Country Catch Up: Sharks reunite in Pilbara, goal-kicking race, crazy SWFL draws Thursday, June 5, 2025 - 2:52 PM - by Jordan McArdle

We take a look at what’s happening in across WA country footy in our new column Country Catch Up

WAFL Sharks reunite in the Pilbara

East Fremantle teammates and close friends Matthew Jupp and Blaine Boekhorst reunited in the North Pilbara competition late last month.

Sharks premiership captain Jupp played his first game of the season for Port Hedland Rovers against Sandover medallist Boekhorst’s Dampier Sharks.

Dampier prevailed by just 15 points in a tight affair.

Jupp, one of the best WAFL key defenders of the modern era, booted a rare goal which according to Play HQ is just his 13th in 333 games.

Former Carlton-listed midfielder Boekhorst has made five appearances for Dampier this season along ex-Perth Demon Guy Langdon and former Swan Districts/Perth player Brett Wolfenden.

Harley’s Goldfields cameo

Former Fremantle, Gold Coast and Melbourne midfielder Harley Bennell made a surprise cameo in the Goldfields over the weekend.

Bennell lined up for Goldfields Football League outfit Kambalda, remarkably against Mines Rovers who he’d signed for three years ago before moving to the South West.

The former No.2 draft pick’s debut couldn’t inspire the Eagles to victory, with Mines prevailing by 150 points thanks to a 10-goal haul from Nick Reghenzani.

Boulder recruit on track for early half-century

Sticking with the GFL, star Boulder recruit Dustin Walters could become the first player in country WA to reach a half-century of goals this season – as early as this weekend.

The Victorian product and former Geelong Falcon needs just five goals against Kalgoorlie on Saturday to reach 50.

Walters, in his first season in the Goldfields, has booted 45 goals in just seven games including a whopping 17 against Kambalda.

There’s plenty of others kicking bag after bag in WA’s country leagues this season including Hayden Parker of Great Southern outfit Railways (40 goals in six games) and Matt Russo of Southern Cross in the Eastern Districts (37 goals in six games).

Former Fremantle defender Nathan Wilson is also among the State’s premier country goal-kickers with 27 in six games for Peel Football League powerhouse South Mandurah.

Fellow ex-Docker Brett Peake is also on 27 majors in six games for GSFL side Albany Sharks, with the 41-year-old showing no signs of slowing down.

‘One-in-a-million’ streak of draws in South West

South West Football League rivals Dunsborough and Augusta-Margaret River's colts teams remarkably played out their third successive draw at the weekend.

It’s believed to be one-in-a-million odds of this happening.

It’s even more jaw-dropping considering they’ve both been on the exact same score each time.

In the opening round last season it was 8.4 (54) to 8.4 (54), then in their second match-up it was 9.5 (59) to 9.5 (59), and then last weekend it was 10.5 (65) apiece.

East claim bragging rights in Kimberley Colts Carnival

East Kimberley were crowned 2025 Kimberley Colts Carnival champions after an exciting two days in Broome.

The EKFL team defeated West Kimberley in the final on Sunday, reversing the result from the opening game of the carnival the previous day.

Teams from South East Kimberley and Central Kimberley also competed in the annual event, showcasing the best emerging talent from four Kimberley regions.

South East's Jock Mosquito, a Hale School boarder from Kururrugku Roos, was named carnival MVP after an impressive carnival.

Douglas Evans won the champion East Kimberley team's MVP award, Bailey Osbourne was the best for the West and Ikeem Brown was the standout for Central.

Got a country footy worth telling? Get in touch at jmcardle@wafootball.com.au