South Fremantle Football Club regional open training session brings UGSFL’s finest back to Pingelly

South Fremantle Football Club made a welcome return to Pingelly for the WAFL club’s regional open training session at the Pingelly Recreation and Culture Centre on Saturday. About 50 Bulldogs made the trip from Perth to the Wheatbelt town. Nine members of the group — Haki Harcourt, George Wessels, Jarrod Salmeri, Tom Blechynden, Haiden Schloithe, Jarrad Doney, Jack Blechynden, Anton Hanson and Ed Graham — are products of the Upper Great Southern Football League. SFFC chief executive Cameron Britt said the Pingelly trip was a great way to touch base with the region. “It’s something that we saw as being really important to come and engage with our Upper Great Southern country zone,” he said. “The Wheatbelt is a key zone for us, along with the Gascoyne, Carnarvon and Exmouth. “We have so many previous and current players from this region it’s very important to us; it’s a really special place.” The Bulldogs spent the morning training in Pingelly before taking part in leadership group and team planning sessions. “We want to ensure that everyone is a leader at our footy club,” Britt said. “They’re definitely very fit; we think we’ve recruited well and we’ve got about 11 or 12 new players — we’ve actively gone out to top up our list to cover those areas where we’ve had retirements or we’ve felt we were a bit deficient. “We’re pretty bullish about what’s ahead, we’re calling it our fightback year.” The day wrapped up on the Blechynden family farm, where the parents of Tom and Jack Blechynden, Brett and Jodie, put on a feed of yabbies and lamb. “Brett and Jodie have been really generous; they’re a big part of the footy club, a big part of the fabric,” Britt said. “To be able to spend some time together as a group with the family of some of our players is really important, it’s great for team bonding.” Former Brookton-Pingelly player Jack Blechynden said it was great to get a run on the old oval. “I don’t get down too much to be honest. I’m in Perth most of the year but every now and then I get back for harvest and when we’re doing lambs,” he said. “It’s good being here, it feels pretty surreal to be training in Pingelly with all the South Freo boys — it’s a bit hot but it feels good.”