ACM's 2022 Western Premier League team of the year

It was hard to narrow it down, but we've selected a starting 11 in a 4-3-3 formation, as well as a bench of six players and a coach.

PANORAMA struggled to find a regular man to put between the sticks in its first two seasons playing in the WPL, but in 2022 the Goats finally found their man.

Chris Davis, brother of fellow Goat Nathan Davis, arrived at the club ahead of the 2022 and was a revelation in goals for the grand finalists, keeping six clean sheets throughout the course of the regular season.

Davis didn't miss a single game throughout the regular season, as Panorama went on to have their best defensive season in terms of average goals conceded.

ONE of two foreign imports to feature in our team of the year, Bastian Fougerolle has been one of the club's "unsung heroes" according to skipper Adam Scimone.

"He's our left back and he never missed a training session or a game," Scimone said on the Frenchman.

"He got a crucial goal against Panorama in the semi-final. He's a consistent worker and he's a crucial part of my backline."

Fougerolle had been in Orange for a number of years and had been playing in the local Orange and District Football Association before he trialled for the WPL squad ahead of the 2021 season.

His quality was evident straight away.

"The boys love him, he's a funny guy and he's down to earth," Fougerolle said.

"He's similar to our captain Niall Gibb that he's a quality player and he could play a higher level if he wanted."

NIALL Gibb arrived at Orange Waratahs in the pre-season of 2021 and he quickly turned into one of the competition's leading players.

Having played for Mosman FC before arriving in the WPL, the Yorkshire native is what you would describe as a typical British player - physical and loud - but his experience has shone onto the younger players in the Waratahs squad.

Waratahs coach Adam Scimone handed Gibb the captain's armband for the 2022 season and he led the Orange club to WPL glory.

His deliverance into the box has been quality and he's proved an inspirational figure not within his own squad but across the WPL.

GRANT Koch has been a revelation in his new position in 2022.

In the past few seasons, Koch predominately plied his trade as a defensive midfielder, but a decision by coach Josh Ward to move the big man to centre back has paid off big time.

"It definitely took a little but to get used to and getting the combination with my other centre back. It's going good and obviously the results are coming through," Koch told the Central Western Daily in August.

Barnies conceded just 24 goals throughout the 2022 WPL season, the second-least in the competition behind Orange rivals Waratahs.

Prior to round 17, Koch was three points clear atop the player of the year standings, but he was ultimately pipped by Bathurst '75 midfield Luke Mutton by just one point.

WHILE Koppy found himself in the centre back position this year, he'd be equally as capable at right back in this formidable team.

Arriving at Parkes from Dubbo's Macquarie United in the off-season, it's easy to understand the quality of Kopp considering both sides fortunes. Macquarie finished down the bottom of the ladder, while Parkes were one game away from the grand final.

A quality defender who wears his heart on his sleeve, Kopp's able to stop attacks and score goals too, having secured the winning penalty against Barnies in the semi-finals.

Engaged to his coach Meghan Kempson, the two were a dynamic duo for the Cobras and brought a breath of fresh air that had them so close to a fairy-tale season.

IN his first full season in WPL, Hugh Thornhill has gone from strength to strength.

Getting his WPL debut halfway through the 2021 season, Waratahs skipper Adam Scimone admitted he was a bit "green" but he knew the youngster had potential.

"Towards the tail end of last year, you could see he was a future starter," he said.

"He started in central midfield this season before we pushed him out wide. He's the future of the club.

"He's been a Waratahs boy for a long time and he's come through the ranks. He's not afraid to take penalties and he's a good set piece taker too."

IF you've seen any Bathurst '75 match this season, no doubt you would've seen a fair bit of Luke Mutton.

A cog in the royal blues' machine, Mutton is constantly on the ball, looking to the change the game, to have an influence and support his teammates.

Coming from the Western NSW FC set up, Mutton and his Bathurst '75 teammates slotted in easily into the WPL environment.

"With or without the ball, he's a real competitor. He always wants to get the ball back. He's always looking to change the game, to have an influence and support players," '75 coach Mark Comerford told the Western Advocate in September.

