Daniel Gorry and Caitlin Couch named best men’s and women’s players from the CAFL season
From a Minahan medallist to the league’s leading goal kickers and a Rovers threepeat winner, we reveal the best players of the 2022 Central Australian Football League season.
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THE siren has blown on another Central Australian Football League season when the celebration of 75 years of Red Centre footy brought out the best of the best in the five men’s and four women’s sides.
Pioneer won the men’s grand final in a nailbiter against South Alice Springs, snapping a 12-year drought in the process.
And Rovers made it three flags from five successive deciders in the women’s grand final when it beat debutants West Alice Springs.
Individually, Federal ruckman Daniel Gorry won the prestigious Minahan Medal as the league’s best and fairest player on the same night West Alice Springs’ running defender Caitlin Couch won the Margaret Liddle award, as the women’s competition’s best and fairest.
But there were several other players who made their mark on both competitions, those “x-factors” who took a big mark, laid an important tackle or spun out of an angry pack with the football when the match was up for grabs.
So who were the CAFL’s top 20 players in 2022 on the 75th version of Central Australia’s season that was?
The game changers who Centralian footy fans wanted to see ply their trade on match days, when premiership points and ultimately, the game’s holy grail, were up for grabs.
MEN’S TOP 20
1. Daniel Gorry
Club: Federal
A ruckman-forward who can play a key role in defence or go forward to kick goals and set up numerous others, Gorry won the Minahan Medal in fine style, polling 20 votes to beat Rovers ace Gareth Remfrey by seven votes and Pioneer champion Matt Campbell by nine.
Gorry said he was completely blindsided and shocked with the ease in which he won the coveted medal.
“I thought there two or three players in my team that had a better year than me, let alone blokes in the other teams,’’ Gorry said.
“Matty Campbell was unreal and Michaelis McMasters should have polled a lot better, it was pretty crazy to tell you the truth.
“Gareth Remfrey jumped out early before I got a few three votes that set me apart, but overall I was pretty shocked to get the win.’’
Gorry played most of the season in the ruck, with his time in the forward line spent leading up the ground “because I’m a pretty ordinary shot for goal’’ as the big man explained.
2. Gareth Remfrey
Club: Rovers
The Double Blues on-baller has made a habit of finding the football and doing something with it in a long career with the club.
Remfrey’s poise when in possession and ability to off-load with precision make him one of Central Australia’s most recognisable footballers.
3. Matt Campbell
Club: Pioneer
The former North Melbourne goalsneak learned his early football at Pioneer and has returned to the CAFL Eagles after a long career with North Adelaide, the AFL Kangaroos and NTFL club Darwin Buffaloes.
Still capable of the spectacular, Campbell is a game changer who can kick a goal when given any space and play through the midfield and defence when required.
4. Michaelis McMasters
Club: South Alice Springs
A midfielder who can play across half forward, half back or the wing.
Has the footy smarts on both sides of the body and the leg speed to take him away from a chasing opponent.
5. Shawn Foster
Club: Pioneer
Another player capable of extraordinary feats with his great athleticism and ability to kick important goals.
Won the Everingham Medal awarded to the best player on the ground in the grand final when he kicked five goals to steer his Eagles to their first senior flag in 12 years.
6. Thomas Gorey
Club: South Alice Springs
Won the league goalkicking with 57 goals in a season where his side were the best performed in the home and away, and won their first final before being narrowly beaten by Pioneer in the grand final.
A good contested mark and finisher in front of goals as spearheads are supposed to be.
7. Kane Sevallos
Club: Pioneer
A small and elusive on-baller who made the 1000km round trip from Tennant Creek on match days to play a big role in the Eagles’ breakthrough flag.
Has good foot and hand skills after regularly finding space on the ground to be a regular supplier to his forward line players.
8. Shane Inkamala
Club: Federal
A thrill-a-minute medium forward with the leg speed and evasive skills to create several headaches among opposition players and coaching staff.
Booted 15 goals in five appearances for the red and whites due to his playing commitments with community competition runners-up Papunya.
9. Daniel Stafford
Club: South Alice Springs
The big-bodied Kangaroos forward brought a roar of approval from fans at CAFL games every time he got near the ball.
Capable of grabbing towering marks or running on to a lead from the midfield, Stafford kicked 21 goals in his nine appearances, in between stints with community premiers Mt Allan where his five goals in the grand final landed him the best on ground medal.
10. Thomas Swan
Club: Pioneer
A small utility best suited to the wing or an on-ball role where his ability to read the play and run hard set up several goals in the Eagles’ premiership year.
Still learning the game, Swan is working on running both ways and his disposal on the road to becoming one of the stars of the CAFL.
11. Jayden Dick
Club: West Alice Springs
The captain of West Alice Springs leads by example every week in roles that vary from a midfielder, to on-ball, defence and up forward.
Not afraid to get the hard ball and a clean disposer of the football via hand and foot.
12. Kurt Abbott
Club: Rovers
A half back flanker who can be moved around the ground with his versatility.
