Day 3 Summary - Wheelchair Rugby National League 2024 - Sydney Slam
The final day of the 2024 Wheelchair Rugby National League got underway this morning with players and spectators keenly anticipating which team would claim the Sydney Slam victory and become overall National League Champions.
Match 1: Division 1 Bronze Medal Bond University 53 vs Box Hill RUFC 66
The first match of the day was the Division 1 third place match. With both sides wanting to finish the competition on a high, the opening exchange was tight. Josh Hose had an impressive performance for Box Hill whilst Christian Brackley and Naz Erdem were strong in defence. For the Bull Sharks, Mick Ozanne lead the defence whilst Cooper Blackwood had a solid performance closing out his first competition in Division 1. In the end, the Victorian outfit were too good, final score 66-53.
Match 2: Division 2 Hunter Wildfires 30 vs Victoria Protect Thunder 45
In front of a packed stand, the final Division 2 match up saw both teams battle it out for the 5th time across the weekend. For the Wildfires, the ever-reliable Scott McKay had another strong performance whilst Zak Robertson continued to impress. For the Thunder, the experience of Jake Field and Shane Brand combined with Bradley Burns’ speed proving again too much for the Wildfire as the Victorian side completed the clean sweep. Final score 45-30.
Match 3: Division 1 Gold Sydney University 54 vs University of Queensland 47
Sydney University and University of QLD came into the Sydney Slam joint leaders on the cumulative National League ladder, with both teams looking to clinch the 2024 National League Championship with a win in the final match of the day. The cohesive unit of Sydney Uni looked well oiled as Jayden Jackson and the mercurial AJ Holloway combined throughout leading the Sydney Uni offence. For UQ, sporting a black eye from her semi final heroics, Jacinta Richardson was out in full force whilst Cam Whittaker impressed leading the court from end to end. Across the board, the low point plyers had a strong performances with Ryan Boyd and Ash Treseder standouts for their respective sides. In the end, the hometown team finished the tournament undefeated and crowned the 2024 National League Champions. Final score 54-47.
A massive congratulations to all the athletes who competed across the three rounds of competition. Wheelchair Rugby Australia would like to express a massive thank you to all the people who made this National League possible:
Sponsors and Partners, in particular League Partners: ISPS Handa, The Rugby Club Foundation, Charter Care and Wheelchair Vehicle Sales.
Officials
Administrators
The teams behind the teams: Coaches, Managers, Mechanics & Support Staff
Everyone who came out to watch a National League round in 2024
Most importantly, the athletes.
The National League would not run without you and we’re excited to see what National League becomes moving forward with your continued support.
2024 National League Results
National League Champions: Sydney University
National League Runners Up: University of QLD
2024 National League Award Winners
Division 2 All Star 4:
- High Pointer: Jack Watson
- Mid Pointer: Zak Robertson
- Low Pointer: Will Taheny
- MVP: Shane Brand
Division 1 All Star 4:
- High Pointer: Robyn Lambird
- Mid Pointer: Lilliana Prucha
- Low Pointer: Mick Ozanne
- MVP: Jayden Jackson
2024 Best Coach: Ben Newton
The Sydney Slam is the conclusion of the 2024 National League but don’t worry! It will be back bigger and better next year. In the mean time, all eyes turn to the 2024 Paralympics as we cheer the Steelers on in their quest for Gold. Stay tuned for all the info you need to support from home!
Author: Ben Hayes