This year’s iteration of The Championships welcomed a trio of enthralling Opens grand finals to cap off three days of Touch Football action – with last year’s winners standing tall when victory was on the line.
Wet conditions throughout the event paved the way for tight contests for Sunday’s grand finals, with the Hunter Western Hornets topping the Sydney Mets in an end-to-end grind to claim back-to-back championships in the Men’s Open. Chris Lennon guided the Hornets to victory with a composed performance to be awarded both the Player of the Final award and the coveted Terry Jacks Player of the Series award.
It was an all-Rebels affair in the Women’s Open with the UQ Rebels taking on the Southern Rebels for the trophy, with the match heading to extra-time after a 3-all tie in regulation. Both teams traded tries in the opening minutes of extra-time before Tiarni Bryce touched down for the UQ Rebels to grant them back-to-back titles – with Bryce also scoring last year’s match-winner. The Southern Rebels made the grand final after being placed third in their pool – the Rebels’ first-ever appearance in a Women’s Open grand final at a national championship.
In arguably the final of the tournament, the Southern Rebels continued their storied Mixed Open history with a 7-4 win over the Hunter Western Hornets – courtesy of a double to co-captain Carly Walsh. Back-to-back championships concluded a strong tournament for the Rebels who went undefeated in their run to the trophy.
The Brisbane Cobras avenged last year’s loss against the Sydney Scorpions to claim the All Abilities Tier 1 title, while new entrant Tasmania Thunder won the All Abilities Tier 2. Six titles were claimed by affiliates in a showcase of the event’s revamped format – including two for the Coolum Bluefins and a title defence from the Moorabbin Lions in the Women’s Open B division. The South Queensland Sharks were awarded the Champion Entity title for their overall performance at the event having claimed five division titles.
David Baggio backed up his efforts from last year’s Championships, once again awarded the prestigious Rick Borg Medal as the referee of the tournament. Baggio was also awarded Leading Male Open Referee, alongside Zoe Genrich as the Leading Female Open Referee. For the Senior divisions, Linda Buchanan and John Clark were awarded Leading Female and Male Referees respectively – while John Frost was acknowledged by his peers with the Referees’ Referee Award.
The Championships is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW and City of Coffs Harbour.
Missed the action? Catch all the daily replays on Kayo Sports.
Official event photos can be viewed on the Touch Football Australia Facebook page.
Full results and final standings are listed below.
Men’s Open A – Mark Boland Shield
Grand Final
Hunter Western Hornets 3 defeated Sydney Mets 2
Player of the Final
Chris Lennon – Hunter Western Hornets
Terry Jacks Player of the Series
Chris Lennon – Hunter Western Hornets
Grand Final Referee Appointments
David Baggio
Tony Calabria
Zac Genrich
Jordan Randle
Final Placings
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Sydney Mets
- South West Queensland Swans
- South Queensland Sharks
- Central Queensland Bulls
- Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association
- UQ Rebels
- Southern Rebels
- Victoria Storm
Men’s Open B
Grand Final
ACT Raiders 6 defeated SA Heat 0
Player of the Final
Lincoln Blissett – ACT Raiders
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Aleksandr Hampton
Darcy Lawrence
William Shatz
Final Placings
- ACT Raiders
- SA Heat
Women’s Open A – Angela Barr Shield
Grand Final
UQ Rebels 5 defeated Southern Rebels 4
Player of the Final
Tiarni Bryce – UQ Rebels
Karen Smith Player of the Series
Chelsea Hindmarsh – Hunter Western Hornets
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Charlie Cheesley
Alec Clark
Lachlan Freshwater
Final Placings
- UQ Rebels
- Southern Rebels
- Sydney Scorpions
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association
- ACT Raiders
- Victoria Storm
- Sydney Mets
Women’s Open B
Grand Final
Moorabbin Lions 9 defeated Western Tigers 3
Player of the Final
Leah Percy – Moorabbin Lions
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Connor Lane
Daniel Kustec
Zoe Cornish
Final Placings
