Touch Football Australia brings you the first edition of “A Set of Six" for 2008 with this week's rapid-fire news 'plays' from around Australia.
TFA's National Media Coordinator Karley Banks brings you up to date every week with a selection of six 'plays' on the latest news, views, and events nationally.
Welcome to Touch Football Australia's "A Set of Six" – Volume One for 2008.
NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT)
Play # 1
Darwin Touch Competition to recommence
The Darwin Touch Competition commences this week with all teams re-entering sides in the Men’s and Women’s division one competitions.
Team numbers have increased from 108 teams to 110 for the 2008 season.
Last year’s grand finalists in the Men’s Division One competition sees Dream Team and Crocs face off in the first round which should provide some entertaining touch with Crocs out to prove there grand final victory over Dream Team was not a one off.
In other games, Bundy Bears and Palmerston Bulls will meet in a headline clash, with Bundy Bears recruiting well for the new season.
Bottom of the ladder last season Honkers and TCU Incredibles play the late game, with both teams eager to make an impression in 2008.
In the Women’s Division One competition, Scorpions will take on Crocs.
Crocs have recruited well this season so a close and exciting clash is on the cards.
In other games, new team Legless Emu’s play will confront Palmerston Bulls whilst last year’s late season improvers Divas take on All About Us.
Other Events: The Darwin Junior Competition commences on the 20 February 2008.
The Northern Territory website: www.touchnt.com.au
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (WA)
Play # 2
Be Active Junior League
TouchWest launched its newly formed Junior League on Saturday, 2 February 2008 at UWA Sports Park.
The competition has been formed to assist in the player pathway from AusTouch and schools into affiliate and representative teams.
Teams from Perth Brothers, Joondalup, Tompkins Park, Southern Stars, Northern Spirit and Fremantle competed in 12 Years Mixed, 15 Years Girls, and 15 Years Boys divisions.
TouchWest’s Operations Manager Angela Doyle was impressed with the standard on display in the first round of fixtures and the opportunities the junior competition will provide not only for players but also for junior referees and coaches.
Junior League will run for seven weeks with the culmination being the Junior State Championships in early April that hopefully will see a record amount of teams entered in the showcase Junior event.
Other Events: The WA Referee Panel conducted its annual workshop on the weekend of 2 and 3 February 2008.
The workshop attracted referees from Levels 1 to 6 from all over Western Australia, including regional centres of Kalgoorlie and Karratha. The workshop was a weekend to motivate and prepare referees with the WA State Championships and the X-Blades National Touch League just around the corner.
The camp had a variety of fun and fulfilling activities. The skit night on Saturday was a highlight with a team including WA Referee Panel members Steve Williams and Henry Dos Santos putting on a great Spice Girls routine.
Word is the boys are taking their act on the road shortly.
The TouchWest website: www.touchwest.com
SOUTH AUSTRALIA (SA)
Play # 3
Barossa Come ‘n’ Try evening to boost numbers
The Barossa Touch Association will be running Come ‘n’ try Touch for Juniors (8 – 14 years) throughout February as part of the Family Friendly February program.
The ‘Come n Try’ initiative is a response to the ever-growing number of families attending the Affiliate nights run on Monday evenings at the Tanunda Oval. There will be two 45-minute sessions run per night and used to encourage junior growth within the already vibrant and growing association. The first session will be run from 6pm and the second will begin at 7pm.
For more information contact Touch Football South Australia on 08 8306 7500.
Other Events: With school returning this week the Touch Football SA School Programs kick off with some fresh and exciting innovations for the year. For more information on Clinics, Competitions and Tournaments, visit the Juniors section of the Touch Football South Australia website.
The Touch Football South Australia website: www.touchsa.com.au
QUEENSLAND (QLD)
Play # 4
Origin Squads crank up preparations
The Queensland Touch Association conducted the second of three compulsory camps for Queensland State of Origin 20 Years and Senior Division squads on the weekend 2-3 February 2008 at venues in Toowoomba, Townsville, and the Redlands Touch Complex.
Squad members were put through their paces by their respective coaches in fitness, skill, and game play modes with performances at the camp playing a vital role in the collation of coaching and selection information in the lead-up to final team selections to be conducted post National Touch League in March.
