OPINION - Why the end of South Bunbury’s empire is tremendously sad and concerning

On a warm April afternoon at Hands Oval back in 2019, the SWFL women’s football landscape changed forever as we know it. Prior to the 2019 Brooke Fiore hair and tanning pre-season carnival, Bunbury and the Harvey Bulls had ruled the roost, however new South Bunbury coach Maxwell Jetta changed all that. The Tigers easily defeated the Bulls 2.5 (17) to 0.1 (1) in the pre-season decider, with Tanisha Anderson — who has gone on to have a successful WAFLW career with Peel Thunder — easily best on ground. Jetta and his side changed the competition for the better in so many ways over the next three and a half seasons. Sure, they won three premierships in a row and went undefeated for lengthy stages — but they also revolutionised the way teams went about building camaraderie on and off the field. Aside from being the first team to play music during warm ups and training sessions, the team would regularly gather for movie nights and breakfast. These are all positives which have been adopted by several other clubs. As a sports journalist during this immortal empire, there are several moments I will always remember about this special unit. Aside from Ebony Bilcich’s smile after tying with Fleur Parker for the 2019 Nola Marino Medal, I fondly recall watching Amber Boyd destroy Bunbury in a grand final with 90 seconds of brilliance, along with seeing Karyn Beeson leave the Harvey Bulls in her wake during a wet semifinal at the Collie Recreation Ground. It is no secret I have not always seen eye to eye with every player in the South Bunbury women’s team over the years, however this does not cloud my respect of their achievements. What has happened over the past few months involving this team is tremendously sad, but we must learn from it. At present, the bottom three sides of the competition — Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault, Eaton Boomers and Dunsborough Sharks — need help with securing talent if they want to remain viable destinations for players. I am hearing several successful women’s teams are desperate to get their hands on outgoing South Bunbury players, which could have severe ramifications for long-term parity in the competition. Given the circumstances, I believe the SWFL women’s football committee need to do all they can to ensure these clubs get the talent they need in order to flourish in coming seasons.