Saturday, 15 November 2008 will be known as the day a new and exciting initiative came to Victoria, with the inaugural V.A.L.T.A Representative Shield (Victoria and Lebanon Touch Associations) and VicWests Cup played between the Victorian Men’s and Lebanon Men’s and Victorian Women’s and Wests Magpies Women’s.

The day was not without drama as the fierce storms which have been sweeping the east coast of Australia recently, delaying many of the Wests Women’s players and leaving them stranded in Sydney and forcing them to sleep on the floor at Sydney airport. The hard concrete floor and uncomfortable chairs did not dampen the spirits of the girls who simply waited until the morning to jump a plane to Melbourne and play some quality touch.

Fresh from a disappointing runners up trophy in the NSWTA Vawdon Cup the Wests girls had something to prove and the new look Victorian Women’s team were well in their sights.  Victoria's Suzy Barrett once again dusted of the boots to head the team littered with quality including Leah Percy, Toni Breeze, Pat Car and Sally Hamilton who all represented Crusaders at this years NTL in Coffs Harbour. Suzy lead them straight into battle against the ladies from Sydney who where out to impress in the inaugural series.

The games displayed the quality and direction in which Victorian touch is fast becoming known very physical and never die attitude. The game started like all others with end to end play and early indication looked as though Vic may just pull something special out with a Leah Percy dart from half to find Mel Ashmore on the wing to level the scores 1-1, this was about as close as it got as the Stacey Lapman lead Wests Women’s team shifted gears and really begun to turn on the heat. Wests were at full strength just after half time when the final two players including Nola Cambel finally made it to the grounds after the airport dramas. They begun to throw the ball around and move forward with pure pace which the Vic girls found hard to contain. The girls never gave in the entire game and really displayed the character they are now known for which is commitment to each other. The final score was 9-2 and some work ahead before game 2.

Game 2 was very much a repeat of the first with the Vic girls hanging in the game for the first 15 min but simple errors in good attacking position let them down with drop balls and simple mistakes. The Vic girls had not played against a quality team like Wests in over a year and not only did they have to contend with the heat and wind on the day but many players were breaking down with the sub box resembling a casualty ward with ice packs and strapping being applied, although many were limping around the girls did not give in and all players completed the game despite injury and eventually going down 11-2. Wests coach Milad Almaoui had the girls looking fit and ready for game 3.

Game 3 was reduced to a 30min turn around game in which Vic produced their best performance of the day and can count themselves unlucky that a few calls did not go their way. The pace had gone from the game but the passion and desperation had not with some spectacular touchdown and saves from the ladies. Nikki Albury and Nicole McHugh were standouts in game 3 as was Leah Percy and Tony Breeze for the Vic women’s.  Game 3 finished 6-1 in favour of the visitors.

The Men’s series was one of anticipation for many of the Vic Men’s players as there has been much speculation regarding the team’s make up and selection. The Lebanon team saw them field no less than 10 members of there world cup bronze medal winning team with two players involved in this years Sydney Vawdon Cup and coached by men’s Vawdon Cup winning coach Terry Cooper and Wests and Lebanon stalwart Paul Sfier.  Victoria saw some very new faces take the field with 4 players from this years Vic 20s making there step up with 10 Victorian Men’s debutants all up. Coached by old Lebanon boy Elias El Chaar the matches were always going to be interesting.

Game 1 started with the usual banter you would expect from a Men’s game with plenty of early niggle although it was the Lebanon Men’s pint sized stepping machine Mick Abood who single handily destroyed the Vic defence time and time again with his deadly left foot step. The Vic boys had no answer for this and on the odd occasion he would step two in the one motion, amazing to watch. Although once the nerves settled the Vic running game begun and the 6-2 halftime deficit slowly begun to decrease with four touchdowns to the Vics scored in quick time to bring the game within reach. Timmy Glazbrook was his usual self with plenty of quickies and dive over touchdowns and his blistering pace to glide by defenders who were left looking at each other and wondering what happened. Elias was coping a hard time from the Lebanon boys with a little niggle from Anthony Nader in the touches. Though it was the old man and most Capped Vic team member Stephen Young who played a great game running some great lines to score inside players throughout the day running off Elias and Timmy G. But it was the long balls of Trent Touma and Jye Ayoub who continually threw balls 30 metres flat over the wingers head to keep the Vic boys guessing that didn’t allow Vic to remain in the game. There scramble defence was solid but Mick Abood had done the damage scoring 5 touchdowns on his own. The game was eventually won by Lebanon 12-8.

