LEEDERVILLE was abuzz with excitement on Saturday as the main strip was converted to 'Footyville' for the WA Football League Grand Finals and where the WA Country Football Player of the Year was crowned.
Fraser House was announced the best country player after winning the Player of the Match award for his grand final performance for Gnowangerup in the Ongerup Football Association.
On winning the award he was excited, but also lost for words.
"I probably don't deserve it to be honest with you, there are a lot of good footballers out there that have got me covered," Mr House said.
"I'm overwhelmed a little, especially with how many good footballers there are in the State playing country footy, it's good to be in the mix but I'm probably not in the top end."
Having grown up at Gnowangerup on the family's farm, home to the famed Barloo Merino and Poll Merino stud, Mr House played junior football for the Gnowangerup Football Club until he moved to Perth for school and university.
However, after returning back home three years ago, he has become an important part of the Gnowangerup Football Club fabric and plans on staying there for as long as he can.
"I'll play as long as my body lets me, so hopefully another ten or fifteen years," he said.
This year, the club won its third grand final trophy in a row and only lost one game over the season.
"The footy is going well, we've got a pretty good side at the moment and a good group of young fellas at home, so we've had another good year," Mr House said.
WA Country Football League country football manager Kane Benson said they had scouts across WA watching players, looking at fixtures and results.
"If somebody has had an outstanding game, they go up for nomination," Mr Benson said.
Players who win medals at the country championships or State games (male or female) automatically get nominated for the week as well.
"At the back end of it, when we put it all together and we have the 20 finalists, we go through and look at their season," Mr Benson said.
"Clubs' best and fairests, grand finals, State teams - all those things come into consideration to see who played the best season."
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Mr Benson referred to Mr House as the "golden child of country footy," and said people should expect exciting things from Mr House in the years to come.
Some of Mr House's achievements this year include: State country representative, premiership player (captain), best on ground for the grand final, division two national Australian selectors (NAS) premiership player and NAS all-star.
Sponsors West Coast Poly marketing manager James Pearson said they continued to have involvement with the WA Country Football League because of the vitality of country football in regional towns.
"A lot of the staff in the office and in the warehouse all come from the country - so we know how important footy clubs are to the community," Mr Pearson said.
"They are the lifeblood, they are the beating pulse of each town."
"It's such an important part of who we are."
Mr House echoed these thoughts and believed it was important to foster country football for the generations to come.
"The best part about living in rural areas is country footy, it would be pretty average without it," Mr House said.
"A lot of country towns would struggle without it, the longer we can keep it going the better."
Because of country football, Mr House hasn't felt like he has missed out on "being young" despite moving back to his smaller country town at a young age.
"Moving back home pretty young, it's been good because I haven't felt like I have been missing out at all, it's a good group of young fellas and the footy club is going well, it's a good place to be."
As a prize for his efforts this year on the field, Mr House won two tickets to the 2023 AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.