Bush and ‘Burbs: Adam Hunter, Jarrod Garlett, Tom Gorter, Megan Kauffman, Kris Ryder, Braden Fimmano and more

Hunting another new home The man who kicked the goal to seal West Coast’s third premiership has joined another country football club. Adam Hunter has joined Central Wheatbelt Football League club Beacon in recent weeks and is starring for the club, kicking five goals in three games. Hunter arrives at the club after his third stint at his boyhood club, South Bunbury, where he spent two years, before lining up just once in the reserves this year. The 41-year-old made his debut against Koorda in late May and returned after a week off to kick a pair of majors against Mukinbudin. The Tigers were Hunter’s first stop after his time at the Eagles ended at the end of 2009. He kicked 41 goals in the 2010 SWFL season and reignited his WAFL career at Swan Districts the following year. He spent time as one of country footy’s great nomads, playing in the Goldfields and West Kimberley between South Bunbury appearances. His most recent departure from the South West powerhouse came just before the club was embroiled in a racism saga which would see its women’s team forfeit the competition and the West Australian Football Commission launch an investigation. Beacon have won two games this season and sit fourth out of five sides and level on points with third-placed Bencubbin. The Jets beat Mukinbudin in a one-point thriller on Saturday and have the bye this week before returning to play Bencubbin. Daniel Acres, the brother of hamstrung Docker Blake, is playing for top-of-the-ladder Kalannie alongside eight-game Subiaco and Perth league player Reid Polak. They’ve Gorter their man Former West Coast-listed player Tom Gorter headlines a group of high-profile signings poised to make their representative debut for the South West Football League. Peel Thunder goal-kicking champion and Harvey Bulls star Brad Holmes has also been named in the squad of 25 alongside Subiaco premiership player and Bulls mate Braden Fimmano. It’s the latest squad list revealed ahead of the Nutrien Ag Country Championships, which begins at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Friday July 8. Former Subiaco ruck Tim Sutherland, from South Bunbury, is on standby, as is 46-game East Perth player Shaquille McKenzie. Gorter was taken by the Eagles from East Perth with the 12th pick in the 2016 rookie draft but spent 2017 with the Royals and was de-listed without playing a game. The Kojonup product played 56 games five seasons at the club before shifting to the Tigers ahead of the 2021 season, where they use him across half-back to make the most of his penetrative kicking, with occasional bursts through the midfield. Holmes leads the SWFL’s goal-kicking tally this season with 40 from 11 games, including four hauls of five or more. His new Harvey Bulls teammate Harley Bennell is among the high-profile players who won’t travel to Perth, alongside Subiaco premiership player Simon Moore, who won both the Hayward Medal and the Pike Medal for the best player in the grand final last season. South Bunbury’s Jesse Crichton has also not been named. The best country footy mark ever? You would have been hard pressed to miss this incredible hanger from Kris Ryder, the cousin of St Kilda ruckman Paddy, from the Great Northern Football League this week. But if you did, or even if you just want to watch it again — here it is: He comes from Geraldton, the same place West Coast high-flyer Liam Ryan grew up, and he channelled the perennial Mark of the Year contender nominee with this grab for Brigades against Towns. The ball was kicked to Ryder by his brother Jamie and he took a ride on the shoulders of legendary teammate and GNFL goals record holder Dale Williamson. “I just knew I had to jump. I didn’t think I was going to get that high but once I was on top of Dale I saw I was a good 2m to 3m off the ground,” Ryder said. “I had to actually slow down and settle myself to make sure I kicked the goal because the crowd was going off. “I ended up doing a celebration dance after.” Ryder finished the game with three goals and his brother kicked five to be named man of the match. He said his legendary cousin hadn’t had the chance to watch it yet, but expected to be one-upped by the Port Adelaide and St Kilda legend. “Paddy hasn’t seen it yet, hopefully he has something good to say about it, although I reckon he might just say he took one better,” he joked. - with Jake Santa Maria From the ‘Burbs to the big time Megan Kauffman has been plucked straight from the Perth Football League to play for the Fremantle Dockers this season. The Wembley gun was taken with pick 77 by the Dockers in Wednesday night’s AFLW draft, becoming the first female to be selected straight from the amateurs. Kauffman spent six years in the USA training as a college tennis player before returning to Perth and transitioning to footy. The 25-year-old is part of the unbeaten Wembley side led by former West Coast Eagle Paris Laurrie. “It’s amazing and an absolute honour, but very shocked but happy, happy shocked,” she said. “It was more of a hopeful inkling, but wasn’t too sure, I was just kind of going to wait and see and fingers crossed. “It will definitely be a challenge but it is definitely something I am looking forward to and embracing.” But she wasn’t the only Wembley product snared by the Dockers, with Irishwoman and former Magpies teammate Amy Mulholland taken with the club’s next pick. Mulholland starred for Wembley last season, before moving to Subiaco in the WAFLW this year. ‘Burbs too good for the bush ... just! The performance that sealed Kauffman’s move to Fremantle might have been a best on ground effort in the Women’s State Match. Kauffman put together a monster display as an inside midfielder for the Perth Football League as they snuck home by two points over the West Australian Country Football League, despite wildly inaccurate kicking. The PFL won 2.17 (29) to WACFL’s 4.3 (27) in an epic finish at Inglewood Oval on Friday night. The country side kicked three straight goals to the PFL’s 1.8 to half-time to lead by four points. Garlett’s struck gold Former Gold Coast and Carlton player Jarrod Garlett has produced his best performance yet for Kambalda, but the struggling Eagles still went down by nearly 50 points. Their 15.14 (104) to 8.9 (57) loss to Boulder City came despite Garlett kicking six goals. He was outdone however by City forward Jack Martin, who kicked seven majors in his 150th game for the club. Garlett played 30 AFL games — 17 for the Suns and 13 for Carlton over a four-year career which ended in 2019. Former East Perth colt and one-time draft fancy Rhai-Arn Cox made his debut for Kambalda, having played the season for Nollamara’s C4 team in the Perth Football League. The 21-year-old is relaunching his career after a serious knee injury. In the other game, Perth Demons’ reserves premiership player Jack Steel kicked five goals as his Railways side beat Mines Rovers 16.7 (103) to 9.8 (62). FINALLY! Three years. No wins — until now. A 15.7 (97) to 5.4 (34) win over Swan Valley at home on Saturday was Warnbro’s colts’ first since round five, 2019. That 10-point win over Thornlie was their only one for that season. It brought on some wild celebrations, with the full squad and coaches gathering in the middle of the ground to sing the song with plenty of gusto.

Bush and ‘Burbs: Adam Hunter, Jarrod Garlett, Tom Gorter, Megan Kauffman, Kris Ryder, Braden Fimmano and more

Subscribe today.

Everyday Digital

Weekend Papers + Everyday Digital