Army reigned supreme at this year’s ADF Aussie Rules National Carnival, claiming the men’s and women’s titles.

Played from March 13 to 19, at La Trobe University in Melbourne, the Army men thumped Air Force 146-15 and sent Navy packing 96-37, while the Army women beat Air Force 23-5 and Navy 64-30, to win the women’s title for the thirteenth year in a row.

Army midfielder Lance Corporal Stephanie Simmonds said the clash against Navy was the tournament’s toughest.

“It was the real tester. They’d definitely stepped up compared to a few years ago, and brought a lot of competitiveness,” Lance Corporal Simmonds said.

“We were able to get away with it in the last quarter, but the second half was really tough and got us over the line.”

The carnival included a week of training and team integration before matches were played in a round-robin format.

Lance Corporal Simmonds said competition continued to improve, with higher-skill levels and increasing pressure from each service.

“It’s getting more competitive every year and I think we’ll definitely be challenged in the next few years,” she said.

But it wasn’t just Army with something to celebrate. Navy’s 18-16 win over Air Force marked their first victory since 2018.

Navy midfielder Able Seaman Meg Buchanan said the win was a standout moment despite breaking her fibula during the opening match.

“[The win] was a pretty big moment for everyone. It was really good to see,” she said.

“The skill level has taken off a lot, and the training is really beneficial, especially leading into the season.”