A brief history of the Australia-New Zealand Baseball League (AUNZBL, 2019-2119)

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2023/2024 Standings Month by Month - Feb 1 - end of regular season

Knee tendinitis hampered Warwick's bid for another batting title. Initially thought to keep him out of the lineup for a week, the injury ended up sitting him on the DL for over a month.

Hayden Foreman had smashed the season record of 19 wins by mid-Feb, and finished with 26, 9 ahead of his closest rival, Silk.

Auckland and Canberra led their divisions from start to finish, the Metros finishing with 102 wins, the Roos, who finished second in the NSWNZ, with 97. Third-placed Fury, who surprised everybody with their season, clocked up 93 wins, to pick up the second wildcard. A 16-8 surge by the Venom in March wasn't enough to get them a wildcard. For the second season running, only one representative from the Australian Division would play postseason ball.

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2023 League Leaders

The 2023 Batting Crown went to 28 year-old Melbourne Aces 2B Vinnie 'Rip' Egan. He went .344/.428/.440 for the year, with 201 hits, 86 walks, 26 dbls, 6 triples & 6 HR across 151 games.

Cavalry 1B Jarrod Guerin and Roos LF Rodney Morrall shared the Home Run Crown, with 44 each. Morrall drove in 128 to be the season's best RBI-man.

While Foreman ran away with 26 wins from 35 starts, Silk led the league in a lot of other important pitching categories. 2.49 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 0.89 WHIP, (the only qualified starting pitcher at less than 1.00 WHIP) .175 OAVG (the only qualified starting pitcher with less than .200 OAVG), 5.59 H/9 and 11.97 K/9.

Tyler 'Judge' Gerlach led the league in saves in his first season as a closer. The Venom pitcher only allowed 0.76 WHIP and struck out over 10 batters every 9 innings.

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2023 Division Finals - Wellington Fury vs Auckland Metros

The Fury and the Metros faced each other in one finals series, a local derby of sorts.

In a tight-fought series, the Fury prevailed 3-1, winning all 3 of their games by 1 run, to knock the 102-winning Metros out.

Slugger of the Series went to Fury RF Simon Bell. His stat-line of .267/.294 looks ordinary until the slugging of 1.067 is added in (.267/.294/1.067). His 4 HR all came at pivotal moments.

Hurler of the Series must've been a tough pick as no pitcher stood out, but in the end went to Fury starter Simon 'Dude' Stobbie, the 25 year-old righthander's 8 inning effort in Game 3 for no runs, and only 1 hit and 1 walk with 9Ks helping the Fury go up 2-1 in the series after losing the first game.

Tyler Silk went 1-0 (tying the post-season record for game Ks in Game 1 with 12), and threw in Game 4 on limited rest. He went to the showers with the Metros leading, but the bullpen conspired to lose the game.

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2023 Division Finals - Newcastle Roos vs Canberra Cavalry

The Roos and Cavalry squared off in the other series. Canberra won the first 2 games at home. Facing elimination, the Roos fought for 13 innings in Game 3, eventually walking off victors 7-6.

But they couldn't stop the Cavalry charge in Game 4. With the scores tied going into the top of the 9th, Canberra piled on 4 runs to put the game out of reach and win the series 3-1.

Slugger of the Series went to Cavalry 1B Jarrod Guerin. .467/.500/.1.200 with 3HR got him the award.

Warwick also hit over .400 for the series, going .421/.421/.737 with 1HR and 3dbls, all those XBH coming in a 4-6 performance in Game 3.

Southpaw Cavalry starter Hayden Dethridge picked up the Hurler of the Series. He went 1-0 across 2 starts, with a 1.88 ERA, throwing 14.1 innings.

Hayden Foreman had a forgettable series after his regular season record-shattering. He threw 6.1 innings in 1 start, allowing 6 runs on 11 hits, giving up 3 HR.

