In one of the most electric and good-natured nights of the season, Macquarie Island lit up for a friendly interstation darts showdown against our southern siblings at Casey. What started as a bit of light hearted rivalry quickly evolved into a full-blown sporting spectacle, complete with a roaring crowd, tense moments, and one of the most legendary finishes in station darts history.
The Mess transformed into a makeshift stadium – fairy lights twinkled, the scoreboard was primed, and Macca's darting faithful filled the room with cheers, heckles, and hearty banter. Even the crew out at the Wilkes Hilton tuned in via video link, watching the action unfold while cooking up pizzas in their hut – proof that no matter how remote, no one wanted to miss the big match. The video link also served as our official scoring system – keeping the players honest and the scores dialled in with surgical accuracy. With Carlton footy updates playing in the background (whether you wanted them or not), it was clear this was more than just a game – it was community in its finest form.
Game 1 – Joe & Tom (Macca) vs Haydn & Goody (Casey)
Casey came in hot with confidence, declaring: "With Haydn on a heater … Surely it translates into darts form." And to be fair, it looked like it might. Casey stormed out to a strong early lead, racking up over 100 points before Macca even blinked. But Joe and Tom weren’t panicking, they were playing chess while Casey played darts. The comeback started with ice-cold defence – closing out targets with surgical precision and denying Casey the easy wins. Tom landed a clutch triple 19 to swing momentum back toward the island. Joe, calm as ever, kept hammering the beds, quietly dragging the score back within reach.
Then came the finale.
Needing a bed to win, Joe turned to Tom and said, "I’ve been throwing well on 12s — I’m gonna bed those."
He lined up.
One. Two. Three.
Game over.
The room exploded. A roar from the Mess, a groan from Wilkes Hilton, and just like that — Macca took the first win.
While Casey had the early flair, their first-game nerves crept in. Meanwhile, Joe and Tom – who’ve spent the season battling against each other in weekly comps – transformed into a perfectly balanced force when side-by-side. Power and precision. Ice and fire. Macca 1–0.
Game 2 – Gary & Tim (Macca) vs Lee & Gus “LEGUS” (Casey)
“When the Gus Bus & the Shang King combine to form the legendary LEGUS combo, the result is in the bag. Nuff said.”
That was the call from Casey – and they came in ready to back it up.
Macca’s answer? Gary, our seasoned darts veteran, and Tim, the station's rising star. Gary, a former footy player turned pub darts specialist, was ready for the fight. But it was Tim who stole the spotlight. Cool, calm, and precise, he threw with a quiet confidence that settled the room. No nerves, no rush, just clean, consistent darts. For someone who picked up the game only six months ago, he looked right at home on the big stage.
Casey took the early lead, but Macca weren’t done. Gary landed a massive triple 16 mid-game that rattled the Casey side and gave Macca a surge of momentum. Tim followed up with icy precision, never missing a beat and keeping the pressure on.
In the end, though, the LEGUS combo held strong. With a final score of 220 to 165, Casey took the win — but not without feeling the heat. Tim was hands down the MVP for Macca, showing maturity and composure well beyond his experience. The series was now tied 1–1, and the battle was well and truly on.
Game 3 – Matt & Pat (Macca) vs Nick & Jake (Casey)
“Nick is good. Really good. Jake adds a calmness and ability to deliver in key moments.”
That was the word from Casey and they lived up to the hype.
But Macca weren’t backing down. Matt and Pat stepped up with grit, heart, and more than a few laughs. Pat managed to close out numbers when it counted. Matt, meanwhile, was running purely on crowd energy. Every cheer fuelled him, and the Mess got behind him in a big way. Our boy was fired up, and play he did, carrying the team and keeping things honourable for the home crowd.
While they didn’t rack up huge scores, Matt and Pat kept it tight the whole way through, never letting Casey fully run away with it. But in the end, Nick and Jake were just too composed. They hit their marks, played it smart, and sealed the win.
Casey moved ahead 2–1 in the series, but the crowd gave Macca’s duo a hero’s send-off. It was darts with heart and one hell of a performance from both sides.
Game 4 – Bec & Shane (Macca) vs Ty & Brad (Casey)
Casey’s take was confident: “Ty knows how to win big games. Summer darts taught us that. Brad’s raw talent is just waiting for the right time to be unleashed. The time is now.”
