The Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame welcomed its newest inductees on Thursday, August 20th, as the region once again came together to celebrate the athletes who have carried the Hunter’s name onto the national and international sporting stage.
Now in its 34th year, the Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place at McDonald Jones Stadium, bringing together past inductees, current honourees, family, friends and the broader sporting community for an evening dedicated to Hunter sporting excellence.
Since its inception, the Hall of Fame has recognised more than 350 elite athletes with strong ties to the Hunter region, whether by birth or through junior and senior sporting careers based in the area, who have gone on to represent Australia or compete at the international level.
This year’s inductees are:
- Angela Leadbeatter – Distance Running
- Tara Andrews – Football
- Kelly Puplett – Marathon Swimming
- Brittany Hepburn – Baseball
- Boyd Cordner – Rugby League
- Anthony Tupou – Rugby League
The six 2026 inductees will join a celebrated list of Hunter sporting greats already enshrined in the Hall of Fame, including Jenni Screen, Ray Baartz, Mark Richards, Andrew Johns and Danny Buderus – a roll call that spans generations and sporting codes, and reflects the depth of talent to come out of the region.
For each of this year’s inductees, the honour caps off years of dedication, sacrifice and achievement, from junior development pathways through to representing Australia on the world stage. Their stories serve as inspiration for the next generation of Hunter athletes coming through local clubs, schools and the Hunter Academy of Sport pathway.
Roxanne Wain, Regional Manager Hunter at Regional Academies of Sport, said the induction ceremony remains one of the standout events on the region’s sporting calendar.
“The Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame is one of the highlights of our calendar each year. It’s a chance to bring the Hunter sporting community together and properly celebrate the achievements of athletes who have done our region proud on the national and international stage. Every inductee has a story of hard work and perseverance, and it’s a privilege to share that with their family, friends and the community who supported them along the way.”
The Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame is proudly supported by Regional Academies of Sport, and continues to honour the athletes who have shaped the region’s proud sporting legacy.
Meet our inductees:
Angela Leadbeatter
Angela Leadbeatter (née Sheean) is a distinguished Australian distance runner and coach with a career spanning athletics, mountain running, stair climbing, and surf lifesaving. She gained international recognition in 1999 by winning the prestigious Empire State Building Run-Up in New York, before also claiming victories at the Menara Tower Run-Up in Kuala Lumpur and three Sydney Tower Run-Up titles.
Angela proudly represented Australia at the 1999 and 2000 World Mountain Running Championships after winning back-to-back Australian Open Women’s Mountain Running titles. She also represented Australia three times in the Australian Ekiden Road Relay Team, competing in Japan, China, and South Korea.
In surf lifesaving, Angela won the Australian Open 2km Beach Run title three consecutive times (2014–2016), earning Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club’s prestigious green blazer. Since retiring from elite competition, she has dedicated herself to coaching cross country and surf lifesaving athletes across the Hunter, developing numerous national champions and inspiring the next generation of distance runners.
Tara Andrews
Tara Andrews is a former professional footballer, two-time Australian international, and Newcastle Jets legend. She made her debut for the Newcastle Jets at just 15 years of age in 2009 and went on to make 131 appearances, scoring a club-record 45 goals to remain the Jets’ all-time leading goal scorer in the A-League Women competition. Her outstanding club performances earned her selection in the Australian national team, the Matildas, where she represented her country on two occasions in 2017. She was also a regular member of Australian youth national team programs throughout her development, highlighting her talent from a young age. During her playing career, Tara also competed overseas with Colorado Pride in the United States during the 2014–15 season.
Following her retirement from professional football in 2023, Tara has continued to make a significant contribution to the sport through coaching. She delivers Northern NSW Talent Support Program sessions and returned to the Newcastle Jets as Assistant Coach of the A-League Women side for the 2025–26 season. She also remains an outstanding player for New Lambton FC, earning the 2025 Emily van Egmond Medal as the NPL Women’s Northern NSW Player of the Year, along with the Golden Boot award.