Game 2 was one of renewed belief of confidence and ability for the Vic team as discussed in the pre game warm up but one which never really materialised. The Lebanon boys came out with a re-newed attitude scoring some good touchdowns set up by Jye and Trent. The Vic teams lack running cost them early until a spray at half time from coach El Chaar. This lifted the team into action and once again some quick touchdowns scored with Vince Demaria diving at every chance he could to score. But the Trent Touma show continued as did the Mick Abood Step fest and Vic had no answer to the quality of these two players who left the final score at 12-5 in game 2.

Game 3 for the Men had also been reduced to a 30min turn around game and just like the women’s the men saved their best to last with a display that all players should be proud of. Team work was the order of the day and for the first time the Vic’s found their running game consistently and also found themselves in front for the first time during the day and one which rallied them to some exceptional touch no more then the play which saw the crowd cheer when Vince and Youngy produced a perfect play to score and set up a frantic final five minutes. Player's commitment and desperation was on show in this epic battle and with the clock running down the Lebanon machine knew they had to do something special to save the match or risk ridicule from Elias for the entire night. As the final stages of the match neared the Lebanon boys only required one more touch to secure a tight fought 4-3 win but a Timmy G ball to the hole hitting Vince saw the match head to drop off. This was the Vic’s big chance to shine, but the fast feet of Mick Abood once again saved the Lebanon side as he casually step left and strolled over for the winning touchdown. The experience of players like Spiro Tourni, Mick Ishac, Anthony Nader, Ahmed Daizli and Simon Assoni was too much for the Vic boys but the experience was one to remember.

The day was a complete success with all players thoroughly enjoying the series and "After Party" with plans already underway for 2009.

Match results

Men’s

Victoria 8 lost to Lebanon 12

Victoria 5 lost to Lebanon 12

Victoria 4 lost to Lebanon 5 (drop off)

VALTA Shield winners - Lebanon

Men’s Player of the series

Pfiers/Butler award – Elias El Chaar (Victoria)

Women’s

Victoria 2 lost to West’s 9

Victoria 2 lost to West’s 11

Victoria 1 lost to West’s 6

VicWests Cup winners - West’s

Women’s Player of the Series

Almoui/Barrett award – Nicole McHugh (West’s)

Victorian Women

Melissa Ashmore

Sally Hamilton

Toni Breeze

Andrea Frankpitt

Leah Percy

Kristen Friend

Julia Barry

Bree Watkins

Jen Galea

Natalie Frizzell

Kiriwai Hedges

Pat Car

Suzy Barrett

Coach- Mick Carter

             Suzy Barrett

Wests Women

Stacey Lapham
Nola Campbell
Nicole Mchugh
Nicky Albery
Tara Mohi
Tina Mohi
Elesha Dougal
Bojana Mali
Holly Shorter
Kim Fretus
Sally Fitzsimmons
Melissa Mitchell
Leah Opie
Jaya Callinan

Coach- Milad Almaoui

Lebanon Men

Michael Abood

John Alha

Simon Assoni

Jai Ayoub

Liam Ayoub

Charbel Bainou

Andrew Daher

Ahmad Daizli

Michael Ishac

Charbel Maroun

Tony Mattar

Anthony Bader

Tony Tannous

Trent Touma

Spiro Tourni

Jonathan Wehbe

Coach- Terry Cooper

             Paul Sfeir

Victorian Men

Elias El Chaar

Tim Glazebrook

Stephen Young

Richard Johnston

Finlay Batts

Vincent Demaria

Chris Casey

Vu Le

Steven Huynh

Hamish Mclean

Ben Coupe

Paul Rogers

Lano Fonua

Coach- Elias El Chaar

            Nathan Yiangou

Refs- Kathey Sweeney (QLD)

         Jillian McRoberts (VIC)

         Sally Melzer  (VIC)

         Brad Smith (QLD)

         Gavin West (NSW)

         Steve Cratchley (VIC)

         Leigh Bryant (VIC)

Thank you to Touch Football Victoria for providing the article content.