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2023 Championship - Wellington Fury vs Canberra Cavalry

This was the Fury's first trip the Championship, while the Cavalry, after avenging their Division Finals exit to the Roos in 2022, would be looking for their second championship in 3 years.

Canberra had suffered some late-season injuries to their starting pitchers. January call-up Barry Hutcheon would get the Game 1 start, as Mike 'Mounds' Brodbeck and Hayden Detheridge, the #1 & #2 starters, had thrown 3 and 2 days before, respectively. Fury #2 Kao-Tsu Hsing, a southpaw with a 14-7 regular season record (but only lasting 4.2 innings in his outing versus the Metros) would be the other starter.

The various baseball analysis sites predicted a high-scoring series.

Game #1

The Fury jumped out to an early lead and held it throughout to win 6-3. Hsing pitched 7, allowing 4 hits, 2 BBs and 2 solo shots (Warwick, Guerin) to get the W. Fury closer Bob Crawford, who had been a late-innings reliever before he came across in a mid-season trade with the Cowboys, picked up his 3rd save of the post-season.

Fury 3B Kane Baxter and 2B Gareth 'Cheese' Quinn hit their first HRs of the post-season. Both had been AAA-players at the beginning of the season.

Game #2

It took 16 innings to get this one done, the Calvary eventually winning 9-7. Down 5-6 heading into the top of the 9th, Fury catcher Gavin 'The Artist' Moss painted a 2-out 2-run HR to give Wellington a 7-6 lead. But Crawford blew the save as the Cavalry manufactured the tying run to send the game into extra-innings. 6 1/2 scoreless innings later, Warwick drew a walk, and then Bill Warren, who'd subbed on at 1st base for Guerin back in the top of the 8th (a surprising move, according to surviving commentary, as Guerin had gone 2-3), hit the first pitch of his AB deep over left for a walk-off 2-run HR.

Both team's tired bullpens would be glad of the day off while the teams traveled to Wellington, especially as both starters only lasted 5 1/3 innings. The Cavalry hit 5 HR, 37 year-old Randall Upchurch contributing 2, as did catcher Phillip DeGruchy.

Fury outfielder Ralph Downes and Cavalry outfielder Dylan Tipping, both lead-off men, set post-season AB records with 8. Both also got 3 hits.

Game #3

A relatively tame affair after the previous epic, Wellington broke a 2-all tie in the bottom of the fourth, added 2 insurance runs in the 5th and ground it out to win 5-2.

Simon Stobbie threw 7.2 innings for 8 hits, 1 walk and 2ER to give his bullpen some extra rest. Crawford got the easy-save to restore some confidence after his last outing. Fury DH Simon Bell hit his 5th post-season HR, and 1B Lou Donahue (2022 Rookie of the Year, traded to the Fury mid-season by the Blue Sox) his 3rd. Cavalry RF Keith Maybury's 2-run shot contributed all of his team's run production.

Game #4

The Calvary busted out in this game, destroying Wellington starter Rick Hoolahan who gave up 6 hits and 7 walks in 3.1 innings, and running out 16-5 victors. They only hit 1HR, but that HR, an Upchurch Grand Slam in the 5th, was the icing on their cake.

Dethridge went 7.1 innings, even though he gave up 5 runs, to give the bullpen some rest. Moss and outfielder Carlo Dunne both hit HRs, Dunne's a 3-run shot.

Game #5

5-4 to the Cavalry to give them a 3-2 lead in the series. Barry Hutcheon got the win, going 7.2 IP for 7 hits, 3 walks and 4 ER. DeGruchy had another 2 HR game, both solo shots. Donahue had 2 HR for the Fury, driving in all 4 of their runs.

Both teams traveled back to Canberra, the Championship the Cavalry's to lose.

