Yass Touch Knockout Tournament | PHOTOS

Despite temperatures reaching into the high 30s, about 3500 people turned out for the two-day tournament held at Walker Park in Yass. 

"This year, we had 112 teams and a waiting list of 11," Game Development Officer for NSW Touch Pat Batiste said. "We are getting more and more teams on the waiting list each year and we are knocking them back because it's so popular."

With colours and creeds from Japan, New Zealand, New Guinea and the UK, as well as Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Queensland and South Australia, the competition was high. 

"The quality of players that are coming is great, like Hot Custard, in its 29th year here," he said. "We also get teams from the Maverick Country Elite Eight teams, which are regarded as the best eight teams in Australia.”

The competition has proved itself to the level of elite competition, attracting players such as Scott Prince, a former Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative NRL halfback. He played for Inferno at the weekend’s tournament, and won the Mens A Grade division. 

Tony Eltachi, a veteran Australian player of 47, who has been attending the Yass Knockout Tournament for 22 years, was also seen playing for alongside Prince

The Rebels mixed side is classed as one of the best mixed sides in the country. 

Organisers say the attraction of such elite players can be attributed to not only the time of year, but also the community of Yass being so accommodating. 

“It’s the way the whole community get together to make it a great weekend,” Batiste said. “It’s also a good hit out before the National Touch League in March.”

“The consistency of the event and the Saturday night is social where players are able to mingle and get to know each other.

“It’s about us developing the game around the world and focusing on the development of players. Players in country towns that wouldn’t normally see the kind of competition can come to Yass and experience an elite standard of football – let alone going home and saying they faced Scott Prince on the field.”

Yass knocks it up a notch

The annual pilgrimage of players and supporters from around Australia gathered at Walker Park on the weekend for what officials are dubbing the ‘mecca’ of summer touch football.

While the competition was fierce, Yass was able to bring its own magic to the field with three of the four teams making the semi-finals. 

Local team Got The Gear But No Idea won Mixed B Grade, defeating Mighty Ducks from Sydney 8 to 5 in the Final.

Blue Ballers won the Men’s C Grade, defeating the Goulburn Merinos 4 to 1.

The Yass Mens A Grade side The Eagles went down 17 to 12 to Mavricks in the Men’s A Grade semi-final, a tremendous effort by the local boys.

While Yass’s Hawaii Try O were defeated 15 to 8 in the first round of Men’s B Grade, they were fighting right to the end. 

Smokin Darts and Breakin Hearts were beaten by Inferno, one of the top teams in the tournament, 10-7 in the quarter final of the Mixed A Grade division.

“There’s really no weak teams in this league and we are just so proud of how well our boys did coming up against the best in the league,” Yass Touch Association’s Greg Smith said. “To have three of our fives teams make it into the finals is amazing, it really shows how much talent we have here.”

As the weekend drew on, the entire Yass township was left without a skerrick of ice in the deep freezers. The field’s canteen sold over 500 Power Aids, 185 bags of ice and 30 crates of water, proving the heat was on – both on the field and off it.

“All the proceeds go to the reduce registration costs for our junior leagues,” Mr Smith continued. “We also installed a cool room in the club house and planted trees around the field. It’s a way of keeping the sport alive and flourishing in the community.”

The Yass Touch Knockout Tournament will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year and organisers plan on making it one to remember.

Results:

Yass KO Mens A Grade: Mavericks (4) – Inferno (5)

Yass KO Mens B Grade: hectic Bears (4) – Gut Man (6)

Yass KO Mens A Grade: Blue Ballers (4) – Goulburn Merinos (1)

Yass KO Womens A Grade: Daryl’s horses (6) – ACT WTL (0)

Yass KO Womens B Grade: Dirty Half Dozen (0) – The Young and the Bold (4)

Yass KO Mixed A Grade: Galaxy Rebels (5) – Inferno (4)

Yass KO Mixed B Grade: Mighty Ducks (5) – Got the Gear but No Idea (8)

Yass KO Mixed C Grade: Bathurst Bullfrogs (7) – RMIT University Redbacks (6)Yass KO Mens A Grade: Mavericks (4) – Inferno (5)