Ipswich clubs celebrate stunning season successes
While Hancocks celebrate a remarkable Ipswich hockey grand final performance, many highlights were shared by all the clubs. Here are the memorable moments as teams savour their achievements.
Ipswich
Don't miss out on the headlines from Ipswich. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Chasing a rare piece of sporting history, the Hancocks club narrowly missed a perfect grand final record at the Ipswich Hockey Complex.
However, six out of seven grand final victories is an amazing feat in anyone’s language.
That included a golden goal extra-time thriller over Norths in the men’s A-Grade decider and a series of impressive lower grade and junior successes.
The club’s A-Grade women also went back-to-back surviving a spirited challenge from Thistles.
While Hancocks celebrate a remarkable grand final performance, many highlights were shared across the clubs, especially beating the dreaded Covid challenges.
Ipswich Hockey officials held their breath on Friday night fearing another state government lockdown was being considered.
However all 13 grand finals were completed in a carnival-style atmosphere with huge crowd support at the Raceview venue.
Here’s the rewards, drama and emotion that unfolded in the eight senior grand finals.
A-Grade men: Hancocks def Norths 4-3 in golden goal extra time
The two best teams in the Ipswich competition provided another magic final with four-goal hero Jackson Willie breaking the deadlock in the 74th minute.
Only able to play six games for Hancocks this season, the striker showed why he is one of the most dangerous players going around.
“I was just trying to suck in the big ones to be honest,’’ Willie said when asked about the pressure goal he scored. “It was good.’’
Willie knew Norths would be a proverbial handful.
“We did win convincingly in the semi (6-0) but the grand final was always a new game,’’ he said.
“The boys always come out. The crowd is awesome.’’
Willie was in his fourth year with Hancocks, having shared in three victories from four grand final appearances for the club.
“This was one of the better ones,’’ he said.
But he only played enough games to qualify for the grand final, playing his usual decisive role.
He enjoys the goal scoring rivalry with Smith brothers Nathan and Ryan.
“It keeps you on your toes,’’ he said.
His menacing attack opened with a stroke in the third quarter to end the 0-0 stalemate.
But after Norths levelled at 2-2 through Steve Rogers and Aiden Buckley, it was on game on.
Norths moved ahead 3-2 in the final quarter after speedster Riley Profke found the net.
However, Willie stepped up again to force extra time and nail the eventual winner in the first period of extra time.
Player of the Final Cian McLaughlin was sporting in defeat deserving the recognition for his efforts.
“It was a good game by them,’’ McLaughlin, 19, said.
“Just unlucky (for Norths) in the end.
“The Hannies boys played really well. We just retaliated as well as we could.’’
The Norths goalkeeper repeatedly repelled Hancocks lethal attack featuring Jackson and Smith brothers Nathan and Ryan.
In his third season in Norths A-Grade side, McLaughlin is one of the exciting youth players being developed at Norths.
“We’ll get them next year,’’ he said, after receiving his first Player of the Final award.
A-Grade Player of the Year was Seth Bolton of Easts.
In the grand final, respected umpire Richard Arthur ended his 400 first grade career spanning 17 seasons in Ipswich and Brisbane.
He earlier officiated in the J1 boys grand final before hanging up the whistle in the A-Grade duel.
A-Grade women: Hancocks def Thistles 2-1
The only reward better than scoring the winning goal for Hancocks was still being on the field to celebrate at the end.
That’s how Layla Eleison felt having missed her team’s victory celebration with concussion in last year’s grand final.
Eleison crashed to the Ipswich Hockey Complex turf after being struck in the head during the second period of extra-time in the 2020 A-Grade women’s decider.
She was escorted from the field and taken by ambulance to hospital as a precaution after the injury scare. The grand final was locked at 0-0 with the prospect of shootouts looming when the incident happened. Hancocks finally won the final.
There was late drama of a different kind this year with Eleison being on the spot to deflect in the winning goal with four minutes remaining.
“It’s so much better being on the field,’’ Eleison said, clutching the premiership trophy.
Thistles had secured the advantage through a first quarter goal by Mikayla Hughes before Hancocks player Kimberly Nunn found an equaliser in the third quarter.
After scoring her goal, Eleison said Hancocks were never going to underestimate Thistles in a grand final despite being minor premiers and mid-season final winners.
“This is a very tough game every single time and I’m glad they (Thistles) were in the final because they deserved to be there as well,’’ the national league midfield/striker said.
“But we had a whole crowd behind us - a massive blue hill.
“We were all comfortable on the field and I don’t think we were every going to lose that game to be honest.’’
Player of the Final Emily Witheyman-Crump was outstanding for Thistles, making a number of crucial close range saves to give her team a shot at a grand final upset.
“It was a good reward for a hard season,’’ Witheyman-Crump said.
“I’m just happy that we could end up finishing the season with all the Covid breaks.’’
Witheyman-Crump sensed Thistles were a strong chance of winning.
“I honestly thought it was going to be like last year where it went to extra time,’’ she said. “But they (Hancocks) found two good goals.
