Junior Australian Championships: DAY 1 WRAP

Junior Australian Championships: DAY 1 WRAP

Day one of the much-anticipated Junior Australian Championships has come to a successful conclusion, with the East Coast Orcas sitting as current front runners for region champions.   

It was a great first day here at the Junior Australian Championships – marking the first National event since 2019.

This weekend, Australian Oztag welcome 11 regions, 153 teams and over 2000 players to the beautiful Coffs Harbour.

With unlimited spectators in attendance, the tournament atmosphere sure felt like it did prior to Covid restrictions.

In near perfect conditions, players took to the field with great excitement and were quick to apply their months of preparation in what were spectacular games of Oztag.

At the conclusion of day one, the East Coast Orcas continue their 2019 reign as the most dominate region, with seven undefeated teams across the 18 divisions. Tigers trail closely behind, with six.

The following teams all sit undefeated, putting them in a promising position heading into day two of the tournament.

  • Boys 9s Tigers
  • Girls 9s Orcas
  • Boys 10s Miners
  • Girls 10s Tigers
  • Boys 11s Miners
  • Girls 11s Orcas
  • Girls 11s Stingrays
  • Boys 12s Tigers
  • Girls 12s Stingrays
  • Boys 13s Orcas
  • Girls 13s Vipers
  • Boys 14s Tigers
  • Girls 14s Orcas
  • Girls 14s Tigers
  • Boys 15s Stingrays
  • Boys 15s Orcas
  • Girls 15s ACT
  • Girls 15s Orcas
  • Girls 15s Tigers
  • Boys 16s Central Coast
  • Boys 16s ACT
  • Girls 16s Stingrays
  • Girls 16s Central Coast
  • Girls 17s ACT
  • Girls 17s Orcas

Keep up to date with all live results and fixtures via our website or Sportfix.

Players will return tomorrow to lay it all on the line for their remaining round games before Finals commence on Sunday.

Congratulations to all on a sensational first day. AO look forward to seeing what Day Two has in store.  

City Crowned 2021 NSW Senior City v Country Champions

City Crowned 2021 NSW Senior City v Country Champions

The NSW Senior City v Country showcased some exceptional Oztag on Saturday 29 January, with City crowned 2021 Champions.

After being postponed twice, the NSW Senior City v Country was given the green light to go ahead at Croome Sporting Complex, in Shellharbour on the NSW South Coast.  

The much-anticipated tournament was the first NSW Oztag event since the state’s Covid lockdown in June last year.

The new tournament format saw a City and Country team in each division play off in a high-quality, three-game series.

Nominated from the Senior State Cup tournament in May 2021, City Country selection is an opportunity for players to merge with their region’s best and compete for the prestigious championship title.

City teams were represented by associations in the Sydney basin from Hornsby in the North, to Penrith in the West, Campbelltown in the South and over to the East Coastline. Any teams outside this border were Country.

Despite the Covid and weather-inflicted setbacks, teams took to the field with determination and camaraderie.

The standard of talent saw the tournament come down to the wire, with City claiming eight of the 14 titles, while Country claimed six.

The Men’s 30s could have gone either way with the first two games ending in a draw; however, a thrilling decider saw Country defeat City 3-2.

The Men’s 40s and Women’s Opens divisions also came down to a decider. In the Men’s 40s, City defeated Country 5-4, while in the Women’s Opens a similar outcome prevailed, with City only just defeating Country, 3-2.

City’s Men’s 20s, Women’s 20s, Mixed 20s, and Senior Mixed ended the day with a clean sweep, as did Country’s Women’s 40s and Men’s 45s.

2021 NSW Senior City v Country Series Champions:

Women’s 20s: City

Mixed 20s: City

Men’s 20s: City

Women’s Opens: City

Mixed Opens: City

Men’s Opens: Country

Mixed Seniors: City

Men’s 30s: Country

Women’s 40s: Country

Men’s 40s: City

Men’s 45s: Country

Men’s 50s: Country

Men’s 55s: Country

Men’s 60s: City

For all tournament fixtures and results, visit the Sportfix app or click here.

Congratulations to all teams on an outstanding tournament.

See Champions below.

Around the Grounds: Darcy Bond Medal

Around the Grounds: Darcy Bond Medal

The Kiama Phantoms named Alex Boles the first recipient of the inaugural Darcy Bond Medal – in memory of the fun-loving Phantom representative.

The Kiama Oztag Phantoms and the wider Oztag community were devastated after the passing of 22-year-old, Darcy Bond in August last year. 

Darcy was a passionate member of Kiama Oztag. He represented the Phantoms at State Cup level, the Vipers at Nationals and was also a current Australian Mixed 20s representative.

In 2021, Kiama Oztag introduced the Darcy Bond medal – an annual award that recognises a senior representative player whose passion and devotion to the game reflects that of Darcy.

Kiama Oztag Licensee, Ross Thomas said that Darcy’s character made him the type of person everyone loved, and the type of player you wanted on your team.

“As a player, he not only had great skills, but he was just so positive… no matter what, he would lift people,” he said.

Thomas said Darcy contributed immensely to the club on a regular basis, whether it be refereeing, helping with administration or coaching representative sides.

“The comp would not have run as well as it did years ago and up until last year, without Darcy – he made the competition better,”

“He had that same positive, can-do attitude outside of playing… Not having that vibrant person around anymore is what’s so upsetting for me and so many in our community,”

“The Darcy Bond medal is an opportunity for our club to honour his memory,” he said.

At a special ceremony in Kiama, Thomas and the Bond family presented the inaugural medal to long-serving Phantom representative and good friend of Darcy’s, Alex Boles.

 “I’m blown away, to be honest – it’s left me a little speechless,” Boles said during the presentation.