- Moorabbin Lions
- Western Tigers
Mixed Open A – Tony Eltakchi Shield
Grand Final
Southern Rebels 7 defeated Hunter Western Hornets 4
Players of the Final
Keeron Hughes & Carly Walsh – Southern Rebels
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Zoe Genrich
Campbell Muir
Brandon Sanderson
Final Placings
- Southern Rebels
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Coolum Bluefins
- Sydney Scorpions
- South Queensland Sharks
- North Queensland Tropical Cyclones
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- Sydney Mets
- South West Queensland Swans
- Brisbane Cobras
Mixed Open B
Grand Final
Coolum Bluefins 6 defeated Townsville Saints 2
Player of the Final
Kye Vincitorio – Coolum Bluefins
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Bayley Aziz
Matt Bowcock
James Knowlson
Final Placings
- Coolum Bluefins
- Townsville Saints
- Darwin Inferno Magpies
Men’s 20s
Grand Final
Hunter Western Hornets A 5 defeated Sydney Mets 4
Player of the Final
Taimana Elers – Hunter Western Hornets
Grand Final Referee Appointments
John Hamstra
Matt Lavery
Caleb Walz
Final Placings
- Hunter Western Hornets A
- Sydney Mets
- Sydney Scorpions
- Brisbane Cobras
- Southern Rebels
- Central Queensland Bulls
- Hunter Western Hornets B
- North Queensland Tropical Cyclones
- South Queensland Sharks
- Victoria Storm
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
Women’s 20s
Grand Final
South Queensland Sharks A 4 defeated South West Queensland Swans 2
Player of the Final
Harper Eldridge – South Queensland Sharks A
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Michael Littlefield
Ajay Smith
Savannah Draper
Final Placings
- South Queensland Sharks A
- South West Queensland Swans
- UQ Rebels
- Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association
- Hunter Western Hornets A
- Sydney Scorpions
- Sydney Mets
- Hunter Western Hornets B
- Southern Rebels
- South Queensland Sharks B
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- ACT Raiders
- Victoria Storm
- Moorabbin Lions
Women’s 27s
Grand Final
Coolum Bluefins 4 defeated Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association 3
Player of the Final
Lucena Gill – Coolum Bluefins
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Emma Bleasdale
Bree Lo Grande
Miriam Hansen
Final Placings
- Coolum Bluefins
- Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association
- Southern Rebels
- South Queensland Sharks
- Defence Warriors
- Western Tigers
Men’s 30s
Grand Final
Parramatta Eels 7 defeated North Queensland Tropical Cyclones 5
Player of the Final
Jordan Marshall-King – Parramatta Eels
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Lachlan Carey
Cooper Jones
Cody Reynolds
Final Placings
- Parramatta Eels
- North Queensland Tropical Cyclones
- South Queensland Sharks
- Southern Rebels
- UQ Rebels
- Sydney Mets
- Western Tigers
- Central Queensland Bulls
Senior Mixed
Grand Final
Sydney Scorpions 7 defeated Northern Eagles 3
Players of the Final
Vanessa Cooper & Alex Nicholls – Sydney Scorpions
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Brett Freshwater
Rob McKay
Nicole West
Final Placings
- Sydney Scorpions
- Northern Eagles
- Southern Rebels
- Hunter Western Hornets
- South Queensland Sharks
- Coolum Bluefins
- North Queensland Tropical Cyclones
Men’s 40s
Grand Final
South Queensland Sharks 5 defeated Brisbane Cobras 2
Player of the Final
Aaron Jones – South Queensland Sharks
Grand Final Referee Appointments
John Clark
Michael Landsberg
Trevor Schelberg
Final Placings
- South Queensland Sharks
- Brisbane Cobras
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Southern Rebels
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- Northern Eagles
Women’s 40s
Grand Final
Arana Touch 5 defeated Hunter Western Hornets 1
Player of the Final
Katie Hall – Arana Touch
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Terri Alexander
Shobna Moore
Fiona Quinn
Final Placings
- Arana Touch
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Southern Rebels
- Western Tigers
- Northern Eagles
Masters Mixed
Grand Final
South Queensland Sharks 9 defeated Hunter Western Hornets 8
Players of the Final
Rahiri Piripi & Kellie Piltz – South Queensland Sharks
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Vince Costigan
John Frost
Simon Croft
Final Placings
