Congratulations to anyone who tipped we’d be seeing a Deanmill vs Southerners Grand Final at half time in the 2nd Semi Final. At the time, the Cougars held a 23 point lead and it looked likely Deanmill and Southerners would be battling it out for the right to face Kojonup in the decider. An 11 goal to 6 second half from the Hawks pushed the Cougars into a Preliminary Final, before a 4 goal to 1 second half in the Preliminary Final left Kojonup on the outside looking in as the teams finishing 2nd and 4th on the ladder start preparations for the Grand Final. With an entirely unpredictable six quarters of football setting us up for arguably the most unlikely Grand Final match up possible when the regular season ended, what have we learned as we head into Saturday’s Grand Final?
Head to Head
The two teams have met on three occasions in 2025, with Southerners holding a 2-1 advantage.
Round 3 – Deanmill 8.9.57 def. by Southerners 9.12.66
Round 10 – Southerners 2.7.19 def. by Deanmill 9.7.61
Round 17 – Deanmill 15.4.94 def. by Southerners 14.11.95
Again, in a set of circumstances that defy logic, on the basis of the results in previous meetings between the two sides, both would apparently be happy not to have home ground advantage. All three games between the two teams have been won by the away team in 2025. Break it down even further though and both would argue extenuating circumstances.
Deanmill were well beaten in Round 2 and 3 with consecutive losses to Bridgetown and Southerners as they settled into the season, but this was the last time they lost consecutive games. Southerners were missing some key personnel in Round 10 and while Dane Swan would appear the dream ‘in’, between the weather and distractions provided by a Brownlow Medal winner coming to town, were uncharacteristically poor in the Round 10 match up. Souths’ then claimed the Round 17 clash by a point, in a game that Hawks fans looking for patterns would claim was inconsequential in the make up of the ladder. So after three meetings, the only definite is the scoreline reads 2-1 in Southerners favour in 2025, and they are the only team to beat Deanmill twice.
History
While history has no direct bearing on Saturday, Deanmill and Southerners do have a history of big Grand Final clashes, and they meet in the decider for the first time since 2015.
In 2015, it was Deanmill winning their first flag in six years with a 13 point win, 6.9.45 to 4.8.32. Deanmill have been back to the Grand Final three times since, but for Hawks fans the sight of Southerners as the opponents brings back happier memories from a decade ago than their more recent appearances.
Southerners were on the right side of the ledger in their previous Grand Final encounter, a 35 point win in 2001 the third success in a three-peat.
Overall, in the LSWFL, their head to head record in Grand Finals is 9 – 4 the Hawks’ way. While Southerners have won 20 League titles and have an overall 20 – 15 record in season deciders, the Hawks have been their achilles heel and Deanmill have claimed 9 of their 17 titles with Souths as their opponent.
Kester Decke will once again have an important role on Saturday, if the Hawks are to win their first Tyrepower Manjimup League premiership in a decade.
Photo Courtesy of Three Waters Digital
Key Players
Deanmill
Harley Sparks – listed as a ‘big question’ for the 2nd Semi Final with his inclusion not confirmed, given his performance in the victory over Kojonup, there will be no surprise about his inclusion or potential impact in the Grand Final. Two years ago Sparks was crucial as he won the Hayward Medal in the SWFL with a record tally and led Carey Park to an unexpected Grand Final appearance, this year he will be aiming to lead Deanmill one step further.
Archie Hall – arguably the best performing ruck in the competition in 2025, objectively his vote tally in the Tyrepower Medal confirmed it. Hall has been outstanding all year and will look to give Deanmill first use, as well as offer his around the ground smarts.
Jordan Strahan – not exactly an original call to include the League Leading Goalkicker, but fed by a dominant midfield, Strahan took the 2nd Semi Final away from Kojonup in 10 minutes. Has kicked 11 goals in 3 games against Souths, but this includes a season low of 1 in the Round 10 clash, in weather more suited to ducks (sorry!).
Kester Decke – was superb in the 2nd Semi Final and with the multi faceted Southerners forward line, is sure to have a crucial match up on Saturday.
