South Warrnambool footballer Kym Eagleson to represent South Gambier in 2020 grand final

Eagleson, 34, will play for South Gambier in the Limestone Coast Football League decider on Saturday.

The South Australian-based league was formed earlier this year after coronavirus restrictions impacted three competitions - Western Border, Mid South East and Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara.

Eagleson, who moved to South Australia for work three years ago but commuted to play in the Hampden league, decided to pull on the boots for South Gambier in the hybrid competition.

North Gambier, East Gambier, Kalangadoo, Kybybolite and fellow grand finalist Mundulla featured in the six-round competition.

Eagleson said he was unsure what the region's football landscape would look beyond 2020.

"I am not sure what they will do. There is a big review at the moment," he said.

"I think this will be part of the new normal. I think it will be different moving forward with those three leagues."

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Eagleson said the short season was peculiar but stressed he was grateful to be playing, particularly given COVID-19 wiped out all country and metropolitan football competitions in Victoria this season.

"It is definitely compromised. Does it feel like I was playing in a Hampden league grand final? No, it doesn't," he conceded.

"I don't think you can say it's like a true 16 or 18-round season, a bit of a war of attrition and a bit of luck with injuries.

"But even over six games, you've got to win enough to put yourself in a position to play and that is what South Gambier have done.

"It just feels nice to have something normal on a Saturday and even if I wasn't playing footy, I'd be at the footy. That has been the best thing."

Eagleson, who works the international timber trade, said the Limestone Coast competition had achieved what it hoped.

"You've got six sides and from the three leagues you've got the three premiership sides from last year all playing. It's a pretty level competition," he said.

The grand final will be at South Gambier's home ground. Eagleson, who has switched between full-back and full-forward, said it was "measured the same as the MCG".

"One thing you find over here in Mount Gambier is the grounds are very, very good," he said.

"South Gambier where I am playing - good and bad this is, probably bad for a 34-year-old like me - it is a massive ground.

"It is measured the same as the MCG so it's a huge ground but it's a great ground to play footy on.

"It is a ground where you can score both ends and can play both sides.

"The AFL pre-season games, they have them in Mount Gambier quite a bit, and three of the four grounds in Mount Gambier are able to hold those."