Daniel Chick’s smother, followed by the shepherd that paved the way for Adam Hunter to kick a goal and seal the nail biting grand final for the West Coast Eagles was but one of many spectacular moments on the Western Australian sporting calendar in 2006.
It was a year of extreme adulation but also great sporting tragedy. Australian motor racing legend Peter Brock was killed in a car accident at Gidgegannup while competing in the Targa West rally in mid-September.
Later that month the focus switched to football’s big prize – the AFL Premiership Cup.
The Fremantle Dockers were making a late charge for the flag, making the semi-finals for the first time.
But hopes of playing their first ever grand final were dashed by the Sydney Swans, which went on to meet Fremantle’s local rival, the West Coast Eagles, in a fight for AFL’s biggest prize for the second year in a row.
The West Coast Eagles learned from 2005’s bitter loss and came out firing. Sydney were up to the challenge and kept fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, WA and overseas on tenterhooks until the very end. The final score – 12.13 85 to 12.12 84.
And while both footy teams were fighting for on-field success they were also fighting harder off-field for corporate dollars with the launch of WA’s rugby team, The Western Force.
It was a painful start to Western Force’s season with fans enduring nine straight losses before the home team triumphed against the South African Cheetahs for their only win for the season.
Fans remained excited, though, even after the season ended, thanks largely to the post-season signing of Wallaby Matt Giteau on a three-year contract. The coup is reportedly costing the Western Force $1.5 million a year.
The sporting highlights continued to roll on, with the Australian cricket team reclaiming The Ashes at the WACA this week after winning the third-test in the five game series.
