More than 400 touch football players converged at Donnelly Fields last Sunday for the Gunnedah Goannas gala day.

Thirty-five teams took part overall as there were junior teams from the Goannas, Tamworth Titans, Scone Breakers, Muswellbrook Mambas and Barraba Rams.

There were seven U10 teams including two U10 Tamworth development teams, and there were boys and girls divisions for the U12, U14, U16 and U18 age groups.

The Titans also fielded three senior teams to play against the Goannas open mixed and masters (40yrs+) mixed teams.

The Titans reps included a women’s 30s team and a senior masters mixed team which had players up to 47 years old.

Games were organised so that teams played in their own age division. To avoid repeated adversaries, a boys team would sometimes oppose a girls team from a slightly higher age group (for example an U14 boys team would contest an U16 girls team).

Scores were not recorded, as the purpose of the gala day was to give junior and senior representative teams a chance to play together and practise structures in the lead-up to representative football.

Gunnedah will field a mixed team at the National Touch Football Indigenous Knockout in Dubbo on November 8 and 9, before junior Goannas teams take part in a non-competitive gala day in Scone the following Sunday.

Goannas committee member Will Dowe said the club was happy with the timing of its gala day at the start of the touch football rep season.

“The Goannas gala day was a success due to the collaborative work of many members of the club,” he said.

“We have built a family-oriented club with a supportive and positive culture.

“The canteen and barbecue was manned all day by a constant rotation of players’ families willing to volunteer to raise funds for our junior players to attend future carnivals and tournaments.”

Dowe acknowledged the people who were involved with the canteen, draw and uniforms, and refereeing, and he also acknowledged the local council for its work on the fields.

“We have been very appreciative of the support of our local Gunnedah community who made it possible to raise so much money at the recent pig races,” he said.

Brooklyn Douglas prepares to roll the ball as she is touched by a Tamworth Titans defender.

Josh Jeffrey.

Ryley Bourke.

Mat Jensen.