The Nationals: Victoria and Western Australia share fours honours
On the penultimate day of the inaugural Nationals it was Victoria and Western Australia who claimed the 2022 Australian Championships fours honours at Broadbeach.
A final bowl and extra end thriller saw Victoria’s men overcome New South Wales in a remarkable contest, with Anthony Flapper sealing the win with the final bowl of the second extra end after the first was killed.
Flapper and his teammates Paul Williamson, Brad Willoughby and Jordan Yates led throughout most of their encounter against Jack McShane, Michael Clarke, Peter Harry and Shawn Thompson before their northern counterparts sealed a single on the final end to send the matchup to overtime.
The Victorians would kill the first bonus end before New South Wales took the ascendancy, holding until Flapper played a bomb to cue the celebrations.
Both teams would enjoy undefeated days before the final, with each posting two wins and a draw to reach the decider.
Victoria would progress by one point over Tasmania’s eventual bronze medallists in Ryan Guy, Will Coad, Taelyn Male and Mark Nitz while New South Wales made it through on shots over Queensland.
In the women’s event Western Australia would ensure that it would not be a clean sweep for the Victorians as Amanda Masters, Shaan Saunders, Shari Solly and Jennie Bruce produced a two end spell that would see them clinch a stellar final.
Being down 11-8 after 11 ends, the quartet would score a four and a three in the 12th and 13th ends respectively, leaving opponents Olivia Slade, Louise Whitehead, Carol Protopapas and Karen Barton with the silver with a 16-13 win.
It was a brilliant fightback by the state after a second round one-shot loss to the Northern Territory’s Sez James, Karen Lane, Siobhan Tootell and Colleen Orr in their section, before eclipsing the NT on shots with wins over the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia.
Victoria recorded three straight wins over Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania to reach the final and would push Western Australia to the limit in the decider.
The Northern Territory would claim bronze with a win over Queensland.
2022 Australian Championships Fours Medallists
| Men | Women | |
| Gold | Jordan Yates, Paul Williamson, Brad Willoughby & Anthony Flapper (VIC) | Amanda Masters, Shaan Saunders, Shari Solly & Jennie Bruce (WA) |
| Silver | Jack McShane, Michael Clarke, Peter Harry & Shawn Thompson (NSW) | Olivia Slade, Louise Whitehead, Carol Protopapas & Karen Barton (VIC) |
| Bronze | Ryan Guy, Will Coad, Taelyn Male and Mark Nitz (TAS) | Sez James, Karen Lane, Siobhan Tootell & Colleen Orr (NT) |
