Victoria’s Open Men’s team headed into the Barastoc Interstate Challenge with a clear goal, and came agonisingly close to bringing home the title.
The Vics opened strongly, defeating NSW 29–14, with Jesse Walsh named Player of the Match. A tight contest against Queensland under lights followed, Victoria pushed hard but fell just short, going down 20–21, with Harry Semmens taking Player of the Match honours in a game that came right down to the wire.
Victoria bounced back in style, backing up with a 26–17 win over NSW, Tim Finlayson earning Player of the Match, to secure their place in the final.
The final against Queensland proved a bridge too far, with the Vics going down 23–13. Two wins against NSW and a single-goal loss under lights made for a genuine team effort across the weekend, and Victoria finished the tournament as runners-up.
Well done to the whole squad on a strong showing at Barastoc 2026.
