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National Youth Championships

Champions Crowned at Record-Breaking 2026 National Youth Championships

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The 2026 DoorDash National Youth Championships (NYC) have come to a close in Coffs Harbour, with champions crowned across 10 divisions following four huge days of Touch Football.

Grand Final day delivered plenty of drama, with tight finishes, dominant performances and multiple matches requiring drop-offs to decide the 2026 champions.

One of the standout moments came in the 16 Girls Grand Final, where the South Queensland Sharks completed a remarkable three-peat following an epic battle with the Brisbane Cobras.

With the scores locked at 1-all after regular time, the match went deep into a drop-off as both teams continued to deny each other despite tiring legs. Eventually, Aniston Dayberg-Muir, showcased the family skillset to find space on the left edge to score the match-winning try and secure a memorable 2-1 victory for the Sharks.

The 16 Boys decider also required extra time, with South Queensland Sharks fighting back against Hunter Western Hornets to level the scores before Harlan Strugnell produced the decisive moment in the drop-off, sealing a 7-6 win.

Queensland Representative School Sport finished the championships strongly by claiming both 18s titles.

The QRSS 18 Girls produced a dominant performance against NSWCHS, taking a 5-0 advantage into half-time before going on to record a 10-3 victory and secure back-to-back championships.

QRSS then completed the double in the final game of the tournament, overcoming an early South Queensland Sharks try before taking control of the 18 Boys Grand Final. Strong performances from the likes of Oliver Hinds, Isaac Richter and Benjamin Sommerville helped QRSS pull away to a 9-2 victory.

The ACT Raiders also enjoyed a successful day, completing a double in the Alliance State divisions.

The Raiders' 18 Girls side defeated SA Heat 13-2 following a dominant opening half, while the ACT 18 Boys dethroned reigning champions Tasmania Thunder with a 7-2 victory.

Hunter Western Hornets were another team to celebrate multiple titles, taking out both 14s divisions. The Hornets edged Brisbane Cobras 5-4 in the 14 Girls Grand Final before their 14 Boys side defeated South Queensland Sharks 6-4.

In the 12s divisions, South Queensland Sharks opened the Grand Final program with a 4-2 victory over Brisbane Cobras in the Girls decider, while Southern Rebels claimed the Boys title following a thrilling 8-7 win over South Queensland Sharks.

South Queensland Sharks capped off a strong tournament by being crowned the 2026 Champion Entity, recognising their performances across the championships and a campaign that included multiple Grand Final appearances and titles.

The 2026 Grand Finals concluded another memorable National Youth Championships, showcasing the depth of emerging talent from across Australia and producing plenty of moments that will be remembered well beyond the final whistle.

The DoorDash National Youth Championships is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, alongside City of Coffs Harbour. 

Missed the action? Catch all the daily replays on the Touch Football Australia’s YouTube Channel.

 

Results:

18s Boys 

Grand Final 

Queensland Representative School Sports 9 defeated Southern Queensland Sharks 2

Player of the Final 

Isaac Richter – Queensland Representative School Sport 

Player of the Series 

Tyler Erickson – Queensland Representative School Sport

Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Campbell Muir, Jordan Randle, Caleb Walz

Alliance Grand Final 

ACT Raiders 7 defeated TAS Thunder 2

Alliance Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Kodey Prendergast, Damon Thompson, Jake Bogue

Final Placings 

  1. Queensland Representative School Sport 
  2. South Queensland Sharks 
  3. NSW Combined Independent Schools 
  4. NSW Combined High Schools 
  5. NSW Combined Catholic Colleges 
  6. Sydney Scorpions
  7. Brisbane Cobras 
  8. South West Queensland Swans
  9. Northern Eagles
  10. North Queensland Cyclones 
  11. Central Coast Bulls and Hunter Western Hornets
  12. Sunshine Coast Pineapples
  13. Tasmania Thunder
  14. ACT Raiders
  15. Southern Rebels
  16. Victoria Storm
  17. WA Tigers

 

18s Girls 

Grand Final 

Queensland Representative School Sport 10 defeated NSWCHS 3

Player of the Final 

Isabella Narain – Queensland Representative School Sport 

Player of the Series 

Talia Berryman – New South Wales Combined High School

Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Emma Bleasdale, Ellen Macleod, Tamsyn Spear

Alliance Grand Final 

ACT Raiders 12 defeated SA Heat 2 

Alliance Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Mackenzie Broad, Tua Kiri-Marie Makowharemahihi, Mike Ellis

Final Placings 

  1. Queensland Representative School Sport 
  2. NSW Combined High Schools 
  3. NSW Combined Catholic Colleges 
  4. South Queensland Sharks 
  5. NSW Combined Independent Schools 
  6. Brisbane Cobras
  7. South West Queensland Swans
  8. ACT Raiders
  9. Hunter Western Hornets
  10. North Queensland Cyclones 
  11. Sunshine Coast Pineapples
  12. Victoria Storm
  13. Northern Territory Devils
  14. Northern Eagles
  15. SA Heat

 

16s Boys 

Grand Final 

Southern Queensland Sharks A 7 defeated Hunter Western Hornets A 6

Player of the Final 

Harlan Strugnell – South Queensland Sharks 

Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Hayden Drapalski, Zac Genrich, Zoe Genrich

Alliance Grand Final 

ACT Raiders 6 defeated WA Tigers A 5 

Alliance Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Matthew Bowman, Naseh Rizvi, Clayton Lane