“It was a bit of a different group of girls to last year so I think everyone was just relieved to be able to at least meet that standard that we got last year.
“That’s one good sign to keep going next year.’’
Witheyman-Crump, 21, was in her second season with Thistles.
The former Australian Schoolgirls goalkeeper and Queensland talent is keen to return to Thistles next year after seeing what happens on the representative scene.
“There’s a few young ones in that team that really stepped up this year,’’ she said.
For Eleison, who turns 23 this year, the hard-fought victory capped another pleasing season for the club she has been a part of for many years.
She is also working on continuing her higher level representative opportunities like the Hockey One competition she won a national title in previously.
“I love being back in Ipswich.’’ Eleison said.
“I always love playing in Brisbane (with Easts) as well but being back in the home town is so much better,’’ she said.
Consistent Wests performer Sarah Donnolley was named A-Grade Player of the Year.
Reserve Grade men: Easts def Hancocks 11-2.
If one team was going to end Hancocks grand final victory charge, it was the Easts Tigers.
The 11-2 scoreline was the Tigers second win of the day after the E-Grade girls accounted for Thistles 2-0 in the first game of the day.
After scoring four goals, loyal Tigers striker Tim Woodford said the closeknit Easts team was delighted to regain their best form when it mattered most.
“Right at the end of the year just before Covid hit, we had a couple of tough losses but I think that actually helped us - freshen us up a bit and then get us in the finals,’’ Woodford said.
“It was awesome (to win the final).
“It was a great mix of the older blokes like the Mantells, the Woodies, the Sippels but then we’ve got a good group of five or six young blokes who do all the running for us. It’s really good.’’
Tigers players Max Schulz and Aiden Snook also scored hat-tricks with Steven Bayliss adding another goal.
Woodford was pleased the Tigers were back in the winner’s circle having won several premierships before a few years out of glory.
The victory was extra special for the club after some promising junior sides earlier missed out.
The Tigers stalwart also praised dependable players like Lindsay Marsh for their efforts.
Saturday’s final was Marsh’s 45th year playing for Easts and could be his last year in Reserve Grade to have a run in R2 next year.
Player of the Final was Ben French for his gritty effort in a losing side.
French toiled the entire game before backing up on the A-Grade bench getting some game time in Hancocks 4-3 extra-time thriller.
“Ben does so much running so good on him for getting it (the POF award),’’ Woodford said.
Reid Jackwitz scored both Hancocks goals.
Reserve Grade Player of the year was Baxter Powell from Norths.
Reserve Grade women: Norths def Swifts 4-1
As a long-serving player and leader, Sarah Parlett appreciates having some younger legs to share the workload.
However, the former A-Grade captain enjoyed her team’s latest grand final victory for another reason.
After scoring two goals, the player of the final was excited about the prospect of Norths rebuilding an A-Grade team for next season.
“We’ve actually grown the core of last year so our younger girls have got another year under their belt,’’ she said. “They have developed a bit more.
“We did get a couple of more experienced players back this year and the ultimate goal is to get the team back into A-Grade.’’
Parlett has played in Reserve Grade the past two seasons with Norths not having a top division team.
“I have enjoyed that opportunity,’’ she said.
“We’re really enjoying watching the younger ones develop and we’ve just four or five from C-Grade that are going to play there in the C-Grade final.
“There’s some good youth coming through. We just need to keep nurturing that.
“I love it. I like it these girls can just do the running for me now.
“They are just a really good group of girls and everyone is really supportive so I think that we will keep this group together.’’
Norths’ other goal scorers on a hot afternoon were Lani Blackman and Charlotte McDowell.
Norths were minor premiers and mid-season winners.
Reserve Grade Player of the Year was Isabella Philp from Bellbowrie.
A2 men: Hancocks def Wests 5-3
Hancocks coach Phil Daly said a hat-trick by striker Kobi Tierney was the difference in a hard-fought victory to open the latest grand finals series.
Daniel Howells and Australian Masters representative Chris Fenton also contributed valuable goals in the Friday night victory.
Hancocks’ Player of the Final was fullback Brett Davey.
“He was rock solid back there directing,’’ Daly said. “He did a really good job back there.
“He’s filled in Reserve Grade and R2 as well so he’s been a good club person.’’
It was Hancocks team’s third grand final win in a row providing a perfect start for the club having seven sides in grand finals.
“Seven in our team were over 50 year old so a good mix and a good bunch,’’ Daly said, having been with the team for more than a decade.
A2 Player of the Year Lucas Alchin scored a double for Wests in the grand final.
He appreciated the honour especially having been a long-time Wests player.
“Just stepping back and having a go with those guys (was enjoyable),’’ the former A-Grader said.
“It was a good year, nice experience for me, something different.’’
Alchin had come through the Wests system from D-Grade, joining a group of friends.
He hasn’t looked back, being part of Friday night’s minor premiership-winning side.
“It was a rough loss. It just happens,’’ he said.
“And that’s what finals hockey is. One week it’s awesome and next week it’s just how it all falls.
“We only lost two games all year and that was one of them but it was a good game anyway.’’
