Katherine van Woerkom scored the match winner for Dalefield. PHOTOS/FILE
Now that the winter season has finally come to an end with Farrier’s Wairarapa-Bush’s 8-29 loss to Whanganui on Saturday, it’s time to dish out a few awards.
CHRIS COGDALE
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Team of the Year
Three teams scored significant triumphs this year – the Masterton Golf Club team who retained the Duncan Cup for Wellington interclub golf, and the Dalefield men’s and women’s hockey teams who won their respective Wellington premier championships.
The winners: Dalefield men have the edge for winning all their games.
Coach of the Year
Plenty of options to choose from with Dane Lett [Dalefield men’s hockey], Geraldine Carroll for guiding Harcourts to their 10th Wairarapa premier one netball title in 10 years, and Gerald Lologa for leading Marist to the first premier club rugby championship in 18 years.
But the winner is Mike O’Connor, the former Wai-Bush rugby representative outside back, who won his second title in four years in charge of the Dalefield women’s hockey side.
Game of the Year
A toss-up between the Marist v Greytown club rugby final, and the Dalefield women’s shootout victory over Hutt United in the Wellington premier hockey final after having a goal disallowed in the last play of the game.
The winner: Marist v Greytown – a game that had it all – a brilliant comeback and a last-minute penalty to snatch victory.
The Coolness Under Pressure Trophy
A close call between James Goodger to kick the penalty for Marist to beat Greytown, or Katherine van Woerkom to fire in the winning shot in the Wellington women’s hockey final.
Van Woerkom gets the nod because her task was probably slightly more challenging.
The Juggernaut Trophy
Harcourts are runaway winners. How do you stop this team who have won ten of the past 11 premier one netball championships?
The answer is simple – you don’t. They are that good.
The Leave It Until Late Award
Wairarapa United thumping Waterside-Karori 6-0 in their last game of the season to retain their place in the Central League for 2021.
The Play of the Year Award
Paul Ifill’s goal to give Wairarapa United a four-goal lead over Waterside-Karori was classic Ifill. The former Wellington Phoenix star beat three players before a curling finish with the outside of his boot.
The 16-0 win by Greytown over Carterton in the local club rugby derby takes the award, just ahead of Wairarapa United’s woeful 1-3 loss to Stop Out in the Central League.
The Cruel Bounce of the Ball Award
Raniera Petersen’s clearing kick from inside the Greytown 22m just needed a slight bounce to the left to have Marist camped on their goal-line. Instead, it kept rolling into touch in goal, and from the resulting scrum, Marist scored to close the gap to two points in the local club rugby final.
The Don’t Turn Up Award
Shared among the four teams who defaulted to Greytown Fresh Choice in the local football league, because they didn’t want to get a hiding.
The Blame Game Award
The double booking of Trust House Memorial Park for Wairarapa United’s final game C-League match and Wairarapa-Bush’s game against Horowhenua-Kapiti. Regardless of who was at fault, it should never have happened.
The Future Cult Hero Award
Bullocking Wai-Bush prop Lewis Bush has all the makings of becoming a crowd favourite with his powerful charges, try-scoring ability, and his never give up attitude.
The Hats Off to You Award
Presented to all the sports administrators for getting on top of the continually changing world of covid-19.
