South West WAFL Watch: Former South Bunbury spearhead Leigh Kohlmann leads competition’s goal-kicking chart

Leigh Kohlmann has wasted no time re-adjusting to WAFL level, with the former South Bunbury spearhead sitting on top of the competition’s goal-kicking chart. The 31-year-old, who booted 110 goals for the Tigers last year and is a nominee for the South Western Times AJ ‘Tood’ Buswell Sports Star of the Year award, has slotted 14 majors in his four games for Swan Districts this season to lead the race for the Bernie Naylor Medal. Back at the club where he led the goal-kicking in 2019 and 2020 before opting to return to local football, Kohlmann opened his campaign with a six-goal haul against West Coast and booted another four as his side suffered a heartbreaking after-the-siren loss to East Fremantle at the weekend. Aidan Clarke, Nathan Blakely (both Bunbury) and Jehb O’Donohue (South Bunbury) are among the other South West products to have featured for the Black Ducks this season, while veteran Tony Notte, who commutes from Busselton every weekend to play, is closing in on his 300th game in the State league. Dunsborough’s Stan Wright has been rewarded for his strong start to the season for East Perth with a spot in the WA State squad for their clash with South Australia later this month. Scott Jones (Busselton) and Sam Van Diemen (Bridgetown) have also played for the ladder-leading Royals at league level this season, while dynamic forward Tom Graham (Donnybrook) is continuing to build through the reserves following an injury-interrupted off-season and Jacob Msando (Busselton) is nearing a return from a hamstring issue. Eaton product Josh Branchi is going at a rate of 29.5 hitouts per game after assuming the ruck role at South Fremantle, while his fellow Boomers junior Isiah Winder is averaging 22 disposals and has kicked two goals in his four games. The season has not been as positive for East Fremantle’s Augusta-Margaret River pair of Jono and Harry Marsh, who are both dealing with hamstring injuries. Jono, who matched his career-best goal total with seven in a big win over Claremont in round two, was a late withdrawal from the Sharks’ shock loss to West Coast in round three due to the injury. Harry has been sidelined since the start of the season due to requiring surgery and is not expected to return before mid-season.