Final Placings 

  1. South Queensland Sharks A
  2. Hunter Western Hornets A
  3. Brisbane Cobras A
  4. Central Coast Bulls
  5. Northern Queensland Cyclones
  6. Southern Queensland Sharks B
  7. Southern Rebels
  8. Hunter Western Hornets B
  9. ACT Raiders
  10. WA Tigers A
  11. West South West Suns
  12. South West Queensland Swans
  13. Northern Eagles
  14. Sunshine Coast Pineapples
  15. Brisbane Cobras B
  16. Tasmania Thunder
  17. WA Tigers B

 

16s Girls 

Grand Final 

Southern Queensland Sharks A 2 defeated Brisbane Cobras A 1

Player of the Final 

Hilde Lockyer – Brisbane Cobras 

Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Isabella Eichler-Onus, Meg Toparis, Isabel Watt

Alliance Grand Final 

WA Tigers A 8 defeated Victoria Storm 4 

Alliance Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Megan Lane, Luke Signor, Bianca Anderson

Final Placings 

  1. South Queensland Sharks A
  2. Brisbane Cobras A
  3. Hunter Western Hornets
  4. Central Coast Bulls
  5. Sunshine Coast Pineapples
  6. Northern Queensland Cyclones
  7. Sydney Scorpions
  8. Southern Rebels
  9. South West Queensland Swans
  10. WA Tigers A
  11. Northern Eagles
  12. Victoria Storm
  13. Southern Queensland Sharks B
  14. ACT Raiders
  15. Brisbane Cobras B
  16. Tasmania Thunder
  17. WA Tigers B

 

14s Boys 

Grand Final 

Hunter Western Hornets A 6 defeated Southern Queensland Sharks A 4

Player of the Final 

Toby Burgess – Hunter Western Hornets 

Grand Final Referee Appointments 

James Knowlson, Cody Reynolds, Will Schatz

Final Placings 

  1. Hunter Western Hornets A
  2. South Queensland Sharks A
  3. South Queensland Sharks B
  4. Southern Rebels
  5. Sydney Scorpions
  6. Brisbane Cobras A
  7. Northern Eagles
  8. Hunter Western Hornets B
  9. Central Coast Bulls
  10. Northern Queensland Cyclones
  11. South West Queensland Swans
  12. Victoria Storm
  13. Brisbane Cobras B
  14. Sunshine Coast Pineapples

 

14s Girls 

Grand Final 

Hunter Western Hornets A 5 defeated Brisbane Cobras A 4

Player of the Final 

Scarlett Clysdale – Hunter Western Hornets 

Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Ben Hawkins, Connor Lane, Olivia Saba

Final Placings 

  1. Hunter Western Hornets A
  2. Brisbane Cobras A
  3. South Queensland Sharks A
  4. Sunshine Coast Pineapples
  5. Central Coast Bulls
  6. Sydney Scorpions A
  7. Northern Queensland Cyclones
  8. Southern Rebels
  9. South West Queensland Swans
  10. Brisbane Cobras B
  11. South Queensland Sharks A
  12. Hunter Western Hornets B
  13. Northern Eagles
  14. Tasmania Thunder
  15. Sydney Scorpions B
  16. Sydney Mets
  17. Victoria Storm
  18. ACT Raiders
  19. Northern Territory Devils

 

12s Boys 

Grand Final 

Southern Rebels 8 defeated Southern Queensland Sharks A 7

Player of the Final 

Dominic Bowyer – Southern Rebels 

Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Mason Colwell, Paul Lawrence, Hayden Wearne

Final Placings 

  1. Southern Rebels
  2. South Queensland Sharks A
  3. Sydney Scorpions
  4. Hunter Western Hornets A
  5. Central Coast Bulls
  6. Northern Queensland Cyclones
  7. West South West Suns
  8. Northern Eagles
  9. South Queensland Sharks B
  10. Hunter Western Hornets B
  11. South West Queensland Swans
  12. Brisbane Cobras 
  13. Sunshine Coast Pineapples
  14. Victoria Storm
  15. Tasmania Thunder

12s Girls 

Grand Final 

Southern Queensland Sharks A 4 defeated Brisbane Cobras A 2

Player of the Final 

Jewel Le Gassick – Southern Queensland Sharks 

Grand Final Referee Appointments 

Ella Grant, Jess Loring, Elly Wehrle

Final Placings 

  1. South Queensland Sharks A
  2. Brisbane Cobras A
  3. Southern Rebels
  4. Central Coast Bulls
  5. Sydney Scorpions
  6. Hunter Western Hornets A
  7. South Queensland Sharks B
  8. West South West Suns
  9. Brisbane Cobras B
  10. South West Queensland Swans
  11. Northern Queensland Cyclones
  12. Sunshine Coast Pineapples
  13. ACT Raiders
  14. Tasmania Thunder

 

Champion Entity

Southern Queensland Sharks

 

Referee Awards

Referees Referee

Fabian Yam

Junior Male Referee of The Tournament

Ben Hawkin

Junior Female Referee of The Tournament

Olivia Saba

Male Referee of The Tournament

James Knowlson

Female Referee of The Tournament

Emma Bleasdale

Referee Team Awards:

  1. Theo Rae
  2. Kaelen Fean
  3. Jack Hudson
  4. Abi Churchill
  5. Jonathon Brownlow
  6. Breeze O'Kane
  7. Kane Thornburn
  8. Olivia Saba
  9. Nathan Wilson
  10. Eva Kearney
  11. Sally Broad
  12. Dylan Swan
  13. Luke Signor
  14. Matt Robertson

Principal Partner

Major Partners

Official Partners

Government Partners