Often gets a defensive role on medium to small forwards with the leg speed to create problems on the scoreboard for the Double Blues.
13. Paddy Doyle
Club: Rovers
The quintessential centre half-back who can take a strong defensive mark while intercepting several forward thrusts from the opposition.
Likes to peel off his opponent to gain a possession and kick long when he gets it.
14. Dominic Forbes
Club: South Alice Springs
Rated by many as the best full back in the competition, Forbes plays close to his opponent while being capable of the big mark and long clearing kick that earmarks the key defensive role.
15. Jawoyn Cole-Manolis
Club: Pioneer
The “President’’ who continues to be a dominant force in the competition with his hard running and superb skills.
Has an uncanny ability to read the play and find the football in contested situations.
16. Robby Bartee
Club: Federal
A robust, hard running on-baller who found a lot of the football in a season where Federal became a genuine force in the competition.
17. Lachlan Dunnemann
Club: Federal
Exciting, medium-built midfielder-defender who was a key figure in Federal’s rise to second position on the league ladder after the home and away rounds.
18. Deacon Braun
Club: South Alice Springs
Another medium sized player who can find the ball and do something with it.
One of the regular contributors in a Souths side that fell agonisingly short of their first flag in eight years.
19. Cheyne Miles
Club: Pioneer
An underrated ruckman, Miles’ big leap and ability to tap the ball to his running players was one of several factors in the Eagles’ first senior flag for 12 years.
20. Ishmael Palmer
Club: South Alice Springs
Has all the facets needed to be a key player, including the big mark, long kick and smart handball in conjunction with a big tackling game.
The son of Centralian legend Daniel Palmer has continued his family’s football pedigree.
WOMEN’S TOP 20
1. Caitlin Couch
Club: West Alice Springs
A prolific possession getter as a defensive midfielder who changed her game to play forward a lot more in 2022, Couch booted 13 goals for the red and blacks to impress the umpires in league best and fairest voting.
She finished six votes in front of previous winner Souths full forward Ebony Miller and 10 ahead of Alkamilya goalkicker and a league medallist Kaitlyn Armstrong.
“Personally I didn’t think I played as well as I could,’’ Couch said of her season.
“I got tagged for most of the year and as a result thought I didn’t have a huge impact, but obviously I did by still managing to win the medal.
“Now that we’ve got there (finals) we have to hold on to our core group and retain players if we’re to give it another crack.’’
2. Ebony Miller
Club: South Alice Springs
Capable of a big mark and gaining possession of the football at contests with her strength and ability to read the play, Miller is one of the gems of the CAFL women’s competition.
She can play in the ruck and up forward, where she has won the Margaret Liddle and Bev Ellis medals as league best and fairest and grand final BOG.
Miller would be one of the first players picked in a combined NT side.
3. Lara Harding
Club: Rovers
A multiskilled player well suited to the midfield where her high possession rate and accurate kicks into the forward line played a major role in the Double Blues’ premiership threepeat.
4. Kaitlyn Armstrong
Club: Alkamilya
The competition’s leading goalkicker with 25 majors, Armstrong is a dual Margaret Liddle and Bev Ellis medallist.
Very clean with her marking and disposal skills and a proven goalkicker who can break a game open.
5. Brylee Kerin
Club: Rovers
Showed her skills with a best on ground performance in the grand final win over Wests, kicking goals and setting up several others with her run out of the middle and across half forward.
6. Kirstin Remfrey
Club: Rovers
No mention of the CAFL’s best women players would be complete without including the Rovers stalwart and skilful midfielder.
A previous Margaret Liddle medallist, Remfrey has been the catalyst in lifting Rovers to almost invincible status with her consistency and ability to find the football.
7. Hannah Murdoch
Club: West Alice Springs
A cult figure at West Alice Springs where her strength in the clinches, strong marking and long kicking across half forward or half back make her a vital cog in the Bloods machine.
8. Kahlisha Rioli
Club: Alkamilya
The younger sister of Hawthorn star Cyril and Alkamilya’s captain has all the football bloodlines of the famous football family, plying her trade across half forward and through the middle.
9. Tamara Walker
Club: West Alice Springs
Nicknamed “Reggie”, Walker is an attacking half back flanker who can turn defence into attack with her long runs and penetrating kicking.
10. Delsey Ah Wang
Club: Rovers
The Double Blues’ premiership captain was a tower of strength from Round 1 with her ability to provide a target for the wealth of quality midfielders driving the ball towards goal.
11. Jasmine Boyers
Club: Alkamilya
A hard working midfielder-midfielder who runs all day and often completes a match with a 20-plus possession game.
12. Felisha Swan
Club: South Alice Springs
Has all the skills and has plenty of leg speed that make her an important player in the Roos’ side through the midfield and up forward.
13 Anne-Marie Mabus
Club: Alkamilya
Can play across half back, through the middle or up forward where her good skills and appetite for the football make her a valuable player.
Missed this year’s finals series when she travelled overseas.
14. Shannan King
Club: Rovers
A reliable defender known for her consistency across half back where she has often marked the opposition’s most dangerous forwards.
