WA’s best crowned at 2022 Hockey WA Annual Awards

Hale’s Liné Malan and joint winners Ben Staines of Melville and Liam Flynn of Hale have been crowned the Charlesworth Medal and Olympians’ Medal recipients at the 2022 Hockey WA Annual Awards.  

After a season that has helped drive Hale to be in the box seat for their first-ever women’s Premier League premiership, Liné Malan has continued her run as one of the premier hockey players in the state, claiming the Charlesworth Medal after polling 30 votes, five more than the next best in Madi Ratcliffe from Westside Wolves on 25.  

Malan’s form to take home WA hockey’s top prize included a four-goal haul in round 16 to help edge Hale to top of the standings, as well as being a catalyst in the midfield across all matches to put Hale as favourites to take out their inaugural premiership.  

Melville’s Ben Staines finished on 20 points for the year to claim his first Olympians’ Medal after narrowly coming second in 2021 to Victoria Park’s James Collins.  

Hailing from the ACT, Staines had an immediate impact for Melville upon his arrival to the club last year, leading the club to their first-ever premiership win and driving Melville to another Grand Final berth in 2022.  

Liam Flynn of Hale Hockey Club was the other joint winner for the 2022 Olympians’ Medal and also claimed the Eric Pearce Top Goal Scorer Award after finding the back of the net a stunning 40 times, nine more than the next best in Brodee Foster on 31.  

Flynn continues to go from strength to strength, plying his trade in the National Development squad as a potential future Kookaburra and recently scored his 200^th Premier League goal after claiming the Eric Pearce Top Goal Scorer Award for the fifth time in his career – a current record.  

The Paul Gaudoin Youth Player of the Year Award recognises outstanding efforts of a youth player in the men’s Premier League, with this year’s award claimed By Reds Hockey Club’s Brodee Foster.  

Foster, a 2022 Burras’ (Australian Under-21s) squad member, has had a stellar year at all levels of the sport, winning the Player of the Tournament at the Hockey Australia Under-21s National Championships and providing a shining light for Reds in their attack for years to come, scoring 31 goals – the second-best tally in the league.  

Victoria Park Xavier Hockey Club’s Maddison Fenwick received the Rechelle Hawkes Youth Player of the Year in the women’s Premier League, with the 18-year-old injecting some energy and youth into a Victoria Park side stacked with talent.  

Former Hockeyroo Madi Ratcliffe claimed the Jackie Pereira Top Goal Scorer Award, scoring 17 times for Westsisde Wolves, narrowly nudging past Victoria Park’s Harriet Collins on 16 for the season.  

The Fairest & Best Male Goalkeeper went to Old Guildfordians Mundaring’s Johan Durst who played a key role in the side’s improvement in 2022.  

The Kookaburra competed in 10 games for the side in 2022 around his national team commitments, conceding only 34 goals out of his side’s 86 against in the 22 games played this season.  

21-year-old Caitlin Cooper was crowned the Fairest & Best Female Goalkeeper after a strong season in goal for the Suburban Lions.  

AWARD WINNERS  

Olympians’ Medal  

Liam Flynn – Hale Hockey Club (20 votes)  

Ben Staines – Melville City Hockey Club (20 votes)  

Charlesworth Medal  

Liné Malan – Hale Hockey Club (30 votes)  

Paul Gaudoin Youth Player of the Year Award  

Brodee Foster – Reds Hockey Club  

Rechelle Hawkes Youth Player of the Year Award  

Maddison Fenwick – Victoria Park Xavier Hockey Club  

Eric Pearce Top Goal Scorer  

Liam Flynn – Hale Hockey Club (40 goals)  

Jackie Pereira Top Goal Scorer  

Madi Ratcliffe – Westside Wolves Hockey Club (17 goals)  

Fairest & Best Male Goalkeeper  

Johan Durst – Old Guildfordians Mundaring Hockey Club  

Fairest & Best Female Goalkeeper  

Caitlin Cooper – Suburban Lions Hockey Club