2022 Review: The biggest moments in Gold Coast sport
From the highs of breaking a decade-long premiership drought, to the lows of the tragic death of a beloved footballer, 2022 brought the best and worst in the Gold Coast. We review the biggest moments of 2022.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Coolangatta takes the Millions
Coolangatta takes the Millions
The Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) ended in thrilling fashion, as Coolangatta held off a fast finish Russian Conquest.
The victory marked a first triumph in the $2m race for jockey James McDonald.
February
Gold Coasters continue to dominate surf sports
Ali Day and Harriet Brown became the toast of surf sports after winning the Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series following a huge weekend of racing in six-foot swell in February.
Day further etched himself into surf ironman history with a fourth Nutri-Grain Series win while Harriet Brown secured her second title.
Day won four of the opening six rounds of the series before finishing fourth and third respectively in Rounds 5 and 6 in swell that produced sets reaching almost 2m across the weekend.
March
Gold Coast rugby’s top comp exodus
On the eve of the Gold Coast District Rugby Union season beginning, three clubs sensationally withdrew from the first-grade competition.
Citing a lack of players who could safely and competently contest scrums, Palm Beach Currumbin, Coomera and Helensvale took themselves out of the Phil Temperton Trophy and instead plied their trade in the lower grades.
Just five teams remained, and the work began to rebuild the competition and address the concerning lack of players that had been shielded prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Major boost for racing
A decade on from the loss of the region’s harness racing facilities at Parklands, the announcement was made that the Gold Coast would soon host a “world-class” venue yet again.
Replacing Brisbane’s Albion Park, it will allow the northern Gold Coast become the epicentre of the sport – which brings in more than $185m into the state economy annually.
Work on the development officially began in June, with completion expected by December 2023.
April
Gold Coast sporting icon Daphne Pirie dies
The Gold Coast lost arguably its most loved sporting icon and pioneer, in Daphne Pirie, 90.
Acting Mayor Donna Gates described Mrs Pirie as a “true icon of Gold Coast sport”.
Mrs Pirie had been president of the Queensland Rugby League, a member of the State Olympic Council and director of Gold Coast Events Management, as well as president of the Gold Coast’s Sporting Hall of Fame.
She loved hockey, and was a champion sprinter and in 1955 held no less than 40 open championships in her State, and was unbeaten in all events.
May
A-League return gathers steam
Now it was just a matter of the A-League expanding its horizons.
Maher had stepped away from his role with the NPL Queensland powerhouse outfit to spearhead a bid for an A-League comeback in the region.
He revealed the club bid team and investment firm 42 Ventures had forged a partnership with American consortium Benevolent Capital, who would provide financial support for both the club and a boutique stadium to be built.
Titans lock in Foran
The five eighth’s signing came after days of speculation around his playing future, in a time where they lacked an experienced half after letting Jamal Fogarty go.
AFL legend passes away
The 75-year-old was an icon within the code in Queensland, serving as president of the Southport Sharks for 49 years.
His death triggered an outpouring of emotion in the region, as well as praise for his extensive service to the game.
Cricket legend’s tragic death
Symonds died in a car accident in North Queensland in the early hours of the morning, triggering immediate grief among those within the game far and wide.
June
Next generation clean sweep
A host of young players earned selection in the South Queensland Country side as a result, and it led to coach Shaun Cole calling for a return of a Colts competition to the region or risk losing these players entirely.
July
A new World Champion
In just the second round at the Gold Coast Convention Centre Opetaia felt the blow of Briedis resulting in an injury which would inevitably take him almost six months to recover from.
Now with the belt around his waist, the 27-year-old will aim to unify the titles moving into a big 2023.
Suns lock in coach
That led to coach Stuart Dew being locked into a new deal, inking a two-year contract extension.
A host of player re-signings followed, and while others were lost to rival clubs the leading mentor has set about cementing an identity in the yellow and red ranks.
August
Emma McKeon breaks Australia’s all-time medal record
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, swimming golden girl Emma McKeon broke the Australian record for the most gold medals won at the Commonwealth Games.
McKeon was already Australia’s most decorated Olympian with 11 medals in total, including five golds, but the Commonwealth Games record meant just as much if not more.
