LAST WEEK was the last day of a very long league season, with a total of five matches to get through at the Airlie Beach Bowls Club, before we discovered who our 2023 champion would be.
The preliminaries got the action underway, with last year’s Champion Dom Friend taking on the 2021 Champion Jamie Woods.
This was an arm wrestle from start to finish, with some exceptional darts thrown, but Jamie Woods took the win and dethroned Dom in a great match by 10 legs to 8.
In the other prelim, last year’s runner up Jamie Maher was taking on Joe Wilson, who was looking to make his first Grand Final.
This was a more straightforward affair going in the favour of Joe, who took the win 10/5.
In the Hetlock Cup final, the experience of Andy Peel proved too strong for the 2023 debutant Hawkeye Rick, winning the contest by a 6/1 scoreline.
In the 3rd/4th place playoff match, Dom Friend again proved too strong for Jamie Maher winning by 8 legs to 1. Congratulations to Dom.
Then all eyes turned to the Grand Final, where no doubt the two best players all year went head-to-head.
There were some great checkouts, including a 120 Shanghai to Woodsy and a 99 for Joe amongst them.
Both players averaged well, Joe averaging 59 and Woodsy 62, which was impressive for a best of 21 leg match.
There were 30 tons – 17 to 13 in favour of Woodsy, and 7 x 140s – 5 to 2 in Joe’s favour, it was an absorbing contest.
But, unfortunately, there can only be one winner, and it went the way of Woodsy after a great battle between two great players, claiming his second title in three years, by 11 legs to 5.
Congratulations to both players, commiserations to Joe, and congratulations again to Jamie Woods, exceptional stuff.
Thank you to our sponsors MIKA Airlie, Whitsunday Tattooing Airlie Beach, and Master Butchers Whitsunday and MBW On the Barbie – you have been fantastic again this year.
Anyone who wishes to join the club for next season’s league, you can get in touch by messaging us on Facebook or Instagram.
We also have a Christmas competition starting, in November, but numbers are limited so get in early.
Prelim Finals: J Wilson 10/5 J Maher; J Wilson 1 x 180; J Woods 10/8 D Friend.
Hetlock Cup Final: A Peel 6/1 H Rick; 3rd/4th Playoff D Friend 8/1 J Maher.
Grand Final: J Woods 11/5 J Wilson.
