Sporting Year in Review Part 1: Flyin’ Ryder, Buccs fire as women prove unstoppable & GNFL mourns a favourite

While the spectre of COVID still hung around this year for many sports, 2022 represented a return to full tournaments and normality as we look at what dominated the back pages throughout the year.

January

The new year saw one sport dominate the headlines as Geraldton hosted the women’s country week titles with the women defending champions while the best men in the region headed down to Perth in search of their first title since 2018.

The men made it to the semifinals with a group game to spare but their batting fell away at the wrong time as both exited at the semifinal stage though Dan Welsh broke a 73-year record for the most wickets at country week tournaments with 196.

There was no trouble for the women who went back to back in an all-Geraldton final between the A and B team with the As winning by 10 wickets in a drubbing.

There were cheers, too, at the Geraldton Turf Club where the local two-time horse of the year Kenyluck rode home to victory at the Batavia Sprint in a thrilling battle with Adam Durrant’s Son Son’s.

Ryan Green was inducted into the Australian Waterski hall of fame.

Local star Callum Williamson was crowned champion of Speedway Australia Speedweek as part of what would be a dominant year for the driver.

February

Under the lights of the Geraldton Speedway, Tim King live up to his name by coming out on top at the King of the Hill event on a wild night of action with some drivers struggling to handle the extra speed offered by the redesigned track.

The Buccs were gearing up for the new season after a difficult 2021 which saw them miss the finals for the first time since 20212 and just the third time this century with Matt Wundenberg announcing his return from a broken foot while Johny Narkle committed to a sport switch from the WAFL to basketball.

Wanderers continued to dominate the local women’s cricket league with Olivia Bidwell beating teammate and friend Samantha Biddiscombe to female cricketer of the year. The team went on to beat Sportsmans in the final by seven wickets.

Towns also defended their T20 title against Wanderers by six wickets with captain Sam Crouch and Brady Collins leading the way in a masterful chase of 126.

Local rugby players banded together to help those in Tonga affected by a devastating tsunami as the Geraldton Tiger Sharks raised funds through the rugby 10s tournament.

March

Towns defended their Geraldton Cricket League title in a thrilling final against the Wanderers.

Wanderers looked dead and buried after making only 85 but almost pulled off a stunning win going down by one wicket with Towns’ Nathan Podmore proving the difference with 48 not out.

Brady Collins and Jai Russell shared the Doug Hogue Medal while Clint Yeates become just the 17th life member of the cricket association.

Johny Narkle and Richard Bartlett led the Olympians to back-to-back titles in the Geraldton Basketball Association as they beat the Pumas by 16 points with Narkle ending with 42 points and taking home the league MVP.

Stateside won the women’s title in a thrilling low-scoring battle with the Pumas, 49-43, with Charlotte Kennedy leading the way with 21 points.

With the GNFL a month away the league put the call out over a serious shortage of umpires describing the situation as “grim” and there was disappointment at the Geraldton Turf Club as the Northampton Cup, returning for the first time in nearly 40 years, was washed out.

Local bowls pair Shane Giudice-Nairn and Mike Ford won the State’s biggest bowls event with Geraldton also taking home best club honours while Patrick Cripps made an electric start to the AFL season while the Eagles’ troubles were only just beginning.

April

Neveah Hill created history to become the first Geraldton athlete in 40 years to win a medal at the Australian titles taking home bronze in the under-17 400m hurdles in what was a great year for Mid West athletics.

Callum Williamson took the lead in the Toyota Sprintcar series while the Geraldton Softball League came to a close as Suiside came away with the trophy to make it back-to-back titles while the Midwest Marlins beat the Rams 7-2 to claim the women’s titles.

Liam Hunt was one of the best stories of the year as he made his return to the court for the Buccs after nearly two years. After tearing both his anterior cruciate ligament and his lateral collateral ligament he was told he may never play again. The Buccs made the perfect start finishing the month on top of the ladder after winning their first five games.

Edel Rodden took out the 2022 Kalbarri Jetty Surf Frothin’ Fools GeroGrom Fest in a packed field while the Town of Northampton geared up to host a festival of footy WAFL game to help raise funds for cyclone Seroja recovery.

The GNFL season started as Brigades crushed Railways by 60 points in a grand final rematch while Rovers and Northampton got off to winning starts as Jed Hagan and Julia Teakle put in starring performances in the WAFL.

May

East Fremantle won the inaugural Seroja Cup by 10 points over East Perth as thousands flocked to Northampton Oval with Mid West stars like Josh Kennedy and Paul Hasleby returning to their home ground. It was a huge boost for Northampton and football in the region with thousands raised for diaster relief.

Another Geraldton product got on the biggest stage as Jack Carroll made his debut for Carlton amassing 19 disposals and a goal with his first-ever kick in league football while Kennedy became just the 25th payer in AFL history to pass 700 goals.

Closer to home, Brigades stalwart Dale Williamson broke the GNFL’s goal-kicking record against Towns passing Dale Baynes’ mark of 780, kicking six goals against the Baynes-coached Towns to send the crowd into raptures.

Railways and the GNFL community were in mourning following the sudden passing of stalwart Craig “Scurge” Butler who spent 17 years at the club and was honoured with black armbands and a one minute silence.

There was also a changing of the guard at the top of the GNFL as Carrissa Bellottie became the first Indigenous woman to be president of the league as Colin Cox stepped down after 12 and a half years of service.

The Buccs still hadn’t lost a game yet extending their streak to 9-0. Local fighters landed a knockout as Sarah Butler and Jack Clifford came away with titles at the National Club Championships in Adelaide.

June

Mullewa broke a three-year drought after beating Northampton in round six of the season while Kristerfer Ryder went viral across the nation for his stunning grab which took the spotlight away from Dale Baynes who brought up his 800th goal in his 200th game.

Because of a lack of interest from players, the GNFL decided to skip country week. It was the second year in a row without a senior representative side.

Hundreds of softball players from around the State gathered for Geraldton’s June Carnival which was held for the first time in two years.

Local soccer legends laced up the boots at La Fiamma soccer club for the beyond blue trophy to raise money for mental health as their amateur league side claimed their first away win since 2018.

Scott Strange claimed the Spalding Park Open after a stunning back nine rounded out his victory.

Brynn Teakle added to the list of Northampton AFL products after being picked up by Port Adelaide in the mid-season draft making one of the more memorable debuts in recent memory just 14 days later. His game was cut short by a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Despite the disappointment, he was offered a one-year contract and less than a week later another Teakle, this time Julia, made history becoming the first AFLW player from Northampton.

The Buccaneers suffered their first loss to end their winning streak at 10, going down to the Cockburn Cougars by four points.

2022 IN REVIEW (JULY TO DECEMBER): SEE JANUARY 6 GERALDTON GUARDIAN