# 2022 Western Premier League season

The 2022 Western Premier League, also called the Burmac Western Premier League for sponsorship reasons, was the 22nd season of the Western Premier League (WPL), the top football league in the Central West region of New South Wales. It was the third consecutive year that the competition has run, following an eight-year hiatus. No title was awarded in 2021, following the abandonment of the competition one round before finals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The season saw the expansion of the competition to 11 teams with the addition of Bathurst 75 and Orange CYMS, who last competed in the 2008 and 2002 WPL season respectively. CYMS, who finished runners-up in three grand finals in 1997, 1999 and 2000, singled its intention to join the competition back in July, 2021. Bathurst 75 announced its intention to field a team for the 2022 season back in November, 2021. They are also the most successful team in WPL history with six titles.
The season kicked-off with the first round of games on 2–3 April, with a six-team finals series commencing on 3 September. Orange Waratahs were crowned champions, defeating Bathurst club Panorama 2–1 in the grand final. Waratahs striker Craig Sugden and Bathurst 75 forward Agieg Aluk shared the leading goal scorer trophy, finishing the regular season with 16 goals each, while Bathurst 75 midfielder Luke Mutton was named the season's best and fairest.

## Teams
### Home venues and locations

| Club | Location | Ground | Founded | Champions | Champions years |
| Barnstoneworth United | Orange | Sir Jack Brabham Park | 1998 | 0 | |
| Bathurst 75 | Bathurst | Proctor Park | 1975 | 6 | 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005 |
| Dubbo Bulls | Dubbo | Hans Claven Oval Victoria Park Apex Oval | 2005 | 4 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2020 |
| Lithgow Workmen's | Lithgow | Marjorie Jackson Oval | 1982 | 0 | |
| Macquarie United (Dubbo) | Dubbo | Hans Claven Oval Victoria Park Apex Oval | 2013 | 0 | |
| Mudgee Wolves | Mudgee | Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium | | 0 | |
| Orana Spurs | Dubbo | Hans Claven Oval Victoria Park Apex Oval | 1992 | 1 | 2001 |
| Orange CYMS | Orange | Sir Jack Brabham Park | 1975 | 0 | |
| Orange Waratahs | Orange | Waratah Sports Ground | 1967 | 4 | 1995, 2000, 2006, 2007 |
| Panorama | Bathurst | Proctor Park | 2012 | 0 | |
| Parkes Cobras | Parkes | Woodward Oval Harrison Park | 2020 | 0 | |

### Personal and kits

| Team | Head coach | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Kit sponsor |
| Barnstoneworth United | Josh Ward | Duncan Logan | KonQa | Little's Power |
| Bathurst 75 | Mark Comerford | Luke Mutton | Paladin Sports | Panthers Bathurst Leagues Club |
| Dubbo Bulls | Scott Fox | Kobe Rapley | | Suzuki Lindsay Mumford |
| Lithgow Workmen's | Martin Hunter | Logan Inwood | Kookaburra | East |
| Macquarie United | Rhys Osborne | Brad Matiuscenko | Puma | Castlereagh Hotel |
| Mudgee Wolves | Harry Hall | Harrison Maynard Angus Haack | Gioca | Kelly's Irish Pub |
| Orana Spurs | Ben Mason | Jared Corby | | South Dubbo Tavern |
| Orange CYMS | Matt Roberts | Joe Kay | KonQa | Western Safety Barriers |
| Orange Waratahs | Adam Scimone | Niall Gibb | | Country Fruit Distributors |
| Panorama | Ricky Guihot | Brent Osborne | Armaduro | Agile Arbor Tree Services |
| Parkes Cobras | Meaghan Kempson | Brent Tucker | Goosey Sports | Coachman Hotel |

## Regular season
### Ladder

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Orange Waratahs (C) | 20 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 65 | 21 | +44 | 44 | Premiers and Finals series |
| 2 | Panorama | 20 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 47 | 25 | +22 | 41 | Finals series |
| 3 | Bathurst 75 | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 55 | 33 | +22 | 39 | Finals series |
| 4 | Barnstoneworth United | 20 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 47 | 24 | +23 | 37 | Finals series |
| 5 | Dubbo Bulls | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 58 | 38 | +20 | 36 | Finals series |
| 6 | Parkes Cobras | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 55 | 46 | +9 | 34 | Finals series |
| 7 | Orana Spurs | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 40 | 38 | +2 | 32 | |
| 8 | Mudgee Wolves | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 28 | 45 | −17 | 19 | Withdrew at end of season |
| 9 | Lithgow Workmen's | 20 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 29 | 51 | −22 | 14 | Withdrew at end of season |
| 10 | Orange CYMS | 20 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 66 | −50 | 10 | Withdrew at end of season |
| 11 | Macquarie United | 20 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 19 | 72 | −53 | 4 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | BU | 75 | DB | LW | MQ | MW | OS | OC | OW | PA | PC |
| Barnstoneworth United | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 6–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Bathurst 75 | 0–1 | — | 2–2 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 8–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| Dubbo Bulls | 0–1 | 2–3 | — | 2–1 | 8–1 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 |
| Lithgow Workmen's | 2–1 | 3–5 | 2–6 | — | 0–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–2 |
| Macquarie United | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–5 | 2–6 | — | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Mudgee Wolves | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–5 | 0–1 | 2–1 | — | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Orana Spurs | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | — | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 1–4 |
| Orange CYMS | 0–8 | 1–5 | 0–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | — | 1–6 | 0–4 | 2–6 |
| Orange Waratahs | 5–0 | 3–0 | 7–0 | 3–0 | 8–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 6–1 | — | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| Panorama | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 6–1 | 4–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 5–1 |
| Parkes Cobras | 0–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 6–3 | — |

