The First VI Touch team won the inaugural APS Touch premiership this year – but it was a nail biter.
Needing to at least draw in the last match of the season to finish top of the ladder and secure the championship, their opponents drew level and then held the ball with just a minute to go. One of our players was sent off and the other team used this to their advantage. It was a tense period of Touch. However, our team kept their cool and prevented the other team from scoring thus achieving the ultimate goal.
“The team really deserves to be congratulated for the final outcome,” says Regan Smith, one of three Co-Captains of the team. “We’d been beaten by this team before. No-one thought we were going to win this game, and a draw was only a slight possibility.”
“Our team included quite a few young players from Year 9 who didn’t have a lot of experience playing Touch, but they were quick and eager to learn. If they made a mistake they didn’t dwell on it. Instead, they’d just try to improve next time. Touch is a sport when if you put a bit of effort in and try to understand the game, you can do well in it,” adds Regan.
“It was also great that there were quite a few of us who were boarders at the School in the team,” he adds. “It’s cool to go to the match with the people you live with and, after a win, it’s a fun walk back to the boarding house. Plus, we have the support of all the other boarders. Loads of them came along to that last match. It made a huge difference.”
The history of Touch at Melbourne Grammar
Touch has been an inter-House sport in Senior School for many years. However, Melbourne Grammar School first fielded a First team and participated in an inter-school competition back in 2006, playing mainly, and eventually solely, against other APS schools. (There had been some modest involvement in an informal competition organised by a few other APS schools prior to that.)
As it seems to be quite often the case, Grimwade House was ahead of the game, adopting the sport in 2003.
This primary school inter-school competition fell under the auspices of APS (Associated Public Schools) Sport from the start, but the secondary school competition did not. It was only brought in under the umbrella of APS upon the request of APS schools for the first time this year.
In addition to the Firsts, and the Year 5 and Year 6 teams, APS facilitated competitions at the Seconds, and Years 7/8, 9 and 10 levels this year. Melbourne Grammar fielded teams in each of these.
Playing Touch (aka Touch Football)
A game of Touch comprises two 20-minute halves. the objective is to move the ball down the field and score tries without being touched. There is no tackling involved, only ‘touching’. Each team has six touches to advance the ball and score. After six touches, possession changes to the opposition. It’s a bit like playing chess on a rugby pitch and, as such, the game requires a considerable amount of thought and tactics.
First VII wins APS Water Polo premiership
In an undefeated season, the First VII Water Polo team has won the 2024 APS premiership for the second year in a row. Prior to 2023, Melbourne Grammar School had not held the cup since 2009.
Congratulations to the team on this outstanding result.