Despite inclement weather on Sunday, squad members, who had travelled from all over the State to attend the camps, worked extremely hard and have further consolidated their preparations for this year’s Origin series.
QTA teams will be selected across 13 divisions with the series against archrivals New South Wales to be conducted on 23-24 August 2008 and hosted at the home of NSW Touch at Tempe.
The Queensland Women’s Open Origin Squad participated in an unofficial camp on the weekend as well with all members of the 23-strong squad present at the Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association venue.
Fitness testing, skill development, game play sessions, as well as a skirmish team building exercise and a squad dinner were a part of a busy two day camp designed to assist all squad members with their NTL preparations and quest for Origin selection.
Other Events: The Sunshine Coast Touch Association conducted a Planning day for all affiliates to prioritize and plot events and service objectives and outcomes for the upcoming twelve months.
Sunshine Coast Administrator Gary Madders and Game Development Officer Amber Gilchrist were on hand to drive the concept which was well received by the Sunshine Coast affiliates.
The Queensland Touch Association website: www.qldtouch.com.au
TASMANIA (TAS)
Play # 5
Southern prevail in the 2008 Touch Football Tasmania State Cup
Prospect Park in Launceston played host to the Touch Football Tasmania State Cup on Saturday 2 February 2008.
The new look tournament was organised along the “North” versus the “South” of the State guidelines and was a great success
In particular thanks to the host region Launceston Touch Association and all of their hard working volunteers.
Tournament Referee Director, Ron Robinson and all of the playing and non-playing referees did an outstanding job to make the event a great success.
Country Club Tasmania, Route 66, and Grasscutters Touch Club provided various playing and technical awards across numerous divisions for the event and Touch Football Tasmania thank them for their generous support.
Results from the 2008 TF Tasmania State Cup:
Men’s Open
Southern Touch dft North 2-1
Game 1 (8-6) Game 2 (6-4) Game 3 (3-5)
Country Club Tasmania Player of the Series – Ben Langford (Southern)
Women’s Open
Southern Touch dft North 3-0
Game 1 (7-1) Game 2 (4-1) Game 3 (6-2)
Country Club Tasmania Player of the Series – Emma Haines (Southern)
Mixed Open
Southern Touch dft North 3-0
Game 1 (5-1) Game 2 (10-3) Game 3 (7-1)
Country Club Tasmania Player of the Series – Matthew Phillips (Southern)
Men’s 30’s
Southern Touch dft North 2-1
Game 1 (1-2) Game 2 (3-2) Game 3 (4-1)
Country Club Tasmania Player of the Series – Chris Cusick (Southern) & Stephen Tomlin (North)
Women’s 30’s
Southern Touch lost to North 0-3
Game 1 (3-6) Game 2 (2-3) Game 3 (3-4)
Country Club Tasmania Player of the Series – Coleen Elliott (North)
Men’s 18’s
Southern Touch dft North 3-0
Game 1 (10-3) Game 2 (4-2) Game 3 (5-4)
Route 66 Player of the Series – Jeremy Edwards (Southern)
Women’s 18’s
Southern Touch lost to North 1-2
Game 1 (2-4) Game 2 (6-5) Game 3 (5-0)
Route 66 Player of the Series - Amy Bradford (North)
Referee of the Tournament – Col Thompson (Southern)
Coach of the Tournament – Toby Burgess (Southern Women’s Open)
VICTORIA (VIC)
Play # 6
Affiliates Cup Nominations Open
The Touch Football Victoria Affiliates Cup 2008 will be held on Sunday 24th February at Elwood Park, Elwood in Women’s and Men’s divisions in Opens, Under 20's, and Seniors (over 30's) categories.
Each affiliate competing is to supply at least one badged, non-playing referee.
Nomination forms and conditions of entry can be obtained by visiting the Touch Football Victoria website.
Other Events: The Annual Sale Knockout will be held at Sale’s Stephenson’s Park on 5-6 April 2008.There will be prize money in all three divisions of Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed.
The Men’s and Women’s competition will be conducted on the Saturday and the Mixed on the Sunday.
For more information please contact Laurie Smith on email: ljsmyth@vic.australis.com.au or telephone: 03 51442109.
The Touch Football Victoria website: www.victouch.com.au
That’s it for this week’s edition of “a Set of Six”.
Please be sure to check out each State’s website for all the latest information, news, and views in Touch Football from around the nation.