Star Sun on the move
Key forward Izak Rankine informed the club in August of his desire to move back home to South Australia, with his defection to the Adelaide Crows eventually locked in.
Knights keep on marching
In what was Shaun Cole’s first season at the helm of his beloved Knights, the coach brought the likes of Wayde Scott out of retirement to help with injuries throughout the season, culminating in yet another time of celebration for the club.
Rollers lift the trophy
The Rollers outclassed the Sunshine Coasters 118-71 in front of an emphatic, sold out arena of more than 1000 fans at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium, winning the series two nil.
The team went on to place third at the national championships in Victoria.
SEPTEMBER
Levi sisters grab triple-crown
The Gold Coast’s brightest rugby sevens sister duo Maddi and Teagan Levi completed an incredible feat in 2022, winning the ‘triple crown’.
Australia dominated the sevens circuit all year, winning the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and world series titles.
Bird breaks the duck
That all changed when the former New South Wales State of Origin star captained the Southport Tigers to a Rugby League Gold Coast title.
The veteran was part of a yellow and black onslaught on grand final day, disposing of reigning premiers Burleigh 40-0 at Cbus Super Stadium.
Knights win NPL
After finishing second in the regular season, the Gold Coast Knights had a heroic finals run to take out the National Premier League premiership over Olympics Football Club.
The Knights beat Olympic 2-0 in a grand final of over 4000 people at Perry Park in Brisbane to claim their second championship in four years.
October
Supercars future locked in
At last the Supercars championship returned to Surfers Paradise, having not been sighted in the region since 2019 due to the pandemic.
And its comeback was secured for the long-term, with a new deal for the street circuit series locked in until 2025.
Hampson’s tragic death
It was the news that triggered shockwaves throughout the rugby league community when former Keebra Park star Liam Hampson was found dead in Barcelona.
The 24-year-old had been holidaying throughout Europe with the likes of current Gold Coast Titans star AJ Brimson when he went missing for nearly two days.
November
Bush wins AFLW Goal of the Year
Gold Coast Sun Ashanti Bush took out one of the AFLW’s highest honours, winning Goal of the Year at the W Awards in Melbourne.
Bush became the first Sun — AFL or AFLW player — in club history to win the award which was booted as just her second ever AFLW goal.
The Northern Territory product kicked the spectacular goal during the Suns final AFLW game of the season against GWS, beating out Hawthorn’s Akec Makur Chuot and Adelaide’s Danielle Ponter for the award.
Titans million dollar man hits the market
From November 1 the former Maroons forward hit the open market, and now questions have emerged over whether he will remain on the Gold Coast or even be able to get a fraction of his previous deal elsewhere.
Reports have emerged in recent weeks that the Canberra Raiders could try and lure him to the nation’s capital, while the Gold Coast will be hopeful of keeping him beyond the end of his 2023 expiry.
December
The 2019 number one draft pick battled injury in 2020 and 2021, but cemented his reputation as one of the league’s best young talents with a strong 2022 season.
And his mission for the club is nothing short of a premiership.
“The end goal, which really drives us as a footy club, is to win that first premiership for the Gold Coast Suns,” Rowell said.
Tennis young guns win state champs
The Gold Coast beat out Northeast NSW and Metropolitan Brisbane by the narrowest of margins to notch the region’s first since 2013, their thirteenth win since the inception of the competition in 1987.
The young guns took out the 11 and 13 years divisions, only dropping three matches along the way, while the solid results of the 15 and 17 years teams carried the Gold Coast to the overall win.
Gold Coast secure Australia’s biggest volleyball event
Tourism and Events Queensland and Major Events Gold Coast announced the deal with Volleyball Australia on the first day of the 2022 Australia Volleyball Schools Cup, which brings in more than 500 teams and 8000 competitors across a full week.
Revealed: Every Gold Coast Sports Awards finalist
16 athletes have been named finalists for the Gold Coast Sports Awards across three different categories after a stunning year of achievement on the Coast. See who made the cut.
‘F*** I miss it’: How the Cutters managed to sign former Sun
After stepping away from the AFL due to mental fatigue, former Richmond Tigers premiership star and Gold Coast Sun Brandon Ellis has rediscovered his love for the game, signing with the South Cairns Cutters for the 2025 season. This is why.