Another weekly snapshot of news in touch footy around Australia...

· Asics have released their latest touch shoe, the Asics Lethal Touch `Pro'. The shoes retail at $130 but will be available soon for $110 on the ATA merchandising page. All sizes will be available.

· Feel like getting to know our National Training Squad members a little better? Well, Ben Robinson and Troy Malcolm are Simpsons fans, while Garry Sonda and Chris Farrow share the same pet hate...smoking!

Matt Curran describes his perfect day as "on a house boat, fishing lines out, ski boat ready and beers on ice!'

If Phil Gyemore could be stuck in an elevator with any 6 people, he'd chose Ricky Stuart, Michael Jordan, Anthony Robbins, Denzel Washington, Ray Barone and Damon Wayons.

If you're wondering where these random (and slightly useless) facts are coming from, keep an eye on the ATA website for complete player profiles on all National Training Squad members, to be posted soon!

· NSW country sides are busy preparing for their Country Championships, with 89 teams having registered for the tournament. The draw will be available on the NSWTA website later this week.

· The ATA is also pleased to announce that the 2004 NSW Country teams will tour Victoria to compete in the Australia Cup this October. They will compete against Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and the ACT sides.

· It's just 4 weeks until the Australian senior teams head overseas to South Africa, England and Jersey, finishing with the 2004 European Championships.

· Congratulations to Tony Trad who was named `Coach of the month' and Ashley Farrow and Louise Winchester who were named as the two `players of the month' on the My Club Touch website. Check out the My Club Touch website for more information using the link on the ATA site or http://www.myclubtouch.com.au/

· If you haven't been to the ATA website for a while and feel like you're out of the loop on the news scene, check out the `news archive' link on the homepage for all the news of recent months.

· The ATA is looking for those suitable qualified and active team managers, interested in taking on the management of Australian Open and Junior teams. Check out the ATA website for more information.


Rachel Moyle