Three massive days of Touch Football concluded Sunday, with affiliate teams seizing their opportunity with the new format, winning six national titles at The Championships, presented by Inferno.
The Hunter Western Hornets are the new champions of the Men’s Open A division after a dominant 7-3 victory over the South West Queensland Swans. Despite the rain as the teams ran onto the field, the Hornets maintained a strong and fast performance on their unbeaten charge to the trophy and redemption following recent heartbreaking finals losses. The University of Queensland (UQ) Rebels created history with the first affiliate victory in the Women’s Open A division, scoring a thrilling 6-5 win over the Sydney Scorpions in Bristol Paint extra-time, after a last-minute try from the Scorpions in regulation tied it up. Remarkably, the victory saw the Rebels girls claim a rare treble, being Metro Cup, Queensland State Cup, and now National Champions in the same season. In the Mixed Open A division, Southern Rebels won comfortably with a 9-4 victory over the Brisbane Cobras, to continue a long and storied Mixed Open history.
The South Queensland Sharks continued their strong form at nationals, claiming back-to-back titles in the Men’s 40s and 50s divisions – but fell just short in the Men’s 20s to the Sydney Mets in a grand final rematch from 2023. South of the border, the Sydney Scorpions stamped their legacy at The Championships by going four on the trot in the Men’s 55s, as well as achieving a three-peat in the Senior Mixed division against the Southern Rebels. It was also a tight affair in the Women’s 40s, with the Brisbane Cobras claiming victory over the Hunter Western Hornets in a rematch of last year’s grand final with a close 3-2 win.
The Sydney Scorpions also claimed the overall champion entity at the event after being represented in eight finals, including the All-Abilities Tier 1 – claiming victory in four.
The largest ever contingent of referees saw David Baggio receive the leading male referee award alongside Amanda Sheeky as the leading female referee. Baggio was also awarded the prestigious Rick Borg Medallist as the referee of the tournament.
Full results and final standings are listed below.
Men’s Open A – Mark Boland Shield
Hunter Western Hornets 7 defeated Southwest Queensland Swans 3
Player of the Final
Jack Edwards – Hunter Western Hornets
Terry Jacks Player of the Series
Jack Edwards – Hunter Western Hornets
Final Placings
- Hunter Western Hornets
- South West Queensland Swans
- Central Queensland Bulls
- Sydney Mets
- Sydney Scorpions
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- UQ Rebels
- Townsville Saints
- Southern Rebels
- Japan Touch
- Victoria Storm
Men’s Open B
Singapore Touch 8 defeated Western Tigers 6
Player of the Final
Brian Wong – Singapore Touch
Final Placings
- Singapore Touch
- Western Tigers
Women’s Open A – Angela Barr Shield
UQ Rebels 6 defeated Sydney Scorpions 5
Player of the Final
Mackenzie Davis – Sydney Scorpions
Karen Smith Player of the Series
Rebecca Mi Mi – UQ Rebels
Final Placings
- UQ Rebels
- Sydney Scorpions
- Northern Beaches Renegades
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- South West Queensland Swans
- BMTA Mustangs
- Japan Touch
- Southern Rebels
- Hunter Western Hornets
- ACT Raiders
- Victoria Storm
Women’s Open B
Moorabbin Lions 8 defeated Western Tigers 1
Player of the Final
Alice Robinson – Moorabbin Lions
Final Placings
- Moorabbin Lions
- Western Tigers
Mixed Open A – Tony Eltakchi Shield
Southern Rebels 9 defeated Brisbane Cobras 4
Players of the Final
Zach Bouzounis and Brittany Rudd – Southern Rebels
Final Placings
- Southern Rebels
- Brisbane Cobras
- Sydney Scorpions A
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Sydney Mets
- Northern Eagles
- South Queensland Sharks
- Coolum Blue Fins
- Hills Hornets
- UQ Rebels
- Sydney Scorpions B
- South West Queensland Swans
- BMTA Mustangs
- Japan Touch
Mixed Open B
