The successor to last year’s winner Ryan Slater will be announced on Thursday night as the 2025 Wellington and Reeves Albany Sportsperson of the Year awards take place at Retravision Stadium.

Volleyball star Slater took the title last year but the finalists for 2025 are five men from football, cricket, basketball and motorsport.

On the shortlist are AFL players Jordan Clark and Darcy Cameron, State cricketer Bryce Jackson, national basketballer Billy McRae and Australian-level motorsport driver Ruairidh Avern.

Other awards to be handed out on Albany sport’s night of nights are the Castlehow Senior Sportsperson of the Year, the Sound Life Masters Sportsperson and the Retravision Junior Sportsperson.

Clark’s 2025 season included his first all-Australian selection, and he was a key part of the Dockers’ side which reached an AFL elimination final.

He started his career in Albany, with Railways.

North Albany product Cameron was named Collingwood’s fairest and best and was the dominant ruckman during an AFL season in which he played his 100th game.

Young basketballer Billy McRae made his debut for Australia when he was selected for the under-17 team which won silver in the Oceania Cup.

He spent the NBL1 West season playing for the Perry Lakes Hawks.

Ruairidh Avern is a rising star in motorsport who joined Arise Racing to compete in the Radical Cup Australia, finishing fourth in the overall championship from 24 cars.

He was the top scoring rookie despite only competing in four of the five rounds in the one-make sports car series.

The all-woman shortlist for the senior sportsperson’s award comprises Jess Waldron (mountain biking), Tash Faithfull (horse racing) and three footballers, Sophie Richards, Kathryn Slattery and Nardia Humphries.

The masters’ nominees are Jenny Rickerby from pickleball, football’s Michael Pratt, off-road triathlete Keiron Benson and mountain biker Tanya Bailey.

The 18 athletes nominated for the junior award have been whittled down to five finalists.

Netballer Keely Berry is joined by athletes Mason Watkins and Caleb Benson, soccer player Zoe Bascombe and basketballer Tatum Whalley.