Gold Coast Titans and the Carina Leagues Club Tigers have claimed victory in the 18U and 16U grand finals at the Nissan State Titles in Brisbane.
Playing in the state titles for the first time, the Titans overcame the USQ Jets with a 36-28 win in the 18U final at Nissan Arena on Tuesday.
The Tigers meanwhile held off a fast-finishing ACU Brisbane North Cougars to secure 16U title, winning their final 34-26.
Titans’ goal attack Talitah Faifai was named MVP of the 18U final with the Gold Coast club overcoming a 9-6 first quarter deficit to hit the front in the second quarter before pulling away to victory.
In the 16U, Tigers goal shooter Tia Crombie backed up her Ruby Series grand final MVP efforts to be named MVP of the 16U decider.
The finals wrapped up a three-day feast of high-quality netball featuring the best young players across the state.
A total of 244 athletes from 23 teams competed across both grades with Bond University Bull Sharks defeating Capricorn Claws in the 18U third-place playoff while USC Thunder overcame the Titans in the 16U third-place decider.
A PacificAus Sports Invitational team made up of athletes and coaches from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Papua New Guinea also took part in the 18U competition, gaining valuable experience following a week-long camp in Brisbane as part of the partnership in place between Netball Queensland and Netball Australia, with thanks to the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trading.
Approximately 40 bench officials and umpires from across Queensland also played a key role in the tournament’s success.
Following the titles, a selection of 17U and 19U players have been chosen by Netball Queensland as State Squads to trial throughout the month of November before a final cohort of 16 players is chosen in both age groups in December.
Those squads will then complete a final selection process in January where the final team and training partners are chosen for next year’s Netball Australia National Championships.