15. Shoneeka Abbott
Club: Alkamilya
One of the league’s best running defenders who consistently turns defence into attack with her transitional play.
16. Renee Smith
Club: Rovers
Rated the league’s best ruck in the women’s competition for some time due to with her clever hit-outs and ability to take centre bounces and boundary throw-ins for long periods.
Came back from injury late in the season to be one of her side’s best in the grand final win over Wests.
17. Alix Wilyman
Club: West Alice Springs
One of the surprise packets of the season with her no-fear approach to the game in her first season of Australian football.
Won a lot of hardball gets in her 14 games to be one of the Bloods’ most consistent players.
18. Christa Lingen
Club: Rovers
A highly dependable defender who always produced 100 per cent effort games in a season where her contested marking and precise disposal were big weapons for the premiers.
19. Samantha Hoogeveen-Hill
Club: Pioneer
A highly rated player for the Eagles, who struggled for playing numbers this season.
But Hoogeveen-Hill was a standout with her big workrate down back.
20. Madeleine Tickle
Club: West Alice Springs
The Wests spearhead came from a netball background where her height and long arms were well suited to the key forward position.
Took several contested marks on the way to booting 14 goals through the season.
Pioneer win its first CAFL flag in 12 years
Pioneer returned to the top of the Central Australian Football League premiership dais after a 12-year absence when the green and gold Eagles beat South Alice Springs in a thrilling men’s grand final.
It was a match for the ages, with a shot for goal after the siren from 65m by Souths’ Marcus Glen to win the game falling short after he won a free kick for a deliberate out of bounds with seconds left on the time clock.
Pioneer dominated the second and third quarters to take a 22-point lead into the last term but had to withstand a big Souths comeback in the last 20 minutes before holding on to win the 75th CAFL flag and their 32nd by five points.
The Kangaroo forwards did themselves no favours with some shocking inaccuracy in the last quarter, a return of 2.6 leaving them an agonising five points short when Glen’s shot at goal did not make the distance.
The 11.5 (71) to 9.12 (66) win means Pioneer bookends the life of the senior competition after winning the first flag in 1947 and celebrating the league’s 75th anniversary in 2022 with their 32nd premiership.
Five-goal half forward Shawn Foster won the prestigious Everingham Medal, the first Eagle to win the award since his coach and club legend Willie Foster won it in Pioneer’s losing grand final against Souths in 2014.
Pioneer veteran and former North Melbourne goalkicker Matt Campbell celebrated his first premiership in two decades.
“It’s a great feeling to win a grand final and to know the club played its best football in what is always the biggest game of the year,’’ Campbell said.
“I didn’t do a lot except tweak my left hamstring in the third quarter, but footy is a team sport and we did enough things right to win our first flag for 12 years.’’
Eagles like Shawn Foster, Jawoyn Cole-Manolis through the middle, Cheyne Miles in the ruck and Troy Gillett running off half back got Pioneer on top after Souths had led by 10 points early in the second term.
Four goals to two in the “championship’’ third quarter, three of them to the elusive Foster, lifted Pioneer to a big lead at three quarter-time before the inevitable Souths comeback almost pinched a win.
Souths coach Chris Forbes was left disappointed but “very, very’’ proud of the 22 players that wore a blue and white striped jumper.
“That’s three grand finals I’ve lost now, but I always knew Pioneer would come at us hard,’’ Forbes said.
“But I’m super proud of my boys, everyone of the 22 players out there put their heads up and dug deep even when things didn’t go our way.
“We kept chipping away and nearly snatched the lead back, but unfortunately we ran out of time.’’
Forbes said he wanted to continue as Kangaroos coach into the 2023 season but he would consult with his wife and family before making a final decision.
Meanwhile, Rovers won the women’s flag when they held West Alice Springs goalless in Friday night’s grand final at Traeger Park.
Double Blues on-baller Brylee Kerin won the Bev Ellis Medal as the best player on the ground in her side’s 5.4 (34) to 0.2 (2) win.
Rovers kicked five unanswered goals in the first half to have their third premiership cup in as many years tucked away with two quarters left to play.
There were no goals in the second half, with both sides kicking two behinds each.
The run and high possession rate of Kerin, Lara Harding, Kirstin Remfrey and Millie Jaine always had Rovers in the ascendancy and Wests on the defensive.
Club president Paul Graham said it had been a great night for Rovers players and supporters, with the win allowing Centralian fans to focus on women’s football after the men dropped out of the premiership race.
“What was also brilliant was seeing a lot of the men get down to the ground to support women’s footy and that means a lot to me as a president,” Graham said.
Wests coach Alicia Stanley said the nervousness and excitement associated with the club’s first appearance in a women’s grand final had overtaken her players.
“They got the jump on us and unfortunately we couldn’t capitalise on some of our inside 50s in the second half,’’ Stanley said.
“We were too nervous, too excited, too everything and didn’t go for the ball hard enough in the first half.
“But I was proud of our second half, we got ourselves together and actually played a bit of footy.’’
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