Bec and Shane, though, had their own brand of chaos. Bec hadn’t picked up a dart in over ten months, but turned up ready to play. Shane, meanwhile, was multitasking, one eye on the dartboard, the other firmly fixed on how Carlton were going in the footy.
Despite the slow start, Shane delivered the moment of the match – three triple 20s in a single round. The Mess absolutely erupted. Late? Yes. Electric? Absolutely.
All the while, the crowd in the background kept the vibe high, sending cheeky messages over the video link, quietly chirping the opposition and keeping the other stations and off-site crew thoroughly entertained. It was darts, but it was also theatre.
Casey, to their credit, stayed sharp and took the win, securing the series 3–1. But for Macca, it was never just about the scoreboard. This game was a crowd-pleaser – loose, loud, and full of spirit.
Game 5 – Marcus ‘Marco’ Hochuli & Pete (Macca) vs Brian & Dan (Casey)
Casey came in confident for the closer: “While the rest of the station is sleeping, Brian is practicing. He’s at his best late in the piece and the perfect option for the final match-up. Dan may be a quiet achiever, but his darts can talk.”
With the series already sealed 3–1 in Casey’s favour, the final game was all about pride and delivering a show. And deliver it did.
Macca sent in the sparkies: Marcus ‘Marco’ Hochuli and Pete. Pete, a seasoned veteran of station darts, was loving every second of it, lobbing darts with the sort of joy that can only come from a man who knows exactly how much fun he’s having. His throws were landing, his banter was flowing, and the crowd was right there with him.
Then there was Marco — a newcomer to the game. Realistically, this was maybe his 30th game of darts ever. But what he lacked in match count, he made up for in obsession. He’d been throwing at bullseyes every smoko, every knock-off, honing in quietly all season. And as it turned out he was training for this exact moment, without even knowing it.
The crowd was fully behind them. A chant erupted through the Mess:
“Marcooooo, Marco, Marco, Marco, Marcoooo, Marcoooo!”
The roof nearly lifted. Marco soaked it in — arms raised, face lit up, riding the wave.
The game was tight. Macca had the score to win, but there was a catch: the bulls weren’t closed. To take the match, they had to shut them down. It all came down to Marco.
He turned to Tim, locked eyes, and asked one thing:
"Bed of bulls?"
Tim pointed back, stone-faced. That was it. Marco turned, took position. The room fell silent.
With Swiss-like precision, he launched the first dart — thud — bull.
A breath. The second — thud — bull.
Now the Mess was holding its breath.
Final dart.
Thud. Bull.
Bed. Of. Bulls. Game over.
The eruption was instant and deafening. Marco raised his fists into the air and leapt triumphantly into Joe’s arms, lifted into the air like a champion at the final whistle. The Mess exploded around them. People shouted, clapped, laughed, some just stood in awe. The chant rang out loud and proud: “MAR-COOOOOO! MAR-CO! MAR-CO! MAR-COOOOOO! MAR-COOOOOO!” Wilkes Hilton was screaming through the video link. Even Casey had to stand and applaud.
Macca took the final game in unbelievable fashion. The series ended 3–2 to Casey — but the moment?
That belonged to Marco, Pete, and the wild, beautiful spirit of the Macca Mess.
What began as a friendly interstation darts match quickly became one of the most memorable nights in Macca history. From fierce rivalries to underdog heroics, from shaky starts to legendary finishes, this night had it all. Casey may have claimed the series 3–2, but it never really felt like there were winners and losers. Each game brought the stations closer together, with messages flying across the video link, laughter echoing between Mess halls, and the kind of camaraderie only life on the ice can build.
Whether it was Joe calling the 12s, Tim rising as Macca’s quiet MVP, Shane’s triple 20s while keeping one eye on the footy, or Marco closing out the night with the boldest bed of bulls we’ve ever seen, every moment reminded us that this is more than just darts. It’s community, connection, and a shared love of doing something completely ridiculous, together.
Massive thanks to Casey Station and the crew at Wilkes Hilton for bringing the energy, the banter, and the brilliant darts. We appreciate your good sportsmanship and – while the confidence was sky-high – it’s fair to say you’ll need to put in some hard hours at the oche to step it up for the midwinter interstation comp.
Rematch, anyone?
Joe – Carpenter Macca 77th