The other Magpies goal scorer was Shane Meredith.
A2 women: Thistles def Bellbowrie 5-1
Thistles coach Pauline Alchin was struggling to talk involved in a hectic grand final day.
However, the club president was happy to take a short break from officiating and umpiring to reflect on her team’s Friday night success.
“We’ve played strong across the board really,’’ the coach said.
“All the A2 girls have played together for quite a few years.’’
Kerri Dutney was named Player of the Final for the minor premiers.
“She’s just a talented hockey player,’’ Alchin said.
“She’s got good skills, good speed, a good read of the game.’’
Alchin said Loretta Steele, Lauren Harris and Colleen Hannah were other dependable players.
Harris scored two goals in the final with Steele, Stephanie Brown and Christine Liddell netting one each.
Thistles also won the previous grand final.
Alchin was extra busy with umpiring and tech bench duties due to having so many games on the same day.
The Ipswich junior and senior grand finals are normally held on different weekends. However, everything was combined this year with the ongoing Covid concerns.
The A2 Player of the Year honour was shared by Melissa Emmerson (Wests) and Sherree Brown (Swifts).
R2 men: Hancocks def Easts Gold 8-3
Hancocks Player of the Final Dean Pavitt praised his goal-scoring ace Jake Burns and provided a warning after his team’s 8-3 triumph on Saturday.
The former premiership-winning A-Grade captain could only watch in awe as former Australian player Jake Burns netted seven goals in another dominant display.
Having achieved the same feat in previous grand finals, Burns showed he has lost none of his magic touch.
“I was probably undeserving getting that Player of the Final,’’ Pavitt said.
“With Jake Burns to score seven goals in a game you should get Player of the Final but I will still take it.’’
Burns was lethal playing a high striker role.
Centre half Pavitt said Hancocks “were a bit worried’’ how the fast Easts Gold team would contest the final, having all but one under-15 player and being major improvers.
“We decided to stick with what works well and it worked well today,’’ Pavitt said.
“I’d hate to play them (Easts Gold) in six months time. They are so fast and sharp and they just get better each week.
“They came fourth and just kicked all the way up.
“They still gave it us at times because they ran us off our feet. We were struggling most of that game.’’
Goal scorers for Easts Gold were Lachlan Savage, Aidan Hanson and Mitch Tange.
Pavitt said it was fun reuniting with some former teammates in the R2 competition.
“A few of us played together when we were younger and we just wanted to come back together and have a bit of a run,’’ he said.
They include Nick Bault, Chris Smith and Burns.
“We just want to play for fun and play with the people we haven’t played with for years and really enjoyed this year,’’ he said
R2 Player of the Year was Brad Smith, from Norths.
R2 women’s grand final: Vets def Norths 2-0
Vets player of the final Sarah Francis scored both goals in her team’s 2-1 victory over the Devils.
“It was very hot out there but the girls played good,’’ Francis said.
The striker typified the players loyal to the Vets team.
“We’ve been playing together for a few years now and they are just a great bunch of girls,’’ Francis said.
“We know how they all play so we just gel well.’’
Club president June Nicholls agreed.
“Our club is basically mothers,’’ club official June Nicholls said.
“The girls have been together for quite a few years.’’
“Sarah, the player of the match, she’s been out and had twins and come back.’’
As for being named player of the final, Francis deflected the honour.
“It was nice but I feel like it was a group effort,’’ she said.
The Vets R2 women have won a few premierships in recent years, being one of two club sides along with A2 in the Ipswich competition.
Despite missing a shot at finishing second, Nicholls acknowledged the right call was made to reduce the season after the recent Covid lockdown.
“The association had no other choice but to do what they did,’’ she said.
Francis also acknowledged coach Vanessa Kissane for her support.
The team captained by Karla Black with other long-serving Ipswich competition players like Janet Peters still enjoying hockey.
“We don’t train. The girls do their own thing and play the game,’’ said Nicholls, who has been a long-time Queensland vets representative.
“Our club is there for them just to come along, enjoy their game and stay in the game.’’
Babette Page scored Norths’ goal in the hot Saturday conditions.
The R2 player of the year was Leanne Savage, from Easts.
Ipswich players of the year honour board
A Grade men: Seth Bolton (Easts)
A Grade women: Sarah Donnolley (Wests)
Reserve Grade men: Baxter Powell (Norths)
Reserve Grade women: Isabella Philp (Bellbowrie)
R2 men: Brad Smith (Norths)
R2 women: Leanne Savage (Easts)
A2 men: Lucas Alchin (Wests)
A2 women: Melissa Emmerson (Wests) and Sherree Brown (Swifts).
More Coverage
Artist guilty of insurance fraud over burnt-out $50k pink Hummer
An artist who torched her distinctive pink Hummer and claimed $30,000 in insurance has escaped immediate jail despite the 'calculated' crime.
Family support teen who rorted $400k from ATO, went on lavish spending spree
The family of a teen fraudster who scammed nearly $400,000 from the tax office before a lavish spending spree have stood by him in court.