POTY 2025 | Gurgler 2025 Person of the Year – Ray Stone

The votes have been counted, verified by a panel of disgruntled public service workers, and approved by the management of this website, and Dolphins hard man Ray Stone is The Gurgler’s 2025 Person of the Year. 

All we know is that Dolphins NRL tough man Ray Stone would hate this win. Just like the way he hates scoring tries, missed tackles, opposition players making more than one run metre, losing, scoring more than one try in a game, offloads, The Bunker, referees, sunsets and sunrises, and scoring tries. He’d probably also hate to know that he brings joy to us, even at his own expense for pain. But in the end, pain is his friend, so maybe he enjoys it after all. But luckily, he doesn’t know where we live, so we won’t feel one of his punishing tackles for nominating him for Gurgler 2025 Person of the Year in the first place.

He joins elite company of various sporting heroes, sporting mascots, cartoon characters and Greg Norman. And just to show this 2025 Person of the Year wasn’t rigged, AI Greg Norman didn’t win, which is who we would have selected.

So thanks to all that voted and a quiet congratulations to Ray Stone.

2025 GURGLER PERSON OF THE YEAR VOTING

Here are the final results.

GURGLER PERSON OF THE YEAR HONOUR ROLL

2025 – RAY STONE
2024 – GOUT GOUT
2023 – PAUL BURT & SPORTING MASCOTS
2020 – ADEBAYO AKINFENWA
2019 – BANDIT
2018 – GREG NORMAN & SBS WORLD CUP COVERAGE
2017 – FARMER FROM SHAUN THE SHEEP
2016 – CHARLES STRUNK
2015 – WILLIE MINOGA
2015 – REGGIE THE RABBITOH

Gurgler 2025 Person of the Year Nominations

Here are the rest of the people and things that were nominated for the 2025 PErson of the Year.

AI GREG NORMAN

Following on from Grok is no mistake, as the two go hand in hand. Through Grok AI Greg Norman was born, and his adventures, Nor-mansplaining and cooking have been a shining light on an otherwise dreary 2025. To relive some of the joyful moments, here are the best of the links below.

Best of Greg Norman Comic Adventures…..

AI Greg Norman vs Cyclone Alfred
AI Greg Norman vs Flooding
AI Greg Norman vs Music Industry
AI Greg Norman vs Tariffs
AI Greg Nor-mansplains Monaco Grand Prix
AI Greg Nor-mansplains State of Origin
AI Greg Cooks

GOUT GOUT

Our favourite athlete in the world won this award last year, and there’s no reason he can’t win it again, and everything else in the future. Whilst the results didn’t quite match the hype in the World Athletics Champs in Tokyo, he is still an excitement machine, and king of the kids too, inspiring more kids to be more him. So why not a double for him for Person of the Year, his name doubles up so makes sense.

GROK

AI has become a buzz word around the world. From TV News reports, to Financial Markets to corporate meeting where it has become the new buzzword for, and let The Simpsons say it best, “Aren’t these just buzzwords that dumb people use to sound important? Not that I’m accusing you of anything like that… I’m fired, aren’t I?”. 

But Grok has been our friend throughout 2025, helping us create some great content including an entire series of AI Greg Norman Comics, which have been our favourite thing ever on this website.

Sadly, the likeness of Greg Norman has dropped off in recent months, but we still thank it for it’s service.
 

DAN GINNANE

A great rugby league caller, and no surprise he is on Channel Nein. Of course Channel Nein securing yet another Jerk of the Year nomination. But he finds the balance between being good, enthusiastic, funny, unlike most. He doesn’t yell for the sake of it like Channel Nein. He doesn’t try and crack jokes all the time like Andrew Voss. And he seems to love Ray Stone. Which helps. Seeing his name at the helm of the comments for any NRL match brings joy. And we’ve turned that joy into a 2025 Person of the Year nomination.

SPORTING MASCOTS

Every year it seems Sports Mascots get nominations, and they deserve it. In the category of offer plenty and ask nothing, they live to give to provide live entertainment. And take the occasionally beating from naughty children, and alcohol fueled abuse for your entertainment. So don’t they deserve a Person of the Year nomination?

VALTTERI BOTTAS

He gone from invisible F1 pilot Valtteri Nottas, to an amusing F1 personality via social media. He has provided much entertainment off track, if not on it in 2025, with behind the scenes footage and very helpful information for F1 fans. It also helps we has an Australian partner, and very fine mullet and moustache. And we have no doubt all this helped him get a drive at Cadillac F1 for 2026. As long as he keeps the mo and hair.

YOUTUBE

Another thing that asks so little yet gives so much. With more interesting content than it would take a lifetime or two to get through, it is a very useful resource for time killing, and with a growing collection of back-in-the-day Formula 1, there’s even less reason to own normal TV anymore. 

BRUCE McAVENEY

It’s also when you hear Bruce doing his thing, especially for Athletics that you realise just how good he is at his craft. Where others scream and yell, or smug their way through sporting coverage, Bruce is the ultimate professional, and knows his sh!t. In an old school, no opinion-just-facts kind of way. What a shame the opposite of all of that Channel Nein have the Olympics coverage these days. Or any sport. 

CANBERRA RAIDERS / RICKY STUART

Whilst they fell short of ultimate NRL glory, there’s nothing better than a likeable sporting team, full of players that aren’t fashionable, winning a lot of games and taking the minor premiership. And they entertained along the way. And Ricky Stuart aka the Angry Ant aka Sticky aka Carlos Smearson is a major part of it all. 

ROY AND HG

Still going and still good. Providing the balance for sporting coverage the world needs.