NATIONAL champions have been crowned during the 26th Inferno National Touch League held over four big days of competition at the Ce.x Coffs International Stadium.

The national championships featured a record 127 teams from across the country competing for national titles in seventeen divisions.

The event was held last week after it was postponed from its original dates in March due to the fields being unplayable after the heavy rainfall.

The Northern Eagles entered a number of sides, which is the representative team the Coffs Harbour region is a part of which covers areas of Northern NSW.

The Eagles women’s 40s and senior mixed sides both made the semi-finals of their respective competitions.

Heather Duncan and Relle Donovan were two women from the Coffs Harbour region who were part of the Northern Eagles women’s 40s side who made it all the way to the semi-finals.

Duncan was proud of her side’s performance in making the final four teams in the country.

“It was a real team effort, we’ve been playing together for the last couple of years,” she said.

“It was all about playing for each other and just working for each other, playing together.

“It was good to go as far as we did and make the semis.”

Eagles women’s 40s coach Michael Kelly highlighted the improvement the team had made since the last national championships.

“Last year we didn’t win a game, and just to get to the semis is a great effort,” he said.

“Given the sides we play like Sydney and Brisbane Metro, the girls have done a great job.”

Coffs Harbour Mayor Paul Amos explained the National Touch League provided a major economic boost for the region.

“We’re looking at about 5000 people coming through the town for the week, and it’s an injection of about $4 million into our local economy,” he said.

 

By Aiden BURGESS