Top touch

Volume 48, No. 12, July 13, 2006

GOTCHA: A Tindal player (orange and black shirt) is caught by his Robertson Barracks opponent in the Top End touch competition.

YOU'RE IT: A player from RAAF Base Darwin runs the ball up to his opposition.

Photos by AB Helen Frank

AIR Force had more than one good reason for wanting to win the final of the inaugural inter-base touch football competition between all Top End military bases at RAAF Base Darwin recently.

Apart from bragging rights in the traditional Air Force-Army rivalry, Air Force representative Mr Steve Bow crafted the winner’s trophy in wood in the shape of the Top End, so naturally Air Force wanted to be first to lay hands on the trophy.

But despite the best efforts of Mr Bow (321CSS), WOFF Gavin Smith (114MCRU), Mr Cameron Croker (321CSS) and FLGOFF Amanda McCurran (321CSS), Army beat Air Force 5-0 in the final in a high-action, hotly-contested, and skilfully-played game.

COMNORCOM, CDRE Campbell 'Cam' Darby, handled the coin toss for the finals.

In the play-off for third and fourth, both RAAF Base Tindal and Larrakeyah Barracks produced some great football before Tindal won 6-1.

Tindal was able to hold Army’s best from Robertson Barracks to 4-3 at half-time, but lost 8-3 under immense pressure in the preliminaries. Meanwhile, RAAF Base Darwin took the honours with a 6-2 win against the combined Services team from Larrakeyah.

“The day was a huge success with all teams having an injury-free, high-spirited day,” FLGOFF Kylie Western said.

“Great team play, superb refereeing, cheering spectators, and outstanding Service camaraderie all made for a brilliant touch carnival.

“However, the biggest ‘BZ’ of the day really goes to CPL Stuie Birkin – founder, organiser, promoter, event co-ordinator, and referee,” she added.

.