Karratha Falcons fly high as Josh ‘Pongo’ Stanley hits 250-game milestone in NPFL round five

The Karratha Falcons soared into round five of the North Pilbara Football League with a dominant display against the Wickham Wolves at Bulgarra Reserve on Saturday, May 24.

With a big crowd of local footy faithfuls turning out for the clash, the Falcons wasted no time setting the tone in the League game, storming to a convincing 17.16 (118) to 9.9 (63) victory.

But the biggest roar of the day wasn’t just for the scoreboard, it was for a club legend.

All eyes were on Falcons’ veteran Josh ‘Pongo’ Stanley, who celebrated a massive milestone: his 250th game in the red and blue.

A beloved figure in the club since his U10s days, Pongo has built an incredible legacy – five-time Falcons Reserves best and fairest, two-time NPFL Mathieson Medallist and multiple-time Reserves premiership player.

Over at Kevin Richards Oval, the Karratha Kats were in fine form, brushing aside the South Hedland Swans 16.15 (111) to 6.3 (39) in the League game. The Kats Reserves also displayed a powerful performance with a 17.11 (113) to 8.0 (48) victory, along with the women’s team 6.9 (45) to nil.

There was more to celebrate for the Kats too, as League player Luke Pearson notched up his 50th game for the club.

In Port Hedland, it was a tale of mixed results. The Dampier Sharks battled hard for a gritty 10.11 (71) to 8.8 (56) League win over the Port Hedland Rovers on the Rovers’ home turf at Colin Matheson Oval.

The Rovers Reserves dug deep to grind out a hard-fought 12.14 (86) to 10.3 (63) win, while the women’s side stood tall with a strong 5.6 (36) to 1.4 (10) victory.