Tiredness takes toll in touch footy finals

Adelaide Cup Touch Football action from SPORTEX 2 in Sydney last month.

Photo: NIU-East

By POPT Peter Swift

Overcoming tired bodies and aching muscles, HMAS Albatross cemented their place in history last month with a resounding touch football finals win during SPORTEX 2 in Sydney.

Defeating the Divers, the Albatross Old Boys took out the competition with a 6-3 win, after a long day in hot conditions.

The Adelaide Cup Touch Football competition was held at Centennial Park with a total of twenty teams from Sydney, Albatross and Creswell vying for the title. Everyone played as hard and fast as their experience and bodies could exert, with the hard surface taking its toll on bodies throughout the rounds, as the 30- minute games rolled on.

Aching muscles and injuries slowed some players down, whilst others retired hurt, unable to take further part as a player. After five hours, four teams were left standing to battle the semi-finals - Albatross 1, Dive School, HMAS Sydney Bashers and Albatross Old Boys.

The scene was set for a physical encounter of fast, skilled touch. Throughout the two games, the hearts were willing but the long day was starting to take its toll, with soreness setting in and muscles starting to seize and it was skill which determined the eventual winners.

In a repeat of last year’s final, the showdown saw the “Birdies” against the Divers. As expected the game was played in true sporting spirit - hard and fast with no team giving an inch.

In a survival of the fittest, the final whistle saw Albatross Old Boys 6 defeat the Dive School 3, to take the Adelaide Cup and become the 2005 Touch champions.

On completion, Commanding Officer HMAS Kuttabul, Commander Brett Chandler, presented the teams their awards and commented on the good standard of play shown in the games.

He congratulated Albatross on their repeated success in winning this event, the Divers for being worthy opponents and all the teams, spectators and officials for making the day a great success.

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