Fremantle might have fallen agonisingly short of a maiden premiership, but its record-breaking season may still be franked by a prestigious gong.
The Dockers are one of seven finalists for the West Australian Institute of Sport’s Herb Elliott Medal.
Named in honour of Olympic gold medallist and middle-distance great Herb Elliott, the medal recognises the most inspirational sporting performance by a Western Australian individual or team over the previous 12 months.
The Dockers produced a number of club records that included a a 14-game winning streak and amid 19 victories for the season and the minor premiership.
Fremantle also finished 12-0 at Optus Stadium during the home-and-away season and set an AFL record with nine consecutive home games drawing more than 50,000 fans.
Only a late grand final charge by the Brisbane Lions denied them a first premiership.
The club also had a record five players – Luke Jackson, Shai Bolton, Murphy Reid, Jordan Clark and Josh Treacy – win all All-Australian blazers, while Alex Pearce, Caleb Serong and Jye Amiss made the extended squad.
The other finalists are cyclist MacKenzie Coupland, Perth Thundersticks women’s hockey team, dual Olympic gold medal sailor Matt Wearn, wheelchair basketballer Frank Pinder, Commonwealth Games gold medal pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall and golfer Hannah Green.
Coupland, 20, claimed the Australian Road National title in Perth, rode in the Tour de France Femmes and won the Vuelta a Extremadura Femenina.
The Thundersticks won back-to-back national titles, scoring a converted goal with just two minutes remaining and the score deadlocked.
Wearn won a record seventh national title in January before dominating in every international regatta he started.
Pinder helped propel the Australian Rollers to the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation world title and was selected in the All-Star Five.
Marschall joined the prestigious six-metre club, beat all-time great Mondo Duplantis in a Diamond League event, claimed a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships as well as Glasgow gold.
Green won the HSBC Women’s World Championship for a second time, as well as the Australian Open and WPGA Championship to become the first Australian female golfer to win three international events in succession.
Hall of Champions selection committee chair Dr Ric Charlesworth said it was an outstanding year for WA athletes and teams.
“From winning medals and world titles on the international stage to dominating in national leagues, Western Australians have again been front and centre on the world stage despite the tyranny of distance,” he said.
The winner will be announced at the WA Hall of Champions annual dinner at The Westin Perth on Tuesday.