Game #6

The Fury would not go down meekly, scrapping their way to a 4-2 victory and forcing a Game 7. They did this on the back of Bernie Dennis's superlative 8 inning effort. He allowed only 3 hits and 2 walks, one of his 2ER a solo shot to Warwick. Baxter picked up the Player of the Game, going 3-4 with 2HR and 3RBI. Crawford threw a 7-pitch 9th for his 3rd save of the Championship.

Game #7

Canberra made the unusual choice to start with right-handed Adrian Rafferty over Dethridge who could have thrown on 4 days rest. Rafferty had only recently come back from a major injury and only made the transition to starter because injuries forced the Cavalry's hand. He'd been beaten up a bit by the Fury in his other Championship outing, throwing 5.1 innings in the 16-inning epic, allowing 10 hits and walking 2 for 5 earned runs.

The Fury went with Simon Stobbie, 2-0 so far in the post-season with a 1.15 ERA.

It turned out Canberra's decision wouldn't be a gut-feeling winner. Rafferty lasted only 4.1 innings, allowing 4 runs. That would be enough for the Fury, with Stobbie throwing 8 great innings, allowing no walks and only 5 hits for 1 ER. Simon Bell's 3rd inning bases-clearing double ended up being the difference between the two teams as The Fury won the game 4-1 and the Championship 4-3.

Kane Baxter of the Fury was awarded Slugger of the Series, with a .357/.419/.750 stat-line, 3HR and 8RBI in 28ABs. Randall Upchurch and Phillip DeGruchy hit better for the Cavalry, but no-win, no award (usually, though there had already been an exception or two before this).

Stobbie deservedly picked up Hurler of the Series. He threw 15.1 innings across 2 starts, allowing only 13 hits and 1 walk for a 1.72 ERA. He struck out 10 along the way.

That marked the first Championship for the Fury, and threw egg all over the faces of their numerous pre-season doubters, who'd predicted them to win less than 45% of their games and finish last in the NSWNZ.

The Cavalry could only be kicking themselves for losing the last 2 games at home, and making such an unusual decision to give a borderline starter the mound for Game 7.

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Offseason

The news-sites were busy the first day of the offseason, with 4 GMs and 3 skippers fired. Struggling expansion teams, the Prospects and Thunder, both dumped their GMs, the Prospects also sacking their manager.

The Perth Heat, after their 5th losing season in a row, sacked their GM as well, and the Cowboys, disappointed with how far the team fell in 2023, gave their GM the boot too.

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To lead off the off-season bartering and buying, the Metros dealt 1B Joel Grimes (.273/.341/.515, 36HR, 22dbls, 109RBI, 4.5 WAR, 38.8 VORP) to the Brisbane Bandits for 27 year-old RHP Alistair Blanskby (9-9 from 21 starts, 3.79 ERA, 4.00 FIP, 1.17 WHIP, BABIP .274). A starter for the Bandits, he would slot into the closer role for the Metros. The Metros also received 20 year-old minor leaguer Jean-Paul Roche, a Canadian who'd found his way as a teenager after The War to Venezuela, where he played a season in one of their revived leagues. Then, at 17 years of age, he snuck aboard an aid plane heading back to New Zealand, and asked for asylum status once on the ground. The Cowboys sponsored him, asylum was granted, and a few months later he found himself playing rookie ball for the Bluff Beach Bums. The Bandits would be his 3rd baseball organization within the AUNZBL.

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Gold Glove Winners

Pitcher: Tyler Silk (Auckland Metros)
Catcher: Jayden Limeburner (Newcastle Roos)
First Baseman: Joel Grimes (Auckland Metros)
Second Baseman: James Hardy (Adelaide Venom)
Third Baseman: Bruno Donovan (Adelaide Venom)
Shortstop: Jai O'connell (Wellington Fury)
Left Fielder: Ralph Downes (Wellington Fury)
Center Fielder: Mick Horton (Adelaide Venom)
Right Fielder: Barry Pryor (Melbourne Aces)

Rookie of the Year

This went to Roos RF Elliot Wilkins. An average defender, he put up a great debut season with the bat, hitting .292/.352/.498, with 185 hits, including 25dbls, 6 three-baggers and 31HR. He drove in 102 and walked 58 times.

