With 2019 racing to an end, it is time to take a look back at what was a massive year in Australian sport.
Here for you in chronological order are the twelve biggest moments that marked the 2019 calendar for Australia.
FEBRUARY: Ben Simmons became Australia's first ever NBA All-Star when selected to represent Team LeBron in Charlotte, North Carolina. Following on from being the first Australian to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2018, there were high hopes for Simmons to lead the Boomers to glory at the FIBA World Cup. Unfortunately commitments to the 76ers and work on his jump shot meant he missed the tournament.
APRIL: Winx wins her last race, taking out the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse on 13 April 2019. The packed grandstands became typical for the great mare as she completed a run of 33 consecutive victories, including 25 Group 1 races.
JUNE: Ashleigh Barty returned from a self-imposed hiatus, to climb her way up the WTA rankings. She stormed through the French Open field to claim the clay court slam, before being crowned the World's No1 player on her way to Wimbledon. The gutsy scrambler personified everything Australia loves in a sports star, picking up a slew of awards through the year.
JUNE: Australia dropped out of the FIFA Women's World Cup after losing a penalty shoot-out against Norway in the Round of 16. Having sacked coach Alen Stajcic in the lead up to the finals, the Matildas were never the cohesive unit many expected would go a long way towards winning the Cup.
JULY: James Tedesco scored a remarkable long-range try to break the hearts of Queensland supporters as New South Wales secured back-to-back State of Origin titles at ANZ Stadium. On the receiving end of many similar last-minute winners in past series, the home crowd erupted in celebration and relief.
AUGUST: Steven Smith returned from his one-year ban for ball tampering in absolute triumph, scoring 144 and 142 in the first Ashes Test victory at Edgbaston. Australia would retain the Ashes in a series where both teams won two Tests. Smith would amass 774 runs from 7 innings at an average of 110.57 reestablishing himself as the best Test batsman in the world.
SEPTEMBER: The Australian Boomers, fresh from beating Team USA for the first time ever during an exhibition game in Melbourne, arrived at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Beijing with realistic hopes of claiming their first ever medal at a senior men's tournament. With evergreen Patty Mills leading the way, they made it to the bronze medal game only to throw away a big lead and hand victory to France.
SEPTEMBER: Richmond managed a resounding AFL Grand Final victory over the GWS Giants, just two years after breaking a 37-year premiership drought. The 89-point thumping of the Giants, who were playing in their first Grand Final, was celebrated long and hard in Tigerland.
OCTOBER: The Sydney Roosters became the first team to win back-to-back NRL premierships since the Brisbane Broncos did it in 1993 when they were victorious in a controversial decider against Canberra Raiders. At the time of this photo no one could be fully aware of the contractual circus about to engulf star centre Latrell Mitchell (right).
OCTOBER: The Wallabies travelled to Japan for the 2019 Rugby World Cup with expectations fairly low as they struggled to perform under besieged coach Michael Cheika. After losing their second pool match to Wales they limped into the quarter-finals to face arch-enemy England. England thumped them 40-16 on their way to losing the final to South Africa.
NOVEMBER: After a disastrous return from his one-year ban, scoring just 95 runs from 10 innings during the Ashes in England, David Warner returned to the home grounds he knows and loves so well. In Adelaide against Pakistan he recorded Australia's second highest ever score of 335 n/o, passing Don Bradman and Mark Taylor who were tied on 334.
DECEMBER: Australia's Alexander Volkanovski lived up to his own predictions by claiming the UFC featherweight championship, defeating Max Holloway in Las Vegas. Volkanovski won a unanimous points decision after five slogging rounds, wearing his opponent down with brutal leg kicks early in the bout.