- South Queensland Sharks
- Hunter Western Hornets
- West South West Suns
- Defence Warriors
- Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association
Men’s 45s
Grand Final
Brisbane Cobras 5 defeated Central Queensland Bulls 4
Player of the Final
Stewart Boland – Brisbane Cobras
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Linda Buchanan
Marcus Muller
Benjamin Horner
Final Placings
- Brisbane Cobras
- Central Queensland Bulls
- Hunter Western Hornets
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Mets
- Victoria Storm
Women’s 45s
Grand Final
ACT Raiders 2 defeated Hunter Western Hornets 0
Player of the Final
Relle Donovan – ACT Raiders
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Pat Costigan
Michael Watt
Giancarlo Leung
Final Placings
- ACT Raiders
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Brisbane Cobras
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
Men’s 50s
Grand Final
Sydney Scorpions 5 defeated Brisbane Cobras 1
Player of the Final
Jack Jardim – Sydney Scorpions
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Jason Whitney
Paul Tesoriero
Michael Danato
Final Placings
- Sydney Scorpions
- Brisbane Cobras
- Western Tigers
- Sydney Mets
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sunshine Coast Pineapples
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Victoria Storm
- Northern Eagles
Women’s 50s
Grand Final
Sydney Scorpions 2 defeated South West Queensland Swans 1
Player of the Final
Catherine Ring – Sydney Scorpions
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Chris Murray
David Lowth
Graham Goodwin
Final Placings
- Sydney Scorpions
- South West Queensland Swans
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association
- Brisbane Cobras
- ACT Raiders
Men’s 55s
Grand Final
South Queensland Sharks 3 defeated Sydney Scorpions 1
Player of the Final
Ian Jordan – South Queensland Sharks
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Josh North
Chris Reynolds
Craig Jeffs
Final Placings
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Scorpions
- ACT Raiders
- North Queensland Tropical Cyclones
- Coolum Bluefins
- Hunter Western Hornets
- Victoria Storm
Men’s 60s
Grand Final
South Queensland Sharks 3 defeated Sydney Scorpions 2
Player of the Final
Jeffrey Garrick – South Queensland Sharks
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Scott Marsh
Micheal Halling
Greg Oaten
Final Placings
- South Queensland Sharks
- Sydney Scorpions
Men’s 65s
Grand Final
Brisbane Cobras 3 defeated Sydney Scorpions 2
Player of the Final
Peter Brittnell – Brisbane Cobras
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Barry Nichols
Craig McKee
Douglas Mackie
Final Placings
- Brisbane Cobras
- Sydney Scorpions
- Northern Eagles
- South Queensland Sharks
All Abilities Tier 1
Grand Final
Brisbane Cobras 6 defeated Sydney Scorpions 3
Player of the Final
Hamish Michelmore – Brisbane Cobras
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Lynda Scott
Rebecca Buzzacott
Beth Monk
Final Placings
- Brisbane Cobras
- Sydney Scorpions
- Hunter Western Hornets
All Abilities Tier 2
Grand Final
Tasmania Thunder 5 defeated Southern Rebels 1
Player of the Final
Kobe Arrowsmith – Tasmania Thunder
Grand Final Referee Appointments
Tim McDougall
Wade Pastorella
Felix Tebbutt
Final Placings
- Tasmania Thunder
- Southern Rebels
- Ballina Bullsharks
- South West Queensland Swans A
- Wagga Wagga Vipers
- South Queensland Sharks
- ACT Raiders
- Northern Eagles A
- Sydney Scorpions
- South West Queensland Swans B
- Brisbane Cobras
- Northern Eagles B
- South West Queensland Swans C
- Hunter Western Hornets
Champion Entity
South Queensland Sharks
REFEREE AWARDS
Referee of the Tournament – Rick Borg Medallist
David Baggio
Leading Female Open Referee
Zoe Genrich
Leading Male Open Referee
David Baggio
Leading Female Senior Referee
Linda Buchanan
Leading Male Senior Referee
John Clark
Referees’ Referee Award
John Frost
Referee Team Awards
Team 1 – John Frost
Team 2 – Martyn Holmes
Team 3 – Jeff Gilewski
Team 4 – John Smith
Team 5 – John Hall
Team 6 – Reef Gilbert-Marino
Team 7 – Shobna Moore
Team 8 – Adam Thetford
Team 9 – Amanda Crowley
Team 10 – Megan Lane
Team 11 – Mahonri Moana
Team 12 – Pat Costigan
Team 13 – David Lowth
Team 14 – Tim McDougall
Team 15 – David Kerwin
Team 16 – Kieran Fraser