Manager of the Year

Mick Galpin of the Fury picked up this award, and deservedly so, guiding his charges to their maiden Championship.

Hurler of the Year

The award-givers couldn't go past Roos record-shattering starter Hayden Foreman. Obliterating the previous win record, he became the AUNZBL's first pitcher to break the 20-win barrier, finishing 26-7 from 35 starts. He threw 260 innings, allowing only 238 hits and 46 walks for 1.09 WHIP. He finished with an ERA of 2.60 and an FIP of 2.91. He had a 66.8 VORP, an 8.3 WAR and a 151 ERA+. His 215 Ks was second behind Tyler Silk.

Slugger of the Year

While it seemed many thought the Slugger of the Year award was wide open in 2023, it ended up with a familiar face. Stewart Warwick got the gong, his 4th in the 5 seasons the AUNZBL had been running. He finished the regular season with the stat-line .340/.417/.609, hitting 37HR, 23dbls and 4 triples. His WAR of 9.1 and VORP of 84.3 were down on the 2022 season, but still best in the league.

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In a strange twist, it seems Jean-Paul Roche, traded by the Metros to the Bandits immediately following the end of the 2023 season, was traded back to the Metros a few weeks later, along with Brisbane everyday first-baseman Benjamin Tilton, for Metros RF Rafael Birkbeck.

The archives don't tell us what the Metros were thinking, trading away a Gold Glove, 30+ HR a year guy in Joel Grimes, and ending up with an average hitting, average power, average fielding guy in Benjamin Tilton. They did shed a fair amount of salary across both trades, though.

Whatever the case, Roche found himself back at the Metros, playing for their Short-A Carterton-based team.

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From the depths of the defunct Victoria-based SuperGoss entertainment site archives comes this gem, dated 1st August 2024:

Phillip DeGruchy tested the waters of the Australian film industry this off-season, with a supporting role in the big budget action film, "Rescue from the Deep Zone". He was all smiles at last month's premier, posing on the red carpet for tabloid photographers.

Unfortunately for DeGruchy, the film did not enjoy the kindest of reviews. Critics have universally panned the movie. DeGruchy's acting was also not well received, with one critic calling his performance as Corporal Dick Grimes "pathetically laughable," and saying, "...he should stick to baseball."

The Canberra Cavalry's catcher has yet to comment on whether or not he'll reprise his role as Grimes in the sequel announced earlier this week.

Most friends find that move unlikely as DeGruchy has taken the critical panning harshly. One friend, wanting to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying, "Phil's got a big ego and was really hurt by the criticism of his acting. There is no way he will be doing a sequel."

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2024/2025 Preseason Predictions

The Fury were the big offseason movers, their biggest signing being former Cavalry 1B Jarrod Guerin. The experts therefore predicted the Fury to finish atop the NSWNZ Division with the best record in the league.

Once again, the Cavalry were picked to lead the Australian Division, but it would be a tight race with the Aces and Venom hot on their heels. The Cowboys were predicted to finish last in the NSWNZ, with their pitchers being worse even than Hobart's.

And unsurprisingly, Warwick was tipped to be the game's best hitter. Fury starter Rick Hoolahan would be the league's top pitcher, Foreman and Silk right behind him.

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2024/2025 Standings Month by Month - Nov 1 - Jan 1

The Aces started off hot, winning 20 games in October, and held their lead right through January 1, 2025, though by then the Cavalry had pulled within 1.

The Roos started hot too, and got even hotter, winning 19 in October, 21 in November and 20 in December to be at .723 midway through the season. The Thunder had a terrible December, going 7-19, after making a great start to the year.

The Fury's big off-season moves hurt rather than helped them, as they'd slumped to 37-46 by January 1st. But it was the Cowboys who were by far the worst team in baseball, not even winning 25% of their games.

