SHOAL Bay touch football sensation Ali Mitchell has capped a memorable international debut series in the green and gold.
The 17-year-old Nelson Bay Neptunes junior product enhanced her reputation after spearheading the Australian Emus to an Asia Pacific Youth Touch Cup championship title in the Girls 18yrs division at Redcliffe.
Ali produced a masterclass display in the final, nabbing two tries and creating others, to engineer a 6-1 victory over the New Zealand Touch Blacks.
For her top class display she earned the Players’ Player award.
She also finished the tournament’s leading female try scorer in all divisions with eleven and second overall from all men’ s and womens’ international competitions – an incredible feat.
Australia were crowned Champion Nation after claiming victory in four of six divisions – the Girls 18yrs, Boys 18yrs, Womens 2os and the Mixed 20s.
New Zealand defeated the Emus 9-7 in the Mixed 18yrs and 5-4 in the Mens 20s to collect a trophy double.
It was another successful chapter for Ali, a Year 12 student at Tomaree High School, in her touch football journey.
The mercurial link has proved a revelation in the women’s touch football arena and continues to make every post a winner in both the junior and senior ranks.
Ali was joined in Brisbane by close friend and talented middle Ava Forster from Anna Bay, who was part of the Emus’ Asia Pacific Youth Touch Cup-winning Women’s 20s team.
The elusive Ava played strongly in Australia’s 9-2 Grand Final victory over the Touch Blacks and also against Samoa, Cook Islands and Singapore throughout the series.
She will form a Port Stephens connection with Ali when the duo represent NSW Under 20s in the women’s State of Origin Challenge against Queensland on June 28-29 at Coffs Harbour.
The Australian Emus’ successes in the international arena follow their heroics at the recent Open Trans-Tasman Series where they completed a clean sweep over the Kiwis.
Next assignment for Ali is teaming up with elder sister Maddi and Ava in the Hunter Hornets Open Women’s representative team for the National Touch League series in Coffs Harbour.
By Chris KARAS
