Touch Football Australia (TFA) is proud to announce the Alliance State Merit Teams selected at The Championships (2026), held in early March, celebrating the sport’s emerging talent at the highest level of national competition.
Introduced at last year’s DoorDash National Youth Championships (NYC), the Alliance State Merit Teams aim to enhance the competitive opportunities and visibility for Alliance athletes as they continue to progress through the Touch Football pathway, ensuring they’re recognised for their performances.
Throughout the event, TFA’s High-Performance coaches actively observed and assessed Alliance State athletes as part of the ongoing national pathway process. We are pleased to acknowledge several players from the Women’s and Men’s Opens and 20s divisions whose performances stood out across the tournament.
This recognition reflects the athletes’ consistency, demonstrated skill, smart game awareness, competitiveness under pressure, and a genuine commitment to their teams. Just as importantly, they embodied what it means to ‘Represent Touch’, showing respect for the game, supporting teammates, and striving for continual improvement.
While this recognition does not equate to national squad selection, it is an important acknowledgement of promising potential within the High-Performance pathway and a reminder that the work being done at this level matters.
Alliance athletes were also showcased on the national stage in the Alliance State Grand Finals, with the ACT Raiders winning both Women’s and Men’s Open finals to continue their strong form from last year’s NYC. The 20s divisions saw the Tasmania Thunder claim victory over the ACT in a tight contest in the Men’s, while the Western Tigers defeated the Victoria Storm in the Women’s 20s.
Congratulations to all those recognised for their efforts and performances.
Alliance State Merit Teams – The Championships (2026)
Women's Open
Josie Bates (ACT)
Zahli Clarke (SA)
Lydia Corcoran (ACT)
Daisy Craig (ACT)
Jessica Crowe (ACT)
Rebecca Guest (ACT)
Avena Henriksen (VIC)
Kira Huynh (ACT)
Zoe Leaver (VIC)
Emma McDonald (ACT)
Lily Quigley (ACT)
Christina Roberts (VIC)
Caylee Wallis (ACT)
Alice Winter (SA)
Men's Open
Laine Alexander (SA)
Lincoln Blissett (ACT)
Noah Collins (ACT)
Rory Edwards (WA)
Toby Gabrisch (SA)
James Hawke (ACT)
Ben Lillie (ACT)
Darcy Moon (ACT)
Jack Moon (ACT)
Reeion Murray (ACT)
William Petrosanec (WA)
Matthew Robinson (ACT)
Lachlan Walker (WA)
Jeremy Wallace (WA)
Women's 20s
Ryley Arnold (ACT)
Sienna Bennett (WA)
Audrey Brown (WA)
Aizure Clark (SA)
Sophia Dawe (ACT)
Ella Kelly (ACT)
Mia Kelly (ACT)
Charlotte Newton (ACT)
Holly Reidy (VIC)
Teona Rekas (VIC)
Lily Schmidlechner (VIC)
Nellie Smyth (VIC)
Alice Taitoko (VIC)
Jasmin Thirwell (SA)
Men's 20s
Rowan Allen (TAS)
Logan Collins (ACT)
Jackson Darby (TAS)
Evan Leeson (ACT)
Oscar Leeson (ACT)
Max Matthews (TAS)
Dane Plakalovic (TAS)
Sebastian Plakalovic (TAS)
Jadkota Randall Reid (NT)
Tyrell Riddle (NT)
Jordan Shipp (TAS)
Cooper Taranto (VIC)
Ryan Wilson (ACT)
Lincoln Woolcock (TAS)