Cavalry catcher Phillip DeGruchy either wasn't worried by his failed foray into movies, or used it as motivation, the 36 year-old going .322/.377/.649 through the first half, his 26 HR leading the league. Teammate Stewart Warwick was having an uncharacteristic season, hitting .299/.377/.508, striking out more during Oct-Dec than he did in the entire 2023 season. He did have 18 HR to his name at the halfway point, though.

Tyler Silk suffered a 7-week elbow injury in October after only 4 starts, so would need a mammoth second half to get in contention for any pitching crowns.

Fury starter Rick Hoolahan, widely tipped to have a breakout 2024, was 6-7 at Jan. 1. Most of the pitchers on the leaderboards were lesser known faces of the league. Even Hayden Foreman was only 9-4, but still well poised for a strong second half.

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2024/2025 Standings Month by Month - Feb 1 - end of regular season

The Aces and the Roos never let up their holds on their divisions, finishing 14 and 18 games ahead, respectively.

The Roos smashed the previous season win record, finishing 108-54.

This was the first season where the playoffs featured only Australian teams. The Metros were the only Kiwi team to finish above .500, despite losing Tyler Silk to injury again in February. This time he tore his flexor tendon and would be out until December 2025.

The Cowboys finished the season under .300.

Stewart Warwick had his customarily strong second-half to snare the batting title (though no hitters really stood out in 2024). He came 2nd in the RBI standings, and his 37HR placed him 5th on that list. There would be no post-season ball for the Cavalry this year, though, as they slumped to finish 2 games out of the wildcard race.

DeGruchy had a slow second half to lose his grip on the HR crown. His avg. fell to .288 as well.

Hayden Foreman was strong down the stretch, to end 3rd on the wins list. Hoolahan went from the Fury to the Aces in early January. He finished 10-14, but would taste the post-season again. The Hurler of the Year title was wide open. Every news-site had half a dozen candidates on their possibles list.

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2024 League Leaders

The experts predicted the Slugger of the Year would be between Warwick and Roos LF Rodney Morrall (.291/.376/.571, 43HR, 124RBI, WAR 6.6, VORP 73.9), with Allan Lloyd (.325/.405/.409, 3HR, 55RBI, WAR 4.9, VORP 54.4) an outside chance. Most tipped Warwick to win it yet again, lack of post-season ball notwithstanding.

Nobody could agree on Hurler of the Year, though most lists included Hayden Foreman, perhaps more for past exploits than his 2024 season.

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2024 Division Finals - Adelaide Venom v Newcastle Roos

The 86-win Venom faced off against the 108-win Roos in one Division Final. The Roos had scored the most runs in the league during the regular season, and conceded the 3rd-least. The Venom were ranked 6th in both categories.

In a high-scoring 5-game series, the Roos came from behind to win the last 2 games and take out the series 3-2.

Slugger of the Series went to Roos' SS Dermott 'Fats' Ford who, while he hit no HR and only drove in 3, was constantly on-base, going .524/.545/.667 across 22 PA. 34 years of age at the start of the season, Ford showed no signs of slowing down, hitting .315/.349/.401 in 144 games, his career stat-line at .324/.364/.421.

Hurler of the Series was given to Roos #2 Fu 'Trapper' Lao. The 26 year-old carried his hot regular season form (19-5) into the postseason, going 2-0 in his 2 starts, throwing 12 innings for a 2.84 ERA.

Hayden Foreman didn't have a happy start to the series, only throwing 2/3 of an inning in the first game for 6ER, allowing 6 hits and a walk in the process. He redeemed himself somewhat in his second start, throwing 6.1 innings for 2ER and getting the win, but still allowed 11 hits.

For the Venom, LF Robin Pride, in his first full season at AUNZBL-level, impressed, going .368/.435/.789 with 2HR and 5 ribbies.

