General News
7 December, 2024
Who's in running for Sports Star award
THE LODDON Herald’s inaugural Sports Star of the Year will be named next week. Twelve monthly nominees, profiled below, are vying for the accolade, which recognises the Loddon region’s finest sportspeople. The nominees are drawn from articles...
THE LODDON Herald’s inaugural Sports Star of the Year will be named next week.
Twelve monthly nominees, profiled below, are vying for the accolade, which recognises the Loddon region’s finest sportspeople.
The nominees are drawn from articles published in the Herald.
OCTOBER
Young Inglewood axeman John Coffey won the Log 40 Underhand Handicap event at the Melbourne Royal Woodchop championships. His father, John senior, is a three-time Victorian champion, while uncle David was world champion in 2011. Brother Blake is a rising star and cousin Matt won the Rookie World Championship in Italy this year.
NOVEMBER
Pyramid Hill motocross rider Judd Chislett dominated the Victorian championship series in his last year as a junior. He took out the state 250cc and 125cc titles after returning from a serious ankle injury. Chislett is now performing strongly at senior level, winning all four rounds of the Victorian C Grade championship.
DECEMBER
Cricketer Allira James was ranked among the top bowlers and batters in the Victorian Country Cup tournament. The Serpentine product was ninth on the bowling table and 12th on the batting list. A right-arm fast bowler, Allira took 3-15 in one match, all after having overcome an ACL injury sustained playing netball.
JANUARY
All-round star Carly Isaac was nominated for her second placing in the Hobart marathon, beating her best time by more than five minutes. She battled the hilly course – a stern test for someone from Boort – and finished runner-up in a field of more than 100 runners. Carly is also a netball star, and twice winner of the Queen of the Mountain race at Wycheproof.
FEBRUARY
Boort Yando cricketer Harry Malone dominated Upper Loddon Cricket Association junior ranks with both bat and ball. After his nomination, his team went on to win the premiership, with Harry winning the player of the finals award. He is also a talented hockey player, winning Boort’s men’s best-and-fairest and finishing runner-up in the league award.
MARCH
Arnold’s rags-to-riches cricket season – they won the wooden spoon and then the grand final in a four-team competition – was typified by Heath Lock. The former junior returned to cricket after five years concentrating on tennis and was player of the match in the season decider, taking two wickets and compiling 35 not out.
APRIL
Ian Potter is a star in the stately sport of golf croquet. The Boort local won the Murray Valley region Level 1 title, which took him to the Victorian championships, where he won eight of his 12 matches at the Victorian Croquet Centre. He has since progressed to a -1 handicap, placing him in the top 10 players in the state.
MAY
As co-coach and a key player for Bridgewater’s senior A Grade netball team, Caz Wood does it all. She won her nomination for her performance in the Anzac Round against bitter local rivals Inglewood, in which she was named as most courageous player. The Mean Machine won the clash by an impressive 37 goals.
JUNE
Wedderburn veteran Adam Postle played his 300th senior game for the Redbacks, becoming just the third player in club history to reach the milestone. The key defender started playing for Wedderburn in 2007 and has agreed to pull on the red and black guernsey again next year at age 40. He remains one of the Redbacks’ most important players.
JULY
Inglewood lawn bowler Geoff Wilson was named in the Victorian state bowlers arm team for the national titles. He and his teammates took out the national championship, the fifth time in succession that Geoff had been on the winning side. The competition allows players to use a mechanical arm to bowl without having to bend.
AUGUST
Boort youngster Max Beattie doubled up in August, winning the North Central Football Netball League’s Jeff Gould under-17 best-and-fairest award and then the Magpies junior trophy. He shared the league prize with Charlton’s Seb Zagame. The speedy midfielder also played senior football for the club in 2024.
SEPTEMBER
Ava Francis stamped herself as a star of the Loddon Valley netball league with a win in the Rising Star award for 2024. The Bear’s Lagoon-Serpentine 17-year-old also finished second in the competition’s senior A Grade best-and-fairest count, a remarkable result for a teenager straight out of junior ranks.