides last met in 2017 when Ongerup were dominant 40-point winners in Gnowangerup in a first-up regional clash as part of the annual championships. Ongerup spearhead Chris Wollaston booted a game-high seven majors as he put Great Southern to the sword on his way to winning the Jim Hull Medal. The two sides have not met in the championships since, but they will be part of a highly intriguing division this year. The pair will clash in one of the final qualifying games, set down for 2pm on Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval — which could prove vital in both team’s overall fortunes. Ongerup and Upper Great Southern have also had a close rivalry and that pair will clash on Friday at 3pm. Great Southern were promoted after their terrific campaign last year that ended with the division three title triumph, but they will face an immediate test in their step up. Division two games will be played at HIF Health Insurance Oval in Joondalup on Friday and Upper Great Southern will be an early challenge for Great Southern in game two at noon. Ongerup kick things off at 11am against Central Midlands Coastal and Great Southern’s second match on Friday will be against Eastern Districts at 2pm. Great Southern face North Pilbara at 10am in the first game on Saturday before their showdown with Ongerup. Ongerup will also meet North Pilbara on Saturday at noon with Upper Great Southern drawn to play Eastern Districts at 1pm and then Central Midlands Coastal at 3pm. The top two sides after qualifying games will meet in Sunday’s grand finals at Sullivan Logistics Stadium in Leederville.