GSFL 2025: Returning Daniel Parker spearheads North Albany to first win with five goals to punish Royals

North Albany snapped a 10-game losing streak after thumping rivals Royals in round nine of the Great Southern Football League competition on Saturday. The Kangas had not tasted victory since August last year but they proved too strong for a Lions side that featured former AFL player Josh Caddy. There were plenty of eyes on Caddy making his debut for the powerhouse GSFL club but the determined Kangas spoiled the party with a resounding 51-point win at Collingwood Park. It was their first win of the season and keeps their finals hopes alive, now just one game adrift of the fourth placed Lions heading into the final six rounds of the regular season. Caddy kicked three goals in his return to footy, having not played since August last year in Victoria. The day belonged to the Kangas however, with premiership forward Daniel Parker starring in his first game back for the red and whites. Parker who was one of the best key forwards in the competition for several years during a golden era for the Kangas, pulled the boots back on and kicked five goals in an impressive return. Kangas coach Brad Bootsma said he hoped the win gave his group some confidence. “I’m just happy for the players,” he said. “Today things went for us, went our way a little bit but we had a few good ins, Matty Orzel and Parksy. “He gave us a really good focal point, when you got something like that — a big figure up forward its breeds a bit of confidence within in the team. “The best thing about today was we had 22 blokes that contributed. Just two points separated the two sides at quarter-time but the Kangas produced their best quarter of the season, booting seven majors in a clinical second stanza to blow the game open. Parker was central to that, as the powerful goal kicker booted four goals straight and celebrated in fashion with the vocal home crowd to lift the spirits of the previously winless side. Majors to half forwards Travis Conn and Brandon Woods and hardworking ruck Drew Willcocks around Parker’s dead-eye conversions gave the Kangas a 32-point half-time buffer. Caddy bagged a goal with his first kick in Lions colours in the first term and added another late in the second but all the momentum was with the home side. The dual Richmond premiership player marked and booted a terrific set shot on the boundary to start the third term but the Kangas kicked the next three through Conn, David Arthur and debutant Henry Smith. The Lions were still at chance at the final break after veteran Ryan Kinnear converted and then Cleve Humphries jailed a shot after the three-quarter-time siren and turned to rouse up the home supporters. But the Kangas faithful had the last laugh as their side kicked five goals in the final term to secure a famous win, 17. 11 (113) to 9.8 (62). Parker booted 5.1 but hobbled off in the third term with hamstring and groin soreness while Conn was lively in attack and finished with four goals. It was Parker’s first game since 2021 when he played two reserves games for the Kangas, and first league appearance since 2019. The 31-year-old played reserves for WAFL club East Fremantle in 2017 and is a dual Sean Plaisted trophy winner, having also spent time playing league for Mt Barker. Tough midfielder Matt Orzel was at his brilliant best around the stoppages and young pair Kobi Keen and Luke Pickering gave great drive across the four quarters. The Kangas had good players everywhere in their first win of 2025. Brandon Woods snared three goals and had some pivotal moments, Jyrin Woods was very effective around the ball and Willcocks dominated the ruck battle while Anthony Coyne also won plenty of possessions. Caddy finished with 3.1 from 11 disposals and five marks playing as a deep forward for the entire match but Kangas defender Tomas O’Farrell was not disgraced, lining-up on the 174-game AFL star. Lions coach Darrell Panizza conceded his side were no match for the pressure the Kangas applied. “The second quarter was our worst quarter of footy all year,” Panizza said. “Unfortunately, it was their day, their big day and the footy gods were on their side. “Momentum was against us, they deserve to win because they ran really hard, we didn’t have any run in our legs. “We thought things that were just going to happen didn’t and we were fumbly and that comes from the pressure they put on us.” Seb Stanton, Humphries (two goals) and Cameron Smith were solid for the Lions but they had no answers after quarter-time.