FOR the second season in succession, a dual Grand Final Player of the Match was awarded after both Barry Hoy and Ben France handed in five-star performances last Saturday that the judges couldn’t split. Last season, Uralla duo Bra Ritchie and Brett Woodward won the award, three years before, Swampys Craig Lord and Lachie Fletcher won.

EVERGREEN Swamp skipper Barry Hoy has now taken home the “G.F.P.O.M” trophy three times after he shared it with his father Kevin in 1988 and then received it again in 2002. To make it a real family affair, Barry’s younger brother Steve won the award together with his Swamp team mate Nathan Goodwin in 1999 after winning it by himself in 1993.

SINCE the inaugural award in 1987, won by rugby league legend Robert “Truck” Laurie, 29 players have collected the trophy during those 32 seasons. Only five are multiple winners – Nathan Goodwin four times (1999, 2000, 2005 and 2010); Barry Hoy three times, his brother Steve twice, while Colts allrounder Jim Nivision went back-to-back in 1997 and ‘98 as did Lachi Fletcher in 2014 and ‘15. The only other dual winners were Colts pair Paul Pittman and Cameron LIttle in 2009.

FUNNY old game, cricket. Last Saturday in the premiership decider, Round Swamp were cruising along until Colts opening bowler Will Fetcher was reintroduced into the attack, sparking a batting collapse of 5/19 after he snared three quick wickets without conceding a run before finishing with 4/28 off his 10 overs.

WHEN Colts batted, they were well and truly in the game until Ben France struck, removing dangerman Ed Blomfield and then Stu Halliday which triggered a batting collapse of 5/19. Coincidently, Ben finished with 4/28 off his 10 overs which meant he shared the Jim Fletcher Memorial trophy for best bowling performance in the grand final with Will.

THE annual presentations were held at the Commercial Hotel following the grand final where association president and Colts allrounder Ed Blomfield was named the E.R. Brazel Memorial Player of the Season for the second time in three seasons. All presentation details next week.

BEST of luck to Walcha golfers, club president Allan Green, Miles Archdale, captain Willy Brennan, his son Liam Peter Norbury and Tony Asmus when they represent Walcha at the NSW 4BBB Sandgreen Championships at Cobar this weekend.

THE Walcha Roos will have their first hit out in 2018 when they travel to Bingara on Saturday to take on the Bullets in a trial match. Co-coaches Steve McAlister and Chris Bruce should have a fair idea how they are travelling following the game.

THE Swimming Club Championships continued on Tuesday with four more “Walcha World Records” set, three by Chloe Mackaway and one by Chyna Smith. In the 100 metres freestyle, “Nigel” smashed the open girls record previously held by her older sister Amber by more than five seconds when she stopped the clock in 1 minute 10.55 seconds.

IF that wasn’t good enough, Chloe then backed up to better her own 50 metre open girls backstroke time by over a second in 37.22 before lowering her 50 metre breaststroke record to 43.03 seconds. “Nigel” now has the fastest times for all seven open girls’ events, five 16-year-old records, three in 14 years and three in 12 years, giving her a total of 18.

THE race of the day was between Chloe and Chyna when they went head-to-head in the 100 metres freestyle where “Nigel” touched out Chyna to win the event. Despite finishing second, Chyna sliced two seconds off the 16 years girls record which belonged to Chloe before the race after she completed her journey in 1 minute 11 seconds.