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2024 Division Finals - Sydney Blue Sox v Melbourne Aces

The Aces scored the 3rd most runs in the 2024 season, and conceded the least. The Blue Sox were ranked 4th and 5th respectively in those categories.

This series also went the 5 games, the Aces winnings Game 5, at home, to advance to the Championship.

Blue Sox third-baseman Teddy Foster took out the Slugger of the Series by weight of going .467/.579/1.067 in a losing team. He hit 2HR, a double and triple, driving in 4, in 18PA.

The Aces best hitter was SS Ralph Chapman, who hit .353/.450/.647 across the series.

Hurler of the Series went to Aces starter Damian Neill. He'd had a breakout 2024, going 19-8, and pitched much better than his 0-0 series record indicated. He threw 14.1 innings across 2 starts, with an ERA of 1.26, allowing only 6 hits and 2 walks, striking out 11. He threw 8 strong innings in Game 5, the Aces scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 9th.

The Aces kept Rick Hoolahan back as the emergency starter for the Division Finals. He pitched no innings in the series.

While only Australian-based teams were contesting for the Championship in 2024, it seemed NZ-born players were the ones performing, with all the Division Finals awards going to Kiwis.

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2024 Championship - Melbourne Aces v Newcastle Roos

The AUNZBL's two 100-win teams would face off in the Championship. While the Roos had won the Championship in 2022, 2024 marked the Aces first trip to the feverish forum that was the league's biggest stage. The Roos were runaway favorites to win.

Keiran Tennant (16-8, 3.16 ERA in the regular season), who'd struggled in the Division Finals, would get the start in Game 1 for the Aces, while Hayden Foreman, who'd also struggled in the previous series, got the nod for the Roos.

Game #1

The Roos scored 4 in the bottom of the 1st, then added chunks in regular stages to win 15-8. 4 of the Aces 8 runs came in the top of the 9th. The Aces made 3 errors, 2 of those resulting in 2 unearned runs in the 1st. Perhaps the occasion got to them.

Hayden Foreman got the W, while Hoolahan threw his first post-season pitch in the bottom of the 8th. One pitch was all he got, too, as he induced a weak grounder to first base to end the inning.

Rodney Morrall, DH-ing, hit the Championship's first HR, a grand slam, in the bottom of the 1st. It was the only HR hit all game.

Game #2

The Roos gave Baden Binns, whose only previous 2024 post-season outing had been a 2/3 of an inning shellacking in the 7-19 loss to the Venom, the start. He threw much better this game, leaving after 6.1 innings with the Roos in front 3-2. Unfortunately, the bullpen couldn't finish the job, the Aces scoring 3 in the top of the 8th and closing it out 5-4.

Aces starter Carlo Browne threw 8 innings for 4 hits, 1 walk, 5 Ks, and 4 earned runs to get the win. 36 year-old closer Arnold Herbert, who'd notched up 42 saves during the regular season, pitched the final inning for his 1st save of the post-season. He already had 2 wins pitching at the death in the Division Finals.

Byron Eissens hit a solo HR for the Aces, and Dermott Ford one for the Roos.

Game #3

First home game of the series for the Aces, but the home ground advantage didn't help much, as the Roos piled on 9 runs in the top of the 8th to blow up what had been a tight ballgame and win 12-3.

Fu Lao pitched 7 strong innings (4 hits, 2 walks, 9Ks, 2 ER) to get the win, but it was Elliot Wilkins' 8th-inning grand slam (his 2nd HR of the night) that won the game. He went 3-5 with 2HR, a dbl, and 5RBI. Ghi-Cheng Lee homered for the Roos as well.

Game #4

Neither side scored until the top of the 6th, when Elliot Wilkins blasted a 2-run shot into the right-field bleachers to put the Roos up 2-0. Roos CF Jason McHugh hit a solo shot next inning to extend the lead to 3-0. The Aces got back within 1, thanks to a 2-run HR from Blair Forbes, but that was as close as they got, the Roos winning 3-2 to give them the possibility of winning the series in 5 games.

