Stylish touch
Fab four’s key role during tour

 

FSGT Paul Ridder, named Players’ Player for the Australian Masters team, looks for support.

Photos by Michael Broadbent, Sporting Images Australia

FOUR Air Force members helped turn the European touch football championships into an Australian whitewash with the Aussies taking out three Rest of the World finals in Jersey, UK, last month.

Flight Sergeants John Samin, Jed Murray, Mick Lennon and Paul Ridder were selected as players for the Senior and Masters men’s teams.

Other ADF members to take part in the tour were Lance Corporal Steve Hughes, who lined up alongside the Air Force players, while Warrant Of- fi cer 2 Greg Taylor was one of fi ve referees and Sub-Lieutenant Joanne Adams was the manager for the Senior women’s team.

The teams played more than 30 games on the European and South African tour, ranging from young, fast but inexperienced sides to national sides.

The tour combined coaching clinics and local games, but the main focus was the European championships in Jersey, for which the teams had been training for months in advance.

Teams from the British Isles, France, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa joined the Australians at the championships.

In the early rounds, the Aussies played all teams but the fi nals were divided into European countries and the Rest of the World, with the Australians winning the three Rest of the World fi - nals in which they participated.

The Senior women won the women’s open division, defeating Colonials 3-2 in an exciting contest. The men’s 35 years division Rest of the World championship fi nal was a tussle between the two Australian senior teams.

The Masters team defeated the Vets 4-0. The men’s open Rest of the World Final was won by Australia 6-2 against the New Zealand University team.

FSGT Ridder was named Players’ Player for the Australian Masters team while FSGT John Samin had the honours of carrying the Australian fl ag at the opening ceremony.

For more touch information, visit http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/adfta/Home.htm.

FSGT Jed Murray	FSGT Mick Lennon	FSGT John Samin	Referee WO2 Greg Taylor

 

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