“It’s really special to receive the first-ever Darcy Bond Medal because he meant so much to both me and this great club,” Boles told the South Coast Register.

Each year, Phantoms coaches will gather at the NSW Senior State Cup and award the medal to a player from any senior team that reflects the same attitudes as Darcy.

“Both myself and the coaches will agree on a player who is upbeat, vibrant, encourages people and brings the team together; who may not be the best player but for example, attended all training sessions,” Thomas said.

“Whilst that recipient may not know Darcy personally, when we present the medal up there at State Cup, we will make sure everyone knows why this medal is so important and why it was named after Darcy,” he said.

Darcy’s sister Whitney Schadel alongside husband, James have since launched The Elephant Crew – a mental health organisation that while helping people speak out about mental health issues, strives to make an impact on the current mental health system.

“We have values, we have goals, which are not just talk – it’s about turning that talk into action, like paying the gap for people who can’t afford to see a health professional – which in itself can sometimes take months,” James Schadel told the South Coast Register.

With the slogan ‘Life is better with you in it’, The Elephant Crew has also introduced their own merchandise with all proceeds going to a Darcy Bond memorial trust fund, which they hope will one day fund a mental health facility in Kiama.

Numbers to call if you or anyone you know needs help are:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Kids Helpline 1800 551 800

MensLine Australia 1300 789 978

Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467

Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36

Headspace 1800 650 890

QLife 1800 184 527

NSW Senior City v Country POSTPONED

NSW Senior City v Country POSTPONED

Tournament Director, Luke Manahan has announced that the NSW Senior City v Country has been postponed to January, 2022 due to heavy rainfall.

The South Coast has experienced heavy rainfall over the last couple of days with more rainfall forecast today (9/12) and tomorrow (10/12). 

The groundsman completed an inspection this morning & he indicated the fields were unplayable and would remain unplayable on Saturday.

Regardless, Wollongong Council have since closed ALL fields.

Therefore, Australian Oztag (AO) will postpone the tournament to Saturday 29 January, 2022 at Sid Parrish Park, Figtree NSW (same venue).

Contingency plans to move the venue were considered, however fields in those councils have also been closed & other options have been negated by cricket.

We also had to consider travel arrangements by players coming from regional areas – it’s important to give these players as much notice as possible.

AO’s goal is to play this tournament to give the selected players the opportunity to represent their region; hence the postponement to a new date.

However, if the tournament cannot be completed on the 29th January it will be cancelled & the rego portion of the player fee refunded.

Thank you.

Luke Manahan

Tournament Director

Around the Grounds: Paul Peel

Around the Grounds: Paul Peel

NSW Oztag paid a visit to Southwest Oztag last week and had the pleasure of chatting to License holder and Hall of Fame inductee, Paul Peel.

The Picton local has played Oztag since its inception in 1992; his association with the game has since branched into becoming South West Oztag Licensee, alongside wife, Caroline.

Paul started out playing for a local team in the first Liverpool competition and describes his introduction to the game as ‘quite comical’.

“Coming off a double ACL knee reconstruction, I played the first five games in knee calipers… I was like Robo cop,” he laughed.

From that first season, Paul was selected in the Liverpool Men’s Opens side which went on to win the second ever NSW State Cup.

Paul continued to represent Liverpool for an additional five years, before he and Caroline moved to Picton and started a family.

Come 2001, the pair kicked off Picton Oztag, which Paul both played in and went on to represent at State and National level for several years.

Southwest Oztag

As of 2005, Paul and Caroline became the official Licensees of Southwest Oztag and decided to start up competitions in Camden and the Southern Highlands.

Southwest Oztag now run senior competitions at Camden, Mittagong, Oran Park and Picton, as well as junior competitions at Moss Vale and Picton.

“We have over 300 teams at South West Oztag, with Camden seniors probably being our largest competition,” Peel said

Both Paul and Caroline are extremely proud of the growth of their competitions over the years, which are now played across various nights and venues.

“It’s lovely to attend our venues, old and new, and see how our game can branch out and be so consistently enjoyable for everyone,” Peel said.

Pictured: Paul refereeing at Picton Men’s competition

Paul made extremely clear that South West Oztag would not be where it is without his wife, Caroline and her constant work behind-the-scenes – at both a domestic and representative level.

“I would be nothing without my wife helping me… she is the backbone of the operation,” Peel said.

“Caroline and Prue do a lot of back-end work, when it comes to representative selections, uniforms and tournament paperwork,”

“We both have day jobs, so it can be quite time-consuming, but we love it,” he said

Pictured: Paul & wife, Caroline

Australian Representative

Not only is Paul a valued member of Southwest Oztag, both on and off the field, but he was also an honorable Australian representative for 19 years.

“I was fortunate enough to be selected in Australian sides on 15 occasions, between 1999 up until 2018 where I retired from Australian selection,” Peel said.

In this period, Paul represented the Australian Men’s 30’s, 35’s, and 40’s.

He was inducted into the AO Hall of Fame in 2013, and later recognised for his 15 years of service to the Australian Tagaroos.

“The highlight of my playing career was being named the Australian Tour Captain and Flag bearer for the 2018 World Cup, alongside fellow Hall of Famer, Michele Reaney,” Peel said.

Pictured: Paul & Michele Reaney – 2018 Australian Tour Captains
2018 World Cup

However, when asked of his fondest Oztag memories, and why he loves the game, he did not hesitate in his responses.

“My fondest memory would be playing Oztag with my children at a domestic level and coaching them at State Cup,” Peel said.

“I love the game because it accommodates everybody – all ages and skill levels can play the game and contribute,” he said.

AO wish to commend both Paul and Caroline on their continual service to the game and the growing success of Southwest Oztag.