Another representative campaign has come to an end for our Junior Boys and Girls teams, and we managed our best performance since the Northern Conference moved from Port Macquarie to Dubbo.
On arriving in Dubbo we were once again met with bowling green-like playing fields and copious amounts of sunshine. Our Manly Town tent may have changed position, but our teams were very familiar with what was needed to ensure we were set up for a great 3-day campaign.
Progressing through Day 1 our teams notched up an impressive 27 wins and only 3 losses, with a similar story across Day 2, that set up all 10 teams in Round of 16 or Quarter Finals on Sunday – otherwise known as Finals Day!
Finals Day is always hectic, with teams checking in on each other to find out whether they are still progressing through after each round and trying to get to the sidelines for each other in between playing their own matches. All teams progressed through their Round of 16 matches, which meant Quarter Finals across all the age groups were next. The 2025 campaign unfortunately came to an end for our 10, 14 and 16 Girls in the Quarter Finals, but all three teams learnt a lot across the three days to take into next year’s campaign. For the majority of our 10 Girls this was their first foray into representative touch football, and the smiling faces across the weekend, even after losing, can only mean we have some touch footy players for life now.
As we moved to the Semi Final rounds, our 12 and 14 Boys came up against some tough opposition in Nelson Bay and our neighbours the Northern Beaches Renegades respectively, with our 12 Boys losing despite both teams scoring 3 tries a piece – with our boys scoring second so the dreaded 3-2 scoring system saw their campaign come to an end.
This left only the Grand Final matches to be played, with 5 of our teams earning the right to challenge for the Conference Champions title. The 10 Boys, our youngest team to make a Grand Final, put up a fantastic display of footy scoring first to set up a nail biter against Renegades, but unfortunately went down by 2 tries in a hard fought match. Our 12 Girls, who also played Renegades in the Grand Final and also scored first, could not hold out our Northern Beaches neighbours and also lost by 2 tries.
Which left only the 16 Boys, 18 Girls and 18 Boys to lead the charge for Manly in the remaining Grand Finals. All three games were played on the stadium and all three teams had a packed grand stand and surrounds as they took to the field. The 16 Boys started us off with a dynamic display of footy, playing with determination they led the final from start to finish, downing Maitland by 5 tries to 4. Our 18 Girls took to the stadium next, led by their captain and also Junior Club Captain Chase Perrett, the girls wowed the crowd with some amazing tries to take the win from Central Coast 6 tries to 5. The 18 Boys Grand Final was the last match of the day and our 18 Boys team did not disappoint. Led by captain Xavier Walsh and also Junior Club Captain Rico Marsters, the athleticism and skill level made for a fantastic game, with the boys taking the win from Maitland 4 tries to 2.
Manly left Dubbo with three JSC Northern Conference Champions, but celebrations were put on hold for our 16 Boys, 18 Girls and 18 Boys who needed to back up their Northern Conference performance, and take to the fields at Tempe last Sunday, to compete against the winners of the JSC Southern Conference in the State Finals, in a best of three match format.
All three teams were pushed across the day and all three needed to play the third game decider – with only a 6 day turnaround for Northern Conference teams this is very tough on the body!
The 16 Boys were the first to play their deciding third match on the stadium and despite some nail biting moments, secured Manly’s first victory for the day with a 5 tries to 4 win over Wagga Wagga – just sensational. It was then on to the 18 Girls, who had looked like taking the series in the first two matches but a determined Wagga hadn’t travelled for 5 hours not to give it everything and force a decider. Manly’s 18 Girls proved too strong for Wagga in their final match taking the game 4 tries to 3, with an outstanding performance across the park from all the girls. Our 18 Boys were left with the enviable task of bringing home our third State Championship win. Despite losing their first match in the dying seconds, they rallied in their second match to force the series to the decider, and then showed dominance in their third match to take the game 8 tries to 5.
Manly Touch finished second overall in the Club Championship at JSC Northern Conference by just 16 points (our closest in the three years we have been competing in Dubbo) and secured three State Champions titles with the 16 Boys, 18 Girls and 18 Boys victories last weekend – a fantastic result for the club.
Special mention to our JSC Referees for 2025 – some stepping in very late in our preparations to ensure Manly’s teams could all attend. A big congratulations also to Brandon Sanderson on being awarded the 18 Boys Grand Final at Dubbo and also the State Finals at Tempe, the highest appointment of the Junior State Cup competition.
Manly Touch is extremely proud of all our players and their performances across this 2025 Junior Representative campaign. We also appreciate the efforts of all our coaches and officials, without whom we would not be able to achieve such amazing results or give our players the opportunity to hone their talents and improve their skills. To our referees we thank you for being such an invaluable part of our rep campaign, all the time and effort given to attend training matches, gala days and finally JSC, is so appreciated. To our sponsor Motus Health & Performance, and in particular Emma Williams our physio, who manages to keep our players in the best form across the weekend with her strapping, recovery protocols and all round expertise. And to the parents and families of our talented junior players, you help make the Manly Family the truly unique and special club that it is.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the following award recipients:
U10 Boys
Best and Fairest: Blake Creelman
Coaches Award: Charlie Trowell
Players Player: Levi Mitchell
U10 Girls
Best and Fairest: Flip Shines
Coaches Award: Mariana Lowe
Players Player: Bobby Collis
U12 Boys
Best and Fairest: Tomasi Lowe
Coaches Award: Balin Gee
Players Player: Rhys Hill
U12 Girls
Best and Fairest: Edie Seve
Coaches Award: Anieke Coetsee
Players Player: Sophie MacPherson
U14 Boys
Best and Fairest: Lucas Locke
Coaches Award: Taten Rogers
Players Player: Ariki Wihongi
U14 Girls
Best and Fairest: Poppy Lee
Coaches Award: Sydney Kaivelata
Players Player: Poppy Lee
U16 Boys
Best and Fairest: Ethan Robinson
Coaches Award: Beau Bourke
Players Player: Tukia Fotu-Moala
U16 Girls
Best and Fairest: April Unwin
Coaches Award: Manaia Wanakore
Players Player: Lexi Slatter & Ellie Fairall
U18 Boys
Best and Fairest: Lucas Hickson
Coaches Award: Fin Benbow
Players Player: Chayse Geros
U18 Girls
Best and Fairest: Lacey Cross
Coaches Award: Carissa Smyth & Lizzy Bromiley
Players Player: Keira Gray
JSC Referees
Brandon Sanderson
Tom Marsters
Mania Marsters
Josh Turner
Waqa Kacilala
Wian Coetsee
Hugo McMillan
Angus McMillan
Jethro Hanson
Lily Stevens
Max Marsters
Check out some great photos from our JSC 2025 campaign here.