Away from football, Tara is an accomplished civil engineer, graduating with Honours in 2019 and building her career with ARTC. Through both her sporting and professional achievements, she continues to inspire the next generation of athletes and young professionals.
Kelly Puplett
Kelly Puplett (née Driffield) is one of Australia’s most accomplished open water and marathon swimmers. In 1997, she set a Guinness World Record by swimming more than 95 kilometres in a 50-metre pool over 24 hours and won a silver medal at the Oceania Games. The following year, she claimed the Australian 25km Marathon Swimming Championship, represented Australia on the 1998 FINA World Cup Series, and won the prestigious Atlantic City Ocean Marathon in the United States. Her outstanding performances saw her ranked among the world’s top marathon swimmers in 1998 and earned her a Certificate of Merit from the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
Kelly’s achievements have since been recognised through her induction into the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and the Maitland City Council Hall of Fame in 2016. Beyond her competitive career, she has continued to contribute to the sport by coaching Masters and para-swimming athletes, while also working as a teacher in the Special Education Faculty at Rutherford Technology High School.
Brittany Hepburn
Brittany Hepburn is one of Australia’s most successful women’s baseball players and a long-serving member of the Australian Emeralds. A talented right-handed pitcher, she represented Australia at four consecutive Women’s Baseball World Cups (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018), establishing herself as one of the nation’s premier pitchers. Throughout her international career, Brittany was regularly entrusted with starting assignments and played a key role in Australia’s success on the world stage, including the team’s bronze medal-winning campaign in 2014.
At the 2018 Women’s Baseball World Cup, Brittany recorded the fastest pitch of the tournament at 76.4 mph (122.9 km/h), highlighting her reputation as one of the most powerful pitchers in international women’s baseball. She was also the first woman on record to pitch in Newcastle’s First Grade baseball competition, breaking barriers for female athletes in the sport.
Beginning her career as a junior with Seaham Baseball Club, Brittany has made a lasting contribution to baseball in the Hunter as both a respected player and coach. Her achievements have helped pave the way for future generations of female baseballers while bringing distinction to both the Newcastle and Australian baseball communities.
Boyd Cordner
Originally from Taree, Boyd Cordner is a successful former rugby league players and a three-time NRL Premiership winner with the Sydney Roosters. After beginning his career with the Old Bar Pirates and Taree Red Rovers, he became one of the game’s premier second-rowers, captaining the Roosters to back-to-back premierships in 2018 and 2019 and earning the 2013 Dally M Second Rower of the Year award.
Boyd also enjoyed an outstanding representative career, playing 16 State of Origin matches for New South Wales, captaining the Blues to consecutive series victories in 2018 and 2019, and representing Australia in 20 Test matches. As captain of the Kangaroos, he was a member of the 2013 and 2017 Rugby League World Cup-winning teams, scoring the only try in the 2017 World Cup Final.
Boyd is widely respected for his leadership, professionalism and achievements at club, state and international level, cementing his place as one of Australia’s great rugby league players.
Anthony Tupuo
Anthony Tupou began his junior Rugby League career with the Macquarie Scorpions and progressed through the Newcastle Knights junior development system before making his NRL debut with the Sydney Roosters in 2004. He later joined the Cronulla Sharks, finishing an outstanding 14-season career with more than 250 NRL appearances.
Anthony’s consistent performances earned him selection for New South Wales in the State of Origin series and Australia, representing the Kangaroos in 10 Test matches between 2007 and 2011. He was a member of Australia’s victorious 2008 Rugby League World Cup squad and also represented the Prime Minister’s XIII and City Origin.
Renowned for his toughness, skill and consistency, Anthony established himself as one of the NRL’s premier back-rowers. From his beginnings in Newcastle to representing his state and country, his career has cemented his place as one of the Hunter’s finest rugby league exports.
Photography: Misch Bocska
