SUSSEX Inlet mates Wombat and Sticks have finished last in The Block 2107 guest bedroom week, despite scoring a massive 26.5 out of 30.
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The local lads, who are quickly building up a cult following on Nine’s ratings juggernaut, despite producing a stunning room, complete with en suite and walk-in wardrobe, finished last in one of the highest ever scoring weeks in the show’s history.
They were just three and a half points from an overall perfect room.
But after finishing second the previous week in bathroom week, they will wear the last-place pink tutu, during this week’s reveal episode.
In an amazing week of competition, described as the haves and the have nots, referring to teams who produced not only the guest bedroom but en suite and walk-in wardrobes, the win was taken by Ronnie and Georgia on 28 from Josh and Elyse on 27.5, fiollowed by Jason and Sarah on 27, Hannah and Clint also on 27 and Wombat and Sticks on 26.5.
Wombat has been a massive surprise on the styling front and while finishing the guest bedroom demanded perfection, leaning out the window midway through to jokingly declare “I need silence when I’m styling”.
Even he seemed rather startled by his newfound passion for multiple bed cushions, 1000-thread count sheets and Egyptian cotton.
Hoping their decision to create an extra bathroom space would be “a game-changer”, it wasn’t to be.
Despite the set back the pair are quickly becoming among the most popular contestants in the show’s history.
In an interesting week of competition, why create just one room when you can create two or three to impress the judges?
It was a plan that sounds good – in theory. But it did not pay off as the contestants who added an en suite and walk-in wardrobe to their guest bedrooms were left off the top of the leaderboard.
Ronnie and Georgia’s “stylish but simple bedroom” came up trumps, even though they had not added an extra bathroom for guests.
“This week it was a case of the haves and the have nots – those with en suites and those without,” said Scotty Cam.
It created a not-so-suite situation for the judges, who were left agonising over their final decision because of the disparities in design.
“What are we going to do?” asked Neale Whitaker at one point in the discussions.
Eventually, they decided an extra room should not necessarily mean extra points.
“They didn’t have to produce an en suite, so they don’t get marked down for not doing an en suite,” said Shaynna Blaze, of Ronnie and Georgia’s design.
The winning guest bedroom was … simply a guest bedroom.
Ronnie said the room’s design had been inspired by an abandoned light fitting from Sticks and Wombat’s home, which inspired a colour palette of blush pink and grey, with dark timber floorboards. (Incidentally, the old light fitting ended up as a desk ornament and the judges loved it).
The final result created rumblings among the contestants who had spent the week mixing tiling and toilets with their own plush bedroom designs.
“The winner was not judged correctly in my opinion,” said an unhappy Josh, who with his partner Elyse had been named runner-up by half a point. (Just in case Josh needs reminding, it is a view often shared by those in second place).
It probably didn’t help that Ronnie and Georgia, who have previously renovated 10 houses together, had finished in enough time to go on a date to the cinema.
They even texted Josh and Elyse a selfie to prove it.
“Who has time to go to the movies when you’re renovating a room?” said Elyse.
Clearly, in this series, confidence is everything, as Ronnie and Georgie still emerged victorious.
“It is one of the closest scores in Block history,” Scotty Cam said of the final results.
But he noted among this year’s contestants there appeared to be a trend of “keeping up with the Jones'” which meant they were adding extra features simply because others were. (It will be interesting, however, to see how those decisions pan out financially when the houses are actually sold).
Aside from Ronnie and Georgia, Hannah and Clint were the other couple not to include an en suite.
They had decided to proceed with simplicity after a disastrous bathroom week, where they had over-committed and under-delivered.
“They’re focusing on sticking to the brief this week,” Scotty Cam said.
Everything went to plan for the Queensland pair until a few minutes before finishing time, when an air-conditioning vent fell to the floor.
Somehow, with Clint clambering up a ladder into the roof and Hannah assisting in the room below, they managed a quick fix.
They were just stoked about finishing a room for the first time.
Sarah and Jason had unwelcome news early-on after being told their chosen wallpaper would not be delivered in time for the room reveal, so they had to find a replacement within 24 hours to match the paint colour already chosen. (In the end, the banksia wallpaper Sarah found was better than the beetle pattern she had wanted initially, anyway).
“Oooh, I could sleep here,” said Darren Palmer of their final room.
“It is very boutique hotel”.
The judges were so enamoured, it was only the unfinished paintwork which kept Sarah and Jason away from the top prize.
The final scores for guest bedrooms were Ronnie and Georgia on 28, Josh and Elyse on 27.5, Jason and Sarah on 27, Hannah and Clint also on 27 and Wombat and Sticks on 26.5.
Sticks and Wombat have built up a large local following and have been seen at various local locations and featured on local social media.
Sticks even took to the local hockey field for Berry Blacks and was part of a big win, captured airborne in one of his goal scoring attempts.
Once off the field he was also mobbed by locals fans keen for a photo much to the amusement of his team mates.