WA v Victoria at Sorrento BC
In a National Side Series preview at the Sorrento Bowling Club, the Western Australian Men and Women State Teams will take on the might of Victoria in five tests played over two and a half days.
The first test will begin at 3.30 pm on Thursday 14th September, with test two and three on Friday 15th September beginning at approximately 9.00 am and 1.30 pm respectively and test four and five on Saturday 16th September also beginning at 9.00 am and 1.30 pm.
All teams will be at near full strength and will act as a great warmup for the National Side Series to be played at Sorrento from Friday 13th October to Monday 16th October.
The WA men finished in 4th position on the ladder in the 2022 National Side Series, which was our best men’s finish in a number of years. While, Victoria was right behind us in 5th position on the ladder, which they would have considered a little disappointing as they have been pushing for the top of the ladder for the last few years. During the 2022 event, WA had a stirring win over Victoria, coming from behind to eventually win on all rinks. With both States looking to make a move up the ladder in October, this series provides both states an opportunity to gather some momentum for October.
The Western Australian Men look primed to put on a great display after a solid winter program including the recent Bowls Blitz. It is not very often that WA gets to have a proper hit out prior to a National Side Series and even less often it is at home. Cody Packer and Blake Nairn will skip the state again, with Daniel Trewhella also taking a skips position after returning to the WA team after 15 years out of the side. This means last year’s medal winner Anthony Williams takes the thirds position to Packer showing the strength of this year’s skips and threes to complement our leads and seconds work. Both Blake Butler and David Downey will make their well-deserved state debuts in this series.
Victoria’s Matt Flapper played his 400th interstate game last year and will lead his state again in this series at Sorrento and is a great player to watch. Young guns Dylan Fisher and Dane McKinnon make a great skip/ three combination and will be players to watch with an attacking flair. Anthony Flapper has returned to the Victorian team as a skip this year after some time out of the side and will be looking to lead his rink strongly over the five-test series.
In the ladies’ competition, WA and Victoria finished on equal points at last year’s National Side Series, with WA in third and Victoria in fourth on rink wins. In their face-to-face meeting in the event, WA had a last-end one-shot victory, despite only winning on one rink. All rinks were close, with Lisa Featherby’s five-shot win being the difference.
Kristina Krstic will miss the first two tests due to work commitments but will return for the last three tests to lead her rink. Lisa Smith will lead for Krstic and will make her state debut for WA in the first test on Thursday afternoon. Hailey Packer takes on the skip position this year, with state debutant Donna Blackwell as her able third. Blackwell is a seasoned performer and would undoubtedly have played for WA earlier if not for time restraints and injuries at inopportune times. The reliable Lisa Featherby continues as a skip and will add plenty of energy and voice to the team. While Helen Stevens returns to the team after a few years out and was last year one of the state selectors.
Victoria has a very strong group of skips with Kylie Whitehead, Cassandra Millerick and Lisa Phillips all being prominent in major competitions in the past few years in both Victoria and at the Australian Open. The Victorian team has a few players at the front end who were not part of the 2022 Nationals team, so this series at Sorrento will be a great learning curve for them for when they return in October.
There will be no live streaming of this event, so it is a great opportunity for WA spectators to get down to Sorrento to cheer on the WA teams against the old Victorian rival and to get a taste of what is in store in October when all the states turn up for the 2023 National Side Series.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Daniel Trewhella (sk) Shane Knott Warren Holt Blake Butler
Blake Nairn (sk) Clive Adams Bill Brandsma Scott Walker
Cody Packer(sk) Anthony Williams David Downey Jack East
Kristina Krstic(sk) Chris Ace-Watson Lisa Brannan Lisa Smith
Hailey Packer(sk) Donna Blackwell Kaitlin Tyrell Linda Warburton
Lisa Featherby(sk) Helen Stevens Denise Kelly Jenny Parker
Noelene Abe will sub for Krstic in Test 1 & 2
Pam Chalmers will sub for Blackwell in Test 1
Lexie Webster will sub for Lisa Brannan in all Tests
Cameron Harris will sub for David Downey in Test 1
VICTORIA
Matt Flapper (sk) Brett Mahoney Brad Pavey Tyson Cromie
Dylan Fisher(sk) Dane McKinnon Brad Holland Brendan Gallagher
Anthony Flapper(sk) Dean O’Neill James Pearce John McCarron
Lisa Phillips(sk) Jess Wallace Sophie Kurzman Blaine Edwards
Cass Millerick(sk) Olivia Cartwright Anita Jenkins Nicole McKenzie
Kylie Whitehead(sk) Tris Doolan Samantha Atkinson Jodie Fruend