Coolum Blue Fins 7 defeated Western Tigers 2
Players of the Final
Max Moore and Jasmine Smart – Coolum Blue Fins
Final Placings
- Coolum Blue Fins
- Western Tigers
- South Australia Heat
- UQ Rebels
Men’s 20s
Sydney Mets 9 defeated South Queensland Sharks 7
Player of the Final
Haratio Edwards – Sydney Mets
Final Placings
- Sydney Mets
- South Queensland Sharks
- Brisbane Cobras A
- Hunter Western Hornets A
- West South West Suns
- Hunter Western Hornets B
- Central Queensland Bulls
- Southern Rebels
- Sydney Scorpions
- Brisbane Cobras B
- Victoria Storm
- ACT Raiders
- Western Tigers
Women’s 20s
UQ Rebels 7 defeated South West Queensland Swans 3
Player of the Final
Natalia Hickling – UQ Rebels
Final Placings
- UQ Rebels
- South West Queensland Swans
- Central Queensland Bulls
- West South West Suns
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Scorpions
- Sydney Mets
- BMTA Mustangs
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- Townsville Saints
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Victoria Storm
- Southern Rebels
- Western Tigers
Women’s 27s
BMTA Mustangs 7 defeated Western Tigers 5
Player of the Final
Marlie Phillips – BMTA Mustangs
Final Placings
- BMTA Mustangs
- Western Tigers
- Southern Rebels
- Defence Warriors
Men’s 30s
Brisbane Cobras 10 defeated Sydney Scorpions 8
Player of the Final
Hanare Wells – Brisbane Cobras
Final Placings
- Brisbane Cobras
- Sydney Scorpions
- UQ Rebels
- Central Queensland Bulls
- South Queensland Sharks
Senior Mixed
Sydney Scorpions 10 defeated Southern Rebels 5
Players of the Final
Willie Bishop and Tara Boland – Sydney Scorpions
Final Placings
- Sydney Scorpions
- Southern Rebels
- Hunter Western Hornets
- South Queensland Sharks
- Coolum Blue Fins
- Central Queensland Bulls
Men’s 40s
South Queensland Sharks 5 defeated Sydney Scorpions 4
Player of the Final
Aaron Jones – South Queensland Sharks
Final Placings
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Scorpions
- Brisbane Cobras
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Southern Rebels
- Northern Eagles
Women’s 40s
Brisbane Cobras 3 defeated Hunter Western Hornets 2
Player of the Final
Kelly Kennedy – Brisbane Cobras
Final Placings
- Brisbane Cobras
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Northern Eagles
Masters Mixed
Northern Eagles 7 defeated South Queensland Sharks 2
Players of the Final
Wayne Gleeson and Amanda Butler – Northern Eagles
Final Placings
- Northern Eagles
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Scorpions
- Defence Warriors
- Tamworth Titans
- Brisbane Cobras
- West South West Suns
- Western Tigers
- Victoria Storm
Men’s 45s
Arana Touch 7 defeated Central Queensland Bulls 6
Player of the Final
Matthew Bowe – Arana Touch
Final Placings
- Arana Touch
- Central Queensland Bulls
- West South West Suns
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Mets
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Victoria Storm
- Brisbane Cobras
Women’s 45s
ACT Raiders 5 defeated Hunter Western Hornets 0
Player of the Final
Relle Donovan – ACT Raiders
Final Placings
- ACT Raiders
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Sydney Scorpions
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- Brisbane Cobras
- Victoria Storm
Men’s 50s
South Queensland Sharks 7 defeated Sydney Mets 6
Player of the Final
Cameron Foster – South Queensland Sharks
Final Placings
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Mets
- Sydney Scorpions
- Brisbane Cobras
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Victoria Storm
- Northern Eagles
- Southern Rebels
- North Queensland Cyclones
Women’s 50s
South West Queensland Swans 5 defeated Brisbane Cobras 3
Player of the Final
Giselle Martin – South West Queensland Swans
Final Placings
- South West Queensland Swans
- Brisbane Cobras
- Sydney Scorpions
- ACT Raiders
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Northern Eagles
Men’s 55s
Sydney Scorpions 3 defeated North Queensland Cyclones 2