The Roos had decided to start with RHP Angus Sweeney, who had a 9-8 regular season record in 27 starts. He'd thrown 2 innings in the 7-19 rout by the Venom, but that was all the post-season pitching he'd done. The move worked, though, as he went 7 innings, only allowing 3 hits. He did walk 6, but the net result was 2 earned runs and a W beside his name. Roos closer Trent Courcha (50 reg. season saves) threw a hitless last inning to get his first save of the Championship.

Game #5

The Championship would go back to Newcastle on the back of a 3-0 shutout win to the Aces.

Foreman threw 8 innings in the loss, while Carlos Browne allowed only 3 hits and a walk in 7.1 innings pitched. The Roos could only muster 4 hits and 2 walks in the game, while all the scoring was done by the 4th inning. Aces catcher Jai Guiney hit a solo HR in the second to open the scoring.

Game #6

The Aces made the strange decision to throw this pivotal game to Rick Hoolahan, who hadn't started a game since the regular season. Baden Binns got the start for the Roos.

In what was a spiteful game, Aces DH Ralph Vader was drilled twice by Binns, in the bottom of the second and in the bottom of the fourth. He had to be removed from the game after the second HBP. In total, 4 batters were hit by pitches over the course of the game.

The teams remained locked on zero until the top of the 7th, when the Aces manufactured 2 runs. It might've been 3 had Stewart Digby not been thrown out by a bullet from Roos LF Charlie Rees, a player not renowned for having a strong arm. The Roos responded in the bottom of the inning, Morrall hitting a 1-out double, an out later Charlie Rees taking the first pitch of his AB on his arm, and Ghi-Cheng Lee driving the 8th pitch of his AB over the right-field fence to give the Roos the lead 3-2.

And that was how it stayed, Courcha coming on in the top of the 9th to record the save, giving the Roos a 4-2 series win and their second Championship.

Hoolahan had thrown exceptionally up until the bottom of the 7th, allowing only 2 hits, 0 walks and (in the context of this game) 0 HBP. He came back out in the 8th and finished the inning in 11 pitches, but it wasn't enough. Baden Binns didn't throw nearly as well, going 8, allowing 5 hits and 5 walks and 2HBP, but he got the W next to his name and the notoriety that comes with being the game-winning pitcher in the deciding Championship game.

Slugger of the Series went to Elliot Wilkins of the Roos. The 2023 Rookie of the Year went .348/.385/.783, with 3HR and 10RBI.

Hurler of the Series went to the Aces Carlo Browne. While he wasn't on the winning side, he was the pitcher who got it done in both the Aces wins, throwing 15.1 innings across his two starts (8.0 & 7.1) allowing only 11 hits and 2 walks, with an ERA of 2.35.

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Somewhat overshadowed by the Championship series, Cavalry starter Cooper Pugsley was suspended for 80 games the day before the Championship started because of a positive PED test. This was the AUNZBL's first recorded drug suspension.

Pugsley, by all accounts a very intelligent man, wouldn't be available for the Cavalry until midway through the 2025 season. He'd gone 17-11 during the season, his ERA and FIP exactly the same at 3.86. Only 6 days prior to the test results coming back, he'd signed a 4-year extension with the Cavalry, worth a whole lot more than they had previously been paying him.

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Only a season after he took home Skipper of the Year, Wellington Fury manager Mick Galpin got the chop. Baseball can be a funny ole game. He wasn't the only Fury staffer to feel their owner's wrath after a disappointing season. GM Angus Lawson also got his marching orders, as did the hitting coach and team trainer.

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In the first off-season trade, the Roos acquired Cavalry starter Hayden Dethridge in exchange for a minor league catcher and a backup outfielder. Dethridge had had a poor 2024 (13-13, 4.25 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 91 ERA+), but obviously the Roos felt the 29 year-old still had some good years ahead of him.