## Finals series

| Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| | | | 1 | Orange Waratahs | 3 | | | Orange Waratahs | 2 |
| | | | 2 | Panorama | 2 | | | Panorama | Panorama | 1 |
| | | | | | | Panorama | 3 | | |
| 3 | Bathurst 75 | 1 (2) | | | | Panorama | 3 | | |
| 3 | Bathurst 75 | 1 (2) | | | | Parkes Cobras | Parkes Cobras | 2 | | |
| 6 | Parkes Cobras (pen.) | 1 (4) | | | | Parkes Cobras | Parkes Cobras | 2 | | |
| 6 | Parkes Cobras (pen.) | 1 (4) | Barnstoneworth United | Barnstoneworth United | 2 (3) | | | | | |
| | | | Parkes Cobras (pen.) | Parkes Cobras (pen.) | 2 (5) | | | | | |
| 4 | Barnstoneworth United | 1 | Parkes Cobras (pen.) | Parkes Cobras (pen.) | 2 (5) | | | | | |
| 5 | Dubbo Bulls | 0 | | | | | | | | |

### Grand final
## Season statistics
### Top goal scorers

    As of 27 August 2022. Includes regular season only.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Craig Sugden | Orange Waratahs | 16 |
| 1 | Agieg Aluk | Bathurst 75 | 16 |
| 3 | Mitch Hutchings | Parkes Cobras | 14 |
| 3 | Gareth Williams | Dubbo Bulls | 14 |
| 5 | Thomas Rooke | Bathurst 75 | 12 |
| 6 | Alex Richardson-Bell | Dubbo Bulls | 11 |
| 6 | Alec Bateson | Parkes Cobras | 11 |
| 8 | Jaiden Culbert | Panorama | 10 |
| 8 | Dylan Halls | Barnstoneworth United | 10 |
| 8 | Adam Scimone | Orange Waratahs | 10 |
| 8 | Lachlan Hando | Parkes Cobras | 10 |

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Lachlan Peet | Orange Waratahs | Barnstoneworth United | 5–0 (H) | 2 April 2022 |
| Gareth Williams | Dubbo Bulls | Macquarie United | 5–0 (A) | 22 April 2022 |
| Adam Scimone | Orange Waratahs | Orange CYMS | 6–1 (A) | 8 May 2022 |
| Gareth Williams | Dubbo Bulls | Orana Spurs | 5–0 (A) | 20 May 2022 |
| Craig Sugden | Orange Waratahs | Dubbo Bulls | 7–0 (H) | 28 May 2022 |
| Guy Burgess$^4$ | Orange Waratahs | Dubbo Bulls | 7–0 (H) | 28 May 2022 |
| Jaiden Culbert | Panorama | Parkes Cobras | 5–1 (H) | 11 June 2022 |
| Agieg Aluk$^4$ | Bathurst 75 | Orange CYMS | 8–1 (H) | 25 June 2022 |
| Craig Sugden | Orange Waratahs | Macquarie United | 8–1 (H) | 9 July 2022 |
| Adam Scimone | Orange Waratahs | Macquarie United | 8–1 (H) | 9 July 2022 |
| Josh Hurt | Mudgee Wolves | Parkes Cobras | 3–1 (H) | 16 July 2022 |
| Mitch Hutchings | Parkes Cobras | Panorama | 6–3 (H) | 21 July 2022 |
| Craig Sugden | Orange Waratahs | Orange CYMS | 6–1 (H) | 23 July 2022 |
| Brad Luka | Lithgow Workmen's | Macquarie United | 6–2 (A) | 23 July 2022 |
| Luke Mutton | Bathurst 75 | Lithgow Workmen's | 5–3 (A) | 30 July 2022 |
| Dylan Halls | Barnstoneworth United | Orange CYMS | 8–0 (A) | 6 August 2022 |
| Tim Dowler | Barnstoneworth United | Orange CYMS | 8–0 (A) | 6 August 2022 |
| Jaiden Culbert | Panorama | Orange CYMS | 4–0 (A) | 17 August 2022 |
| Gareth Williams | Dubbo Bulls | Lithgow Workmen's | 6–2 (A) | 20 August 2022 |
| Lachlan Hando | Parkes Cobras | Orange CYMS | 6–2 (A) | 21 August 2022 |
Key :
| $^4$ | Player scored four goals |