University of Queensland win the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby National League
The University of Queensland Red Heavies have been crowned back-to-back champions of the Wheelchair Rugby National League in Sydney this afternoon, despite the efforts of hometown rival Bond University who staged a grandstand finish, falling just short of claiming their maiden league crown.
On the eve of the tournament, UQ’s talismanic leader Chris Bond was medically stood down, with clearance provided for one competition match only against the Melbourne Unicorns on Monday morning, the final match of the competition for UQ. The last-minute change opened the door for Bond, who pushed their overall points tally to equal with UQ across the weekend.
Photo credit: Serge Gonzalez
The Red Heavies held their nerve, securing the victory over a strong Melbourne Unicorns side to secure their second championship in as many seasons by way of countback, having won 13 of 15 matches across the three competition rounds, with Bond having won only 11.
The 2023 National League saw a significant lift in the standard of play across the board from the previous season, a sure sign the model is here to stay as a significant piece to the wheelchair rugby annual calendar.
Photo credit: Serge Gonzalez
Photo credit: Serge Gonzalez
Along with the crowning of the champions and runners’ up of the National League, the “All-Star Four” was also awarded, along side “National League Coach of the Year”, in the form of the following:
2023 Wheelchair Rugby National League - All Star Four
Best Low-Point Player: Jake Howe, Box Hill
Best Mid-Point Player: Andrew Edmondson, Sydney University
Best High-Point Player: Brayden Foxley – Conolly, Bond University
2023 Wheelchair Rugby National League MVP: Jayden Warn, Melbourne Unicorns
(L to R) Jake Howe (Box Hill), Chris Bond (UQ), Jayden Warn (Melbourne), Brayden Foxley-Conolly (Bond Uni) and Andrew Edmondson (Sydney University) | Photo credit: Serge Gonzalez
Additional Awards
2023 Coach of the Wheelchair Rugby National League: Chris Bond, UQ
2023 Wheelchair Rugby National League Runners’ Up: Bond University
2023 Wheelchair Rugby National League Champions: University of Queensland
To see a full list of results from the National League, click here.
Wheelchair Rugby Australia would like to take this time to thank all of the state program organisations involved in the organisation of their respective local rounds, athlete and team travel coordination and behind the scenes work in making the Wheelchair Rugby National League a success.
Competition now heads to the Gold Coast in June for the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby National Championship. For information on tickets, click here.