Emus World Cup Preview: Men's Open

The Men’s Open division is stacked this year with incredible talent across the board. In 2024, Australia will be looking to earn an unprecedented tenth Gold Medal on the global stage with a team mixed with seasoned veterans and emerging young stars.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Men’s Open division.

 

Participating Teams

Pool A

• Australia
• England
• France
• Hong Kong
• Lebanon
• Oman
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Scotland
• United States

Pool B

• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• Philippines
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Tonga
• Wales

 

The Numbers That Matter

3 – Three of the nine Men’s Open Gold Medal matches have been decided by a single point. It wouldn’t surprise us one bit if the Men’s Open final is one of the best games of the tournament, going to extra time.

4 – Captain Dylan Hennessey is set to embark on his fourth World Cup campaign at Opens level. This puts him in elite company with Robert Brindell and Scott Notley, as only the third Australian to compete at four Men’s Open Touch World Cups – adding another accolade to an already decorated Touch Football resumé.

8 – Although the team remains fairly unchanged from the 2023 Opens Trans-Tasman (with Luke Cain the only debutant), eight members of the Australian Men’s Open side will be taking part in their first-ever Opens World Cup.

18 – In 2019, Jordan Marshall-King led the way for the Australian Men’s Open side with 18 tries. This included two games in which he scored four. Returning to the Australian side for the first time since Malaysia, expect to see Jordan in the thick of the action, and to add a few more tries to his tally. Side note, Jordan’s brother Benji Marshall, represented Australia at the 2003 Touch World Cup before his illustrious Rugby League career.

 

Athelite Australian Emus to Watch

Harry Griffin – Having previously flown under the radar, Harry Griffin has truly announced himself as one the best players in the world in recent years. With an adept ability to find the line, the Queenslanders’ timing, positioning, and playmaking are second to none. Harry plays the type of eyes-up football that is almost impossible to stop, with his decision-making world-class. The Rockhampton representative was also named Queensland Open Player of the Year in 2023, capping off an incredible year that also included winning the Terry Jacks Player of the Series (at 2023’s National Touch League). A big-game player, look to Harry Griffin to once again stand out on the big stage.

Dylan Hennessey – Undoubtedly a legend of the sport and frequently in GOAT conversations, Dylan Hennessey joins a prestigious group of players to have participated at four World Cups at the Opens level this July. Making it all look too easy, Dylan can change the tide of a game from a single play with his runs from dummy half, exceptional footwork, and passing range. Once again putting on the green and gold, Dylan will be competing at the World Cup for the first time as captain, with his calm presence and on-field actions acting as a source of inspiration for his teammates.

 

Toughest Match-Ups

New Zealand – The 2019 runners-up, there is little currently separating the Trans-Tasman rivals heading into England. The last time they met, Australia narrowly came away victorious in the 2023 Opens Trans-Tasman Test Series two games to one. In an intense three-game series, many will remember the unbelievable scenes that took place at the end of game two, in which Jack Edwards scored the winning try in an epic drop-off. The fast-paced and tough contest has gone down in Touch Football folklore. The last five meetings between the two powerhouses have been decided by an average of 1.4 points.  Expect another close encounter in the Gold Medal match this July.

Japan – The 2019 Bronze medallists will be looking to go one game further in 2024, with Japan showing great signs of improvement in recent years. Enduring a four-year hiatus predominately due to COVID-enforced disruptions, Japan participated in the 2023 Opens Trans-Tasman Test Series, gaining invaluable experience against Australia and New Zealand. They also participated at last year’s Queensland State Cup and The Championships in March, further developing their team chemistry. With plenty of experience against some of the best Touch Footballers in the world, look to the Asian giants to be a tough challenge for any opponent this July.

England – The host nation will be looking to improve on their fifth-place finish in 2019, with England heading into this year’s World Cup with plenty of momentum. Since we last met our Ashes rivals, the English Men’s Open side has been crowned European champions on two separate occasions in 2022 and 2023. As the final round-robin stage game of the tournament, Australia’s match against England will very likely have a significant influence on how the finals play out. Johannes Rossouw will be a player to watch, having already scored 49 tries for his nation heading into his first Touch World Cup.

 

Athelite Australian Emus Fixtures*

Day 2 Fixtures: July 16

• 5:20pm VS United States

Day 3 Fixtures: July 17

• 10:40am VS Scotland
• 3:50pm VS Papua New Guinea

Day 4 Fixtures: July 18

• 9:50am VS Oman
• 2:50pm VS Lebanon

Day 5 Fixtures: July 19

• 8:00am VS Hong Kong
• 12:10pm VS France

Day 6 Fixtures: July 20

• 8:50am VS England
• 1:20pm Playoff Qualifier
• 2:15pm Quarter Finals

Day 7 Fixtures: July 21

• 11:00am Playoffs
• 12:00pm Semi Finals
• 2:00pm Bronze Medal
• 5:00pm Gold Medal

*Draft draw, subject to change. All times are shown in local England time zones. Follow Touch Football Australia (TFA) on social media for all up-to-date schedule information.

To see the Men’s Open draw in its entirety, CLICK HERE

 

Last Word: With so much unbelievable talent, the one thing that is guaranteed in the Men’s Open division is that there will be outstanding moments on the field. Throw a blanket over the two flightless bird nations in the final, with the Emus needing to be completely on their game to claim a 10^th World Title.

The 2024 FIT Touch World Cup begins July 15 in Nottingham, England. Follow TFA’s socials on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for all updates before and throughout the World Cup.

All Stats Courtesy of the Touch Almanac by Cary Thompson