Southerners prepare for upcoming season with new coaches and players from Perth

The Southerners are preparing for their 2024 Lower South West Football League season, as two new coaches take on the League and Reserve teams and the teams bringing in Perth players to fill out numbers. With the 2024 LSWFL season around the corner, the Southerners are preparing. Southerners Football Club president David Meehan said there were a few players who would be travelling from Perth to help fill out numbers, with players also moving up into the Colts team. “We’ve got a couple of travelling players coming in to help our squad, as per previous years, and give us some better numbers. “None from the lower South West or the other teams in the league, but players from Perth to help our numbers. “The Colts, we have a few players from the eights and nines last year coming up to the Colts, but we have similar playing lists to what we had in previous years.’’ He said the club was having issues gaining more players for their three teams and encouraged anyone with a passion for the sport to consider joining. “We’re going fairly well, just player numbers are our biggest issue, which I’d imagine would be the same for other clubs as well. “We’re still in need of additional players in all three grades, so if anyone wants to play a game of footy, we’re open to any approaches and they can contact the club.” The Southerners have two new coaches, with Alex Cabassi both coaching and playing in the League team, and Justin Omodei taking the Colts team. Dean Collins will be returning as the Reserves team coach. “Alex played for us last year, and he is coaching the League team this year, as well as playing,” Mr Meehan said. “Dean Collins coached last year and will be returning as coach for this year as well.” Mr Meehan said the club would aim to make it to the top four and reach finals, after failing to do so in the 2023 season. “We want to be more competitive this season, because last season we missed the finals in the League, so it would be nice to be more competitive in most matches and sneak into the finals this year. “We also want to strive for finals with the Reserves and Colts, and hope to make it into the top four.” New LSWFL president Tristan Mead, who replaced David East after the 2023 season, said the season launch had recently taken place over two nights at Southerners and Boyup Brook Football Clubs, and said he would imagine new players would be joining the ranks of this season’s teams. “I imagine there would be several clubs who have picked up both returning players and some new players for the upcoming season,” he said. “But I’m not 100 per cent sure, and we had our season launch for the Southern clubs on Tuesday and the Northern clubs on Wednesday.” He said there had been changes in the Reserves games, as the teams prepare to play after the Easter weekend. “All the clubs are in their pre-season training and games, and the first round will start on the first weekend after Easter.” He also said as president of the LSWFL, he understood the changes happening in the community, and wanted to continue to encourage a safe environment for players and supporters. “I have come into this role aware that the football community is in a period of change. “But we strive to maintain and promote local football and encourage a safe and inclusive football environment.”