Blake East – Captain Cool. Was central to so much of the connection Deanmill found in the 2nd Semi Final, yet another quality performance from the Hawks’s skipper, who also polled strongly in the Tyrepower Medal. East’s leadership and ability to use the ball well will be crucial in the pressure cooker atmosphere of a Grand Final.
Cooper Sparks – at times throughout the year has been the Hawks’ ‘designated kicker’, his smart ball use a feature of the way the Hawks connect their defence with their attack. While a lot of the attention will be on Harley, anyone who lets Cooper off the chain does so at their peril.
Southerners
Nick Sarsero – missing for the Preliminary Final, so remains at the top of the list. With a wet Grand Final forecast, will be a big inclusion if he returns.
Alex Cabassi – we’ve seen it multiple times this year, players who just refused to lose – and in Sunday’s Preliminary Final it was Cabassi who had everyone watching the contest marvelling at his sheer will to help Southerners across the line. The Souths coach has a big week ahead as he puts together a plan he hopes can topple the Hawks.
Tyson Jacob – injured during the Preliminary Final, he is an important piece of the puzzle if Southerners are to win on Saturday, as the ability to at least break even with Hall will be crucial to coming out on top in the midfield battle.
Ben Cabassi – kicked 4 in the Round 17 win, after booting 3 in the Round 3 triumph. Looked lively throughout the Preliminary Final win and can turn a game in a matter of minutes if he starts to get his eye in.
Seaton Thompson – led from the front in the Preliminary Final and like his counterpart East, his leadership will be as crucial as his ball movement when the pressure ramps up on Saturday. Thompson has had a wonderful season and Souths fans would love to see one more big performance out of their Captain.
Tom Collins – the Southerners President was sent to Strahan when the game was there to be won in Round 17 and again played a crucial role in the Preliminary Final. With just the 7 league games to his name in 2025, 6 of them have come since Round 12 and he has taken on some of the competition’s best forwards.
Callen Sprigg marks strongly in the Round 17 clash, which saw Southerners defeat Deanmill by a point.
Photo Courtesy of Three Waters Digital
The Big Questions
What do Southerners do with Lachlan Hughes and Hamish Omodei? Both are important players in the structure of the League side. Both are also key players in the Colts set up. The League Grand Final is no place for anyone with anything less than 100% in the tank – and while Souths are eyeing off their first Colts flag since 2018 with Hughes and Omodei important players – does their now very real hope of League success mean the boldest of bold selection calls needs to be made?
It was the question of the 2nd Semi Final and was answered emphatically, and now it’s the wildcard of the Grand Final. Strahan kicked 7 in Round 17 and Southerners got home by a point. If the Deanmill midfield get on top, Strahan will see opportunities. So how many can Southerners afford the big spearhead kicking, and will the forecast of more wet weather help limit Strahan’s threat?
Who can put their healthiest, most match fit ‘best 20’ on the park on Saturday? Deanmill have had a couple of big name ‘outs’ in the back half of the season and it appears highly unlikely we will see Jaxon Cahill, Brent Nicol or Ben Gianatti in the Grand Final. All three have now missed many weeks of match sharpness, even in the unlikely event any of the trio were declared fit. For Southerners, both Tyson Jacob and Jack Omodei failed to see out the Preliminary Final, while recovery will be the order of the day for the whole team after the heavy conditions in Pemberton.
The weather, again. The long range forecast as this is written on Monday is for 5-10mm of rain on Saturday in Manjimup. It will hardly be a surprise as one of the wettest W.A winters in years has often saved it’s worst for the weekend in 2025. So who does a potential wet day favour? Does it slow down a potentially fresher Deanmill and hamper their precision midfield ball use to a dominant full forward target? Does it harm Southerners who will be coming off a six day break in the heavy conditions we saw for the Preliminary Final? The Round 10 clash in the wet was a comfortable win for Deanmill, while the Round 17 Southerners victory was played in some of the best weather we have seen in over half a season. If that doesn’t appear a great pattern for Souths fans, the way they handled the conditions against Kojonup in the Preliminary Final should hearten them.
You know the drill by now, not a chance I’m tipping a winner – but the good news is the Grand Final Program will be available at the gate on Saturday and our guest preview writer for the Grand Final is braver than me.
For all the latest scores, goal kickers and best players – the Lower South West Football League has it’s home on PlayHQ HERE.
