COFFS Harbour’s best junior touch teams have taken on Northern NSW’s finest at home during the Northern Eagles Junior Championships in Coffs Harbour.

Over 70 teams from across Northern NSW took part in a big day of touch football, with teams from Forster to Tweed Heads out to Tamworth.

Coffs Harbour had seven teams including under 12s girls and boys, under 14s girls, under 16s girls and boys, and under 18s girls.

It’s only the second time Coffs Harbour has hosted the event, with the number of teams doubling in size from last year.

The under 12s girls narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth, whilst the under 12s boys (blue), under 16s boys, under 16s girls, and under 18s girls teams all made it to the finals.

The under 18 girls qualified for their grand final going down to a more experienced Port Macquarie side by just one try.

Their coach Jason Rooney said it was a great effort from his undermanned side.

“I was so happy for the girls, they had an interrupted preparation with a couple of players withdrawing from the team at the eleventh hour,” he said.

“They ended up playing the tournament with fewer subs than all our other teams, and it was their grit and determination in defence that got them to the grand final.”

The Coffs players at the championships were also vying for selection in the Northern Eagles junior representative teams.

The Coffs Harbour teams next play on Sunday, 12 February in Ballina, which is an additional opportunity for Northern Eagles selectors to finalise their teams for Junior Regional Championships and National Youth Championships to be held later in the year.

By Aiden BURGESS