Death, drugs and injury cast sombre shadows over Australia's sporting year.
But amid the gloom, some sunshine broke through among the biggest sporting stories of the year.
VALE PHIL HUGHES
Batting for South Australia, the son of a banana farmer was struck in the head by a bouncer from NSW quick Sean Abbott. He collapsed, never regained consciousness and died two days later, aged 25. The freak accident prompted worldwide mourning and a delayed start to the Test summer as Australia's elite players grappled with their grief, none more than his great mate Michael Clarke. "Phillip's spirit, now part of the game forever, will act as a custodian to the sport," Clarke said at Hughes' funeral. An injured Clarke then went on to lead Australia to an amazing final hour first Test win over India in Adelaide. Baby-faced Steve Smith, 25, took over the captaincy for the second Test in Brisbane and secured victory with a hard-fought century.
HAIL THE WANDERERS
Western Sydney Wanderers were crowned the kings of Asian football. The fledgling A-League club claimed the Asian Champions League title with stoicism and a touch of luck in the decider against Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Surely, it's the greatest achievement by any Australian sporting club on the world stage - and by an entity that hadn't played a game two years prior. "Dreams do come true," said Wanderers coach Tony Popovic.
RISE FOR ALEX
NRL emerging star Alex McKinnon suffered career-ending spinal injuries in a round three game when the Newcastle Knight was dumped head-first in a three-man Melbourne Storm tackle gone wrong. McKinnon suffered a broken neck and is wheelchair-bound, with the NRL staging a stirring Rise For Alex McKinnon round in July which raised more than $1.1 million for his ongoing rehabilitation. McKinnon's bravery was lauded and he refuses to blame anyone for his injury: "Lifting tackles are always going to be in the game but if you ask me if the game is safe, of course it is safe," he said.
DRUGS AT ESSENDON
The supplements scandal enveloping AFL club Essendon and coach James Hird dragged on for another year. Hird was banned from coaching the season but continued in failed court bids to clear his name. Some 34 past and present Essendon players were handed show cause notices by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, paving the way for their cases to be heard by the AFL's Anti-Doping Tribunal.
STEELY SALLY
Sally Pearson overcame an unseemly spat with Australian athletics head coach Eric Hollingsworth to win another Commonwealth Games 100m hurdles gold medal in Glasgow. "I always thought that I could do it but it was a bit of a burden, a bit of negative energy that I did not need the day before my race especially," Pearson said. Hollingsworth tried to shoot Bambi when criticising Pearson, was banished from Glasgow and quit before the inevitable axe fell.
COMMONWEALTH CROWN SLIPS
The Pearson controversy came as Australia lost its mantle as the ruler of the Commonwealth Games. For the first time in 28 years, Australia failed to top the medal tally - England won 58 gold, Australia 49. But there were some stirring moments: Anna Meares became Australia's most successful female track cyclist and the women's 100m freestyle relay swim team broke the world record.
BEATEN, NOT BOWED
The Socceroos won some plaudits, but not a game, at the World Cup in Brazil in June. Under new coach Ange Postecoglou, the Australians were gallant and played some attractive football but were ultimately outclassed in losses to powerhouses Chile, the Netherlands and Spain - but any praise was dismissed by Postecoglou: "I get worried a little bit when people say nice things about you, because it means they don't fear you," he said. But talisman Tim Cahill scored an all-time belter of a goal against the Dutch with a sweet volley which was hailed worldwide.
MELBOURNE'S DEATHLY CUP
The race that stops the nation was blighted by deaths of two horses. The favourite, Japanese stayer Admire Rakti, died of suspected heart failure. And Araldo finished seventh but was spooked by waving flag on return to the enclosure and kicked a steel running rail, fracturing a cannon bone. He was euthanised six hours after Protectionist became the first German horse to win the cup.
FLYING RICCIARDO
Australia's Daniel Ricciardo won three formula one grand prix in a breakout season. He also finished third in five races - it would have been six, but for a controversial disqualification at his home grand prix in Melbourne when stripped of a podium finish because of a fuel use breach. Ricciardo was consistently excellent - apart from the DQ and two retirements, he never placed lower than eighth.
KYRGIOS ARRIVES
In a shade under two hours on Wimbledon's famed centre court, Australian tennis found a new shooting star when Nick Kyrgios eclipsed then world No.1 Rafael Nadal. The 19-year-old was ranked 144 at the time, becoming the first player ranked outside the top 100 to beat a world No.1 since 1992. He starts the New Year ranked 52 and carrying the hopes of a nation craving another tennis superpower.
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