The 23-year-old badly injured a ligament on his spinning finger when bowling at the end of 2018-2019.

Five summers and quite the rollercoaster ride later, Chillingworth found himself a key figure for Charlestown's premiership push and this weekend's victory over City at No.1 Sportsground in Newcastle District Cricket Association's first XI final.

Named joint NDCA player of the year and receiving the Ken Clifford Medal in the space of three days, Chillingworth followed up Friday's award by scoring 41 runs on Saturday and taking 5-30 with his leggies on Sunday.

"The last few years have been the toughest of my life, not only from a physical point of view but just a massive mental barrier to get over," Chillingworth told the Newcastle Herald.

"I was bowling offies at the start of this season and didn't plan on bowling any leg-spin. So to come out here and bowl the way I did, probably the most proud of myself."

Chillingworth, who has represented both Newcastle and NSW Country previously, was also recognised as the best performer in the Magpies' T20 Summer Bash success a fortnight ago.

He described an "unbelievable" feeling of club culture currently at Charlestown, who on Sunday held aloft the Eric P Barbour Shield for the 13^th time and first since 2005-2006.

City captain Callan Fowler expressed disappointment in the weekend's result but was pleased with the progress being made by his young side, who fielded eight players aged 23 or under.

"We've been working hard for a couple of years and we keep getting better and better. Semi-final last year, grand final this year, maybe we can go again next year and get the chocolates," Fowler said during the post-match presentation.

City were also crowned club champions for the first time since 2010-11.

Meanwhile, in the lower grades Waratah-Mayfield (second), Charlestown (third) and Merewether (fourth, development league) all tasted grand-final success over the weekend.

In the Suburban District ranks it was Warners Bay (division one), Maryland-Fletcher (divisions two, three), Kotara (division four), Waratah-Mayfield (division five), Port Stephens (division six) and Valentine-Eleebana (division seven) who claimed major titles for 2023-2024.

NDCA TEAM OF YEAR: Oli Carter, Jacob Montgomery, Nathan Price, Simon Norvill, AJ Isherwood, Thomas Thorpe, Joseph Everett, Griffin Lea, Jacob Page, Callan Fowler, Jake Hainsworth (presented by Newcastle zone selectors).