Omar and Oz win The Block 2022

After a drama-filled auction, that left one team millionaires and others with nothing, Oz and Omar are crowned The Block Kings.

I guess that makes Omar and Oz not just the bathroom kings but The Block kings for 2022.

They were the Bathroom Kings, the boys from Sydney’s western suburbs who never gave up and after a sensational auction where two millionaires faced off, Oz and Omar are now the winners of The Block 2022.

Going first in the auction order, the boys’ House 5 set off a bidding war between entrepreneur Danny Wallis and property investor Adrian Portelli, with each determined to snare the luxe four-bedroom home and 10-acre property.

Neither was willing to give an inch, with the banter flying as they quickly outbid each other and pushed the price well beyond expectations, but in the end it was Danny who triumphed, with House 5 sold for a record-breaking $5,666,666.66.

At $1,586,666.66 above their reserve price, that is the largest amount any contestants have made over a reserve in 18 seasons of The Block. Add in the $100,000 prize money and it means they take home $1,686,666.66.

It was a staggering win for the boys, who were – in a very rare moment for them – lost for words until the reality of what had just happened sank it.

“We were speechless,” Oz, 31, said.

“It didn't really sink in for a while after the announcement, there was just a mix of emotions but we were mostly just happy and glad that our families were with us to make it feel like it was really happening!”

“It was pretty freaky!” Omar, 30, adds. “When the numbers kept going up, we were like far out, what is going on!

“We always hoped we’d do well from the moment we came on the show, but to actually win? That is awesome. What a feeling!”

“It was pretty freaky!” Omar, 30, adds. “When the numbers kept going up, we were like far out, what is going on!

It was building maintenance manager Oz who talked his best mate rugby player Omar into joining him on The Block, the pair revealed, with Omar now very glad he agreed.

“I’m absolutely glad I did, because this is the best result ever on The Block and just knowing that we did that together when a lot of others didn’t believe in us is actually very, very special!”

The win will help both families, the pair said, but they’re also hoping it sends a positive message to every Block fan, that no matter how tough things get, there’s always a way forward if you keep trying.

“We did it for ourselves and we did it for our families, but most importantly we also did it for all the people out there who are struggling in their lives,” Oz said.

“We want to show them that no matter what comes your way, no matter what doors are shut in front of you, just keep pushing.

“That's how it was with me and Omar, when things happened I would look at him and say: ‘What's next?’, and he would look at me and say “Yes, what’s next?’ and we would find a way.

“And we did! We won The Block! We were the bathroom kings and now we’re The Block kings!

Scott Cam and Block winners Omar and Oz.

But with their high came crushing lows for other couples, with Tom and Sarah-Jane’s House 1, selling for only $4,100,000.99 (again to Danny Wallis), just $20,000.99 above their $4.08 million reserve price to make the lowest profit on The Block since Series 9 Glasshouse in 2014.

Tom and Sarah-Jane’s House 1, selling for only $4,100,000.99 (again to Danny Wallis), just $20,000.99 above their $4.08 million reserve price to make the lowest profit on The Block since Series 9 Glasshouse in 2014.

Houses 2, 3 and 4 were all passed in, with House 2 later selling for $4,249,999.50 in a post-auction negotiation (also with Danny) getting them $169,000.50 over their $4.08 million reserve price.

Two couples, Ankur and Sharon, and Dylan and Jenny, failed to sell their homes at auction or – as of the end of the season’s finale broadcast – at all, so far.

Both properties were passed in when they failed to attract a bidder over their $4.08 million reserve price, also both attracting a highest bid of $4,075,000.

It’s the first time a Block property has failed to sell at auction since Series 4 in 2011, when the houses created by Josh and Jenna, and Rod and Tania, in Cameron Street, Richmond (Vic) were passed in. 

Even though they managed to secure a sale post-auction, it wasn’t quite the Block dream Rachel and Ryan had hoped for, the Sydney parents admit, but both are still very happy they were able to join competition late after Sydney influencer couple Joel and Elle quit in the first week and are hopeful the other houses will sell soon.

“We're feeling very grateful to be one of the houses that sold and grateful to have made the money that we did because we know that it definitely could have been a different outcome,” Rachel said.

“I have no doubt that the other houses are going to sell, they are beautiful, beautiful homes and with the price point that they are at and with things like the depreciation schedules we heard so much about during the auctions, somebody is going to buy them and it's going to make Dylan and Jenny and Ankur and Sharon some money.”

The roller coaster of auction day was not ideal, she said, but all contestants knew it was a possibility that one or more of the houses could be passed in.

“Anything can happen and we all knew that,” she said.

“We knew the risks that we were going into auction with, but that’s the game… that’s The Block! What a ride!”

“Anything can happen and we all knew that,” Rachel said.

This season of The Block was the biggest ever undertaken, with the couples each spending 12 weeks building 500-square metre homesteads complete with tennis courts, pools and wineries on 10 acres of land in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges. 

It was an enormous task, with the finale “a bittersweet day” according to host Scott Cam.

“We had one incredible high and some crushing lows for our Blockheads, who all worked the hardest I’ve ever seen to deliver these houses.

“We had one incredible high and some crushing lows for our Blockheads, who all worked the hardest I’ve ever seen to deliver these houses." Scott Cam said.

“As we’ve seen many times before, we’ll continue to negotiate with interested buyers to sell these homes, which are still on the market. I’m gunning for a positive result.”

Speaking about the shock results, The Block co-creator and Executive Producer, Julian Cress, said he felt something had “spooked the market” leading to the shock results.

 “We’re in a very volatile real estate market and we’ve seen large and unexpected interest rate increases, including one just this week,” he said.

“While we had many registered bidders, clearly something has spooked the market. But we believe the properties are of incredible value and we think they will find new owners very soon, to deliver a well-deserved reward for our contestants’ hard work.”

That reward came from Melbourne philanthropist and Block favourite Danny Wallis who bought all three homes sold on auction day.

 “I probably spent too much at the first auction, but was surprised to pick up two more homes at what I feel was a bargain price, so I guess it all evened out in the end for me at least,” Danny said.

Julian Cress with host's Scott Cam, Shelley Craft and the contestants from the 2022 season.

Take a look at the highlights from auction day here.

For a full recap head over to The Block 2022 here.