Player of the Final
Derek Duguid – Sydney Scorpions
Final Placings
- Sydney Scorpions
- North Queensland Cyclones
- ACT Raiders
- Brisbane Cobras
- Hunter Western Hornets
- South Queensland Sharks
- Victoria Storm
Men’s 60s
South Queensland Sharks 4 defeated Sydney Scorpions 2
Player of the Final
Steve Womersley – South Queensland Sharks
Final Placings
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Scorpions
- Brisbane Cobras
- Western Tigers
Men’s 65s
Sydney Scorpions 4 defeated West South West Suns 0
Player of the Final
Garry Simmons – Sydney Scorpions
Final Placings
- Sydney Scorpions
- West South West Suns
- Brisbane Cobras
- North Queensland Cyclones
- Ballina Bullsharks
All Abilities Tier 1
Sydney Scorpions 5 defeated Brisbane Cobras 3
Player of the Final
Dion Kalogiros – Sydney Scorpions
Final Placings
- Sydney Scorpions
- Brisbane Cobras
All Abilities Tier 2
South West Queensland Swans A 3 defeated Southern Rebels 1
Player of the Final
Ben Glasby – South West Queensland Swans A
Final Placings
- South West Queensland Swans A
- Southern Rebels
- Northern Eagles A
- ACT Raiders B
- South Queensland Sharks B
- Northern Eagles B
- ACT Raiders A
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Sydney Scorpions
- Brisbane Cobras
- South Queensland Sharks A
- South West Queensland Swans B
Champion Entity
Sydney Scorpions
REFEREE AWARDS
Referee of the Tournament – Rick Borg Medallist
David Baggio
Leading Male Referee
David Baggio
Leading Female Referee
Amanda Sheeky
Leading Senior Male Referee
Steve Pike
Leading Senior Female Referee
Linda Buchanan
Referee Referees Award
Fiona Quinn
Referee Team Awards
Team 1 – Adrian Baxter
Team 2 – Wayne Lo
Team 3 – Cooper Jones
Team 4 – Tua Kiri-Marie Makowharemahihi
Team 5 – Angela Budai
Team 6 – Tung Yi Kim
Team 7 – Abigail Muller
Team 8 – Charity Elford
Team 9 – Zoe Cornish
Team 10 – Mio Shimma
Team 11 – Brock Howard
Team 12 – Mahonri Moana
Team 13 – Fuk Hei (Pinky) Chong
Team 14 – Paul Khoudair
Team 15 – Lloyd Edwards
Team 16 – Brendon Wilson
Referee Upgrades
Open Level 6
Lachlan Carey
Zoe Cornish
Blake Cooper
Savannah Draper
Liam Eden
Louise Fernance
Jacob Gregg
Aleksandr Hampton
Cooper Jones
Darcey Lawrence
Timothy McErlane
Sam Priestley
Kodey Prendergast
Benjamin Rogers
Bailey Sloman
Alec Williams
Senior Level 6
James Anderson
Rebecca Buzacott
Adrian Baxter
Jeffrey Gilewski
Graham Goodwin
Phil Horwell
Ben Horner
Deborah Mortimer
Christopher Short
Graham Walters
Open Level 5
Pierre Abiwahab
Jake Bogue
Matthew Bowman
Thomas Donehue
Tua Kiri-Marie Makowharemahihi
Abigail Muller
Darren Quinlan
Senior Level 5
Justin Brydon
Amanda Crowley
Charmaine Harrison
Simon Jeary
Wayne Lo
Tua Marsters
Albie Viel
GRAND FINAL REFEREE APPOINTMENTS
Men’s Open A
David Baggio
Tony Calabria
Kim Skelly
Men’s Open B
Riley Wotton
Mason Colewell
William Shatz
Women’s Open A
Zac Genrich
Jordan Randle
Amanda Sheeky
Women’s Open B
Charlise Falconer
Ben Harris
Levi Yeaman
Mixed Open A
Matt Lavery
Campbell Muir
Zoe Genrich
Mixed Open B
Connor Lane
Josh Vernon
Matt Cooper
Men’s 20s
Charlie Cheesley
Lachlan Freshwater
John Hamstra
Women’s 20s
Brett Freshwater
Michael Littlefield
Anthony Smith
Women’s 27s
Bree Lo Grande
Alannah Sinclair
Chelsey Wilks
Men’s 30s
Brandon Sanderson
Caleb Walz
Daniel Kustec
Senior Mixed
Rob McKay
Nicole West
Bayley Aziz
Men’s 40s
Stephen Pike
Justin Parsons
John Clark
Women’s 40s
Amanda Draper
Jillian McRoberts
Fiona Quinn
Masters Mixed
John Frost
Michael Landsberg
Linda Buchanan
Men’s 45s
Simon Croft
Greg Oaten
Scott Marsh
Women’s 45s
Beth Monk
Shobna Moore
Michael Genrich
Men’s 50s
Phil Balcombe
Craig Carmondy
Mike Ellis
Women’s 50s
Steve Pratt
Doug Mackie
Linda Scott
Men’s 55s
Aaron McRoberts
Peter Cramp
Chris Reynolds
Men’s 60s
Victor Baptista
Michael Halling
Marcus Muller
Men’s 65s
Paul Tesoreiro
Barry Nichols
Jason Whitney
All Abilities Tier 1
Campbell Muir
Lynda Scott
John Frost
All Abilities Tier 2
Ashton Sykes
Simon Croft
David Lowth