Mutton dominated so much throughout the season, he was named the 2022 WPL best and fairest, edging Barnstoneworth United centre back Grant Koch by just one point.

WAY back during WPL pre-season, Orana Spurs coach Ben Mason had big wraps on Bradley Boney-Chillie.

"He reads the game so well and I'm excited. I think he'll be one of the players to watch this year, for sure. He's got a lot of talent," Mason told the Daily Liberal back in March.

And there was no doubting Mason's confidence in the youngster, as he bossed the Spurs midfield that ultimately missed out on a finals spot following some thrilling final day drama.

Boney-Chillie, who was part of the Socceroos under 17s just last year, returned to Dubbo for the 2022 season and linked with Spurs after a number of other clubs trained to sign him up.

After losing Duncan Cahill, Boney-Chillie quickly became the focal point of the Spurs team in 2022.

The Dubbo livewire almost snagged the 2022 best and fairest award, but ultimately finished in third place.

MITCH Hutchings had a year to remember up front, bagging 14 goals across the course of the regular season, as well as one more in the semi-finals.

He scored a memorable hat-trick against Panorama in a mid-week catch-up match in July, as well as four doubles, as he led the way up front for Parkes throughout the season.

And when he comes to taking penalties from the spot, Hutchings has proved himself extremely reliable in high-pressure moments.

In both of Parkes' penalty shoot-out wins against Bathurst '75 and Barnstoneworth United, Hutchings was given the task of taking the first penalty on both occasions.

He put the ball past the keeper on both occasions with ease.

WARATAHS stalwart Craig Sugden enjoyed another fine season in front of goal, bagging 16 goals throughout the regular season, including another during the finals series.

If we include all goals scored since the WPL revival in 2020, Sugden is the competition's leading goal scorer with 26 goals.

Waratahs skipper Adam Scimone described Sugden as a player that "wears his heart on his sleeve".

"He's pretty consistent player, I think he only missed a couple of games," Scimone said.

"He was scoring plenty of goals this year, a few hat-tricks. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he gives 150 per cent no matter what.

"Even when the chips are down, he's still fighting. I'm just glad some of the older boys like him, Adam Kelly and Adam Brackenridge won a WPL before they hung up the boots."

BATHURST '75's speed-machine Agieg Aluk was an absolute menace for WPL defenders, as he racked up 16 goals throughout the regular season, joint-level with Sugden from Waratahs.

Ahead of the new WPL season, Aluk was one of a number of Bathurst '75 players we knew that had potential - a fair chunk of the royal blue squad played for Western NSW FC under 20s last season - and he excelled in the local environment.

Aluk scored a haul of four goals in one match against Orange CYMS during the season, the equal-most by one player during the 2022 WPL season.

A solid stretch of form in the run into the finals from Aluk, which saw him score four goals in as many weeks, helped the royal blues to a third-place position, but that led to a penalty shootout loss to Parkes Cobras in the first week of the finals.

SUPER sub Scimone. The ex-Western NSW FC skipper might be getting on, but he scored the winning goal in the WPL grand final.

A 12 goal return for Jaiden Culbert is an impressive feat, when you consider this is just his second season back from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Expect an even bigger season from Culbert in 2023.

Dubbo FC has a hugely experienced and respected core group of senior players who have won just about everything on offer but there's now some new kids on the block. Ambler is one of those and he develops into a more important player, whether in midfield or defence, almost with each passing game.

KANE Settree enjoyed another great year, as he continued to dominate the WPL midfields all across the region for Dubbo Bulls.

HE helped control the midfield with Luke Mutton. The two of them were the gears in the Bathurst '75 team that finished third in its first year back in WPL. Cummings also polled incredibly well in the player of the year award, collecting 18 votes.

A DECENT performance throughout the regular season between the sticks for Ryan Dunn, but an inspirational run of form in the finals saw him play the part in two penalty shootout wins for Parkes.

YOU could make an argument for Adam Scimone as coach of the year, but Ricky Guihot transformed Panorama from a team that would've finished outside the top six last season, to a team that fell just short of winning this year's grand final.

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