Lower South West Return to Division 2 Ready to Rise Again

The Lower South West Football League will head into the 2026 Nutrien Ag Solutions Men’s Country Championships full of confidence after earning promotion to Division 2 following last year’s Division 3 triumph.

Returning coach Gavin Norrish will once again lead the side, bringing a wealth of Country Championships experience. Norrish has coached at both club and representative level across the Great Southern and Lower South West, including guiding the Great Southern Football League to the B Section premiership in 2006 before steering Lower South West to the Division 3 title in 2025.

With promotion secured, Norrish believes the squad has the right mix to make an impact against stronger opposition.

“We’ve put together a youthful squad which is showing a lot of enthusiasm and potential, while also having a good balance of experienced players,” Norrish said.

“I think we’ll have a good even spread across all areas of the ground. Our backline will be very strong and hard to score against.”

Among the players expected to feature prominently are exciting young talents Kyle Smith and Khai Robertson, both capable of influencing games in different ways.

League Administrator Berend Kaaks said the success of last year’s campaign had created renewed enthusiasm across the competition, with more players eager to pull on the Lower South West jumper.

“The balance between players who were part of the successful 2025 squad and those who wanted to experience Country Championships after hearing how much their teammates enjoyed it has been really pleasing,” Kaaks said.

“There has been a much wider spread of interest this year and the buy-in from players across the league has been fantastic.”

Kaaks believes the blend of youth and experience gives Lower South West every chance of matching it with the Division 2 competition.

“Kojonup’s Lee Lucev is one of our experienced campaigners and is arguably in career-best form after kicking 26 goals across his last three games.”

“At the other end of the scale, teenager Khai Robertson was Best on Ground during Think Mental Health Round in League football before backing it up with a six-goal performance the following week.”

While the focus is on performing on the field, Kaaks said the Championships continue to deliver benefits that extend well beyond football.

“For a league made up of seven clubs from smaller communities, we’ve already noticed stronger relationships between clubs since returning to the Championships last year.”

“Especially for clubs like Kojonup and Boyup Brook, who are a little further away geographically, it’s helped connect our football community in a really positive way.”

The Lower South West Football League also continues to strengthen its player pathways through its close relationship with East Perth, helping talented young footballers progress into the EGT WAFL Colts system while maintaining strong junior and senior club connections across the region.

After claiming the Division 3 title twelve months ago, Lower South West now has the opportunity to test itself against stronger opposition. With a balanced list, an experienced coach and momentum on its side, the league will be looking to prove it belongs in Division 2.