Touch Football SA League Finals took place on Sunday 4th of December at Adelaide University Graduates Oval which saw the following games take place. well done to all players, coaches and permits for making the final and congratulations to the winning teams.
Mixed Open
Eastern Stingrays 6 Def Central Scorpions 5
Women's Open
South West Wolves 3 Def Eastern Stingrays 2 (drop off)
Men's Open
Eastern Stingrays 11 def Central Scorpions 9
Finals Day Write up
The South West Wolves have overcome an extensive drought to become TFSA League Women’s champion in a tightly fought final at the Adelaide University Graduates Oval on Sunday. Leading 2-0 at half time it took a supreme defensive effort from the Wolves to eventually take the match in a drop off.
While the Wolves were celebrating a rare premiership victory in the Women’s the overall day belonged to the Eastern Stingrays. The Stingrays were represented in all three of the day’s grand finals, taking out the Men’s and Mixed championships as well as the overall award for champion franchise. The Stingrays success has come on the back of strong recruiting through their affiliate, Adelaide University. Nearly all of the victorious mixed team started their touch playing for University social teams within the last four to five seasons.
The grand finals began with the Mixed game between the Eastern Stingrays and the Central Scorpions. The Stingrays had been unbeaten all season but were taken to the wire by the Scorpions in a hectic, highly skilled contest.
It was already 31 degrees when the game began at 9:30am, but this did not stop a frenetic opening with six trys being scored in the first eight minutes of the game.
The Scorpions had a chance to open the scoring the in first minute only a dropped ball on the wing stopping the Stingrays from conceding. The Stingrays made the most of the reprieve, dragging the ball across to their sub box side before a series of passes back to the left was too much for the Scorpions defence, Kasey Heang finding a big hole on the far side wing.
Now, it was a Stingrays error that proved costly. A drop ball coming out of defence provided the Scorpions with an extra set on their attacking score line and Will Bereny made the most of the opportunity to tie the game up at 1-1.
Strong rucking games from both sides allowed neither defence to settle and the game went for score for score to be 3-3 after just seven minutes.
While the Stingrays missed an opportunity when a Kieran Ong half run failed to find an open team mate it was the Scorpions who scored next. Trying a midfield wrap in an attempt get in behind a shooting Scorpions defensive line, the call from Rick Wilkinson came too late and Khyle Raye-Arbon’s well timed run lead to a half field intercept try and the Scorpions were in front for the first time.
After this, the Stingrays playmakers Tim Phillips and Wilkinson came to the fore, combining to level the scores back up.
The match slowed down as the heat started to take its toll, and line attack became from both teams became slower and more deliberate after the frantic opening portion to the game.
The Scorpions started to take control of the play as the half neared its conclusion Torran Clarke, producing two half runs, one which lead to the score which provided the Scorps with the lead, while an excellent touch on the wing by Emily Bennet was the only reason the Stingrays were able to head into the break just one behind.
After nine trys in the first 20 minutes it looked like the game was set for another high scoring half. But after Wilkinson went over to even the ledger after two minutes, the scoring slowed. The major moment of the half was when Adam Bethell was able to step past his link and use his speed to score, putting the Stingrays back in the lead for the first time in eight minutes.
With 14 minutes still to go the nature of the game changed as the Scorpions became more and more desperate to find an equaliser.
The Stingrays were desperate in defence and neither side were creating the scoring opportunities. With two minutes remaining repeat line attack sets allowed the Stingrays to take time out of the game and despite the Scorpions gaining possession with 45 seconds left, they were not able to summon a match saving try.
It an outstanding defensive effort the Stingrays held their opponents scoreless the entire second half as they come from being winless two years ago to undefeated champions.
After the try fest in the first game of the day, the Women’s final was a dour low scoring contest, as has been common in the Women’s game this season.
It started brightly for the Wolves with Mim Potter, already with 10 trys this season, opened the scoring in the second minute. The Wolves had two more opportunities including a dropped ball on the score line to add to their lead, but overall, it was a game dominated by the defence of each team.
The Stingrays had their best opportunity in the 16th minute when a string of passes found Katie McMahon on the wing, only denied an equaliser by a diving save.
Eventually it was the Wolves who broke through on the stroke of half time. A well midfield touch allowing a run through and easy score to Audrey Jones and a 2-0 half time lead to the Wolves.
The Stingrays overcame this set back to score straight away in the second period and dominated possession and field position throughout the period without being able to breech the gap. The breakthrough finally came with five minutes remaining, when a 25-meter-long ball found Benita Grimaldi in meters of space and the Stingrays managed to take the game into a drop off.
Starting extra time with possession, the Stingrays were unable to make the most of the advantage being stopped on the score line. Needing to ruck the entire field, the Wolves seemed to have lost their opportunity when the fourth touch came next to their sub box halfway line with no momentum in the rucking. But a series of passes was enough to find space on the opposite side of the field and Jones sprinted to the far edge of the field as the Wolves made something out of nowhere to be in the box seat.
With enough time for a final attacking set, the Stingrays found their way to score line, but a final play right on the siren was not enough, as the Wolves held on to capture a long-awaited premiership.
The cool change had arrived as the Men’s match got underway and the final game of the day was played in comfortable conditions. The Eastern Stingrays Men were looking for an elusive victory on Grand Final day after disappointments in recent seasons, but it was the Scorpions who scored first in the opening minutes. The Stingrays hit back straight away, with a bullet pass finding Darcy Bagshaw hitting a perfect link hole. The play kept up its frenetic pace, the score reaching 3-3 before 10 minutes.
The game continued to go score for score, Joel Nolan helping his side make the most of repeat sets on the line to even it up at 5-5 after 17 minutes, before Tim Glazebrook went over to ensure that the Stingrays lead at the break.
The teams kept matching each other in the second half, the Stingrays hitting back after an early Central Scorpion try only to see the Scorps go over for a second time.
The pivotal moment of the game came with seven minutes remaining. Player/coach Nick Litchfield combined with Glazebrook to score and when the Scops gave the ball up early in the next set, Andy Van Gilst was able to break through from half and find Litchfield for a score that gave his team a two try margin for the first time in the game.
The Scoprs hit straight back and moments later Kaleb Joppich hobbled off with injury, but despite being down to nine men, the Stingrays seemed to have more running than their opponents.
Against the momentum Toby Gabrisch found his way through from half and got the ball the Ben Biagi on the wing for his second of the half and third of the game.
Despite the game now being even it still felt as if the Stingrays were the more likely team. Cam Hancock found his way through a midfield gap and two sets later Litchfield picked out Bagshaw and the Stingrays were finally able to celebrate a grand final victory after two years of disappointment.
TFSA League Referee Awards
Touch Football and the Referee Panel would like to congratulate the following Referees on their appointments and awards.
Mixed Open Final Appointments: Jon Hall, Neale Burton, Craig Barnett
Women's Open Final Appointments: Indra Garner, David Harris, April Zimmerman
Men's Open Final Appointments: Damien Carlson, Anton Van Rensburg, Tom Ralph
Rising Referee Award: April Zimmermann
Referee Team Award: Jon Hall
Referee of the Series: Tess Leahy
Also well done to Amanda, Tess and Jordan on attending the NSW State cup.
TFSA League Player Awards
Kelly Lycett capped off an excellent session being named Women’s competition player of the season and the competitions top scorer. Darren Williams was the best men’s player in the Mixed league, his teammate Megan Elliott, taking out the women’s prize. Williams was also the highest scorer, while the highest female scorer was Stingrays Emily Clark. Ferghus Kernahan was the highest Men’s scorer and Men’s best player.
