The men’s and women’s Grand Finals of the 2019 NRL Touch Premiership are on this Sunday, 18th August, at the SCG with the Parramatta Eels Women’s side to feature.
The 2019 NRL Touch Premiership Grand Finals will tap off at 12pm ahead of the 2pm Roosters vs Warriors NRL fixture, and will be broadcast live on Fox League, and live and on-demand on Kayo Sports.
This year has seen the first full season of the NRL Touch Premiership play out. The NRL Touch Premiership is an elite Touch Football tournament with men’s and women’s tournaments played simultaneously at major stadiums across Australia and New Zealand. Teams represent eight NRL clubs.
In the women’s Grand Final, the Parramatta Eels (top of the ladder) will take on the Brisbane Broncos after the Broncos won the Semi-Final against the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday 11th August at GIO Stadium.
In the men’s, the first-spot North Queensland Cowboys will take on the Newcastle Knights, who beat the Wests Tigers in the Semis.
Good luck to the Parramatta Eels Women’s Touch Premiership side in the Finals!
Touch Football Australia (TFA) CEO Jamie O’Connor said these four teams will put on a phenomenal show for spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground this Sunday.
“The four teams in the Grand Final on Sunday feature some of the best touch footballers in the world.” he said. “There isn’t too much between the teams in either the men’s or women’s; all are star-studded with Australian and State of Origin representatives.
“In the Women’s, the Parramatta Eels and the Brisbane Broncos have a long-standing rivalry from years of doing battle in past finals of the Elite 8, the tournament that the NRL Touch Premiership replaced. They’ve made their way through to the decider in a contrasting fashion – the Eels cruised through as Minor Premiers with a sole loss in their last round match against the Titans. On the other hand, the Broncos have been a little slow to the party but showed their class at the back end of the season, and a strong win in their Semi-Final against the Titans will serve them well this week.
“In the Men’s, the North Queensland Cowboys are probably considered the benchmark of the NRL Touch Premiership. They’ve been the strongest domestic team for several years, having taken out the last three Elite 8 tournaments. They have talent across the park and are led by Phil Gyemore, who has recently been appointed Australia’s Men’s Open Coach.
“But the Newcastle Knights are a young and talented squad and if there is one team that can knock the Cowboys off their mantle, it’s the Knights – the men that make up a large proportion of the team have won pretty much every major New South Wales tournament in the last 12 months, as well as a national title earlier this year.
“Both Grand Final games will be entertaining spectacles from world-class athletes who are extremely fast, with phenomenal footwork and ball skills.”
Last year, 2018, saw the NRL Touch Premiership launch, though that was a pilot tournament with just seven gamedays. This year the tournament has seen a full season played over five months.
Key facts about the 2019 NRL Touch Premiership
8 NRL clubs: The tournament has expanded from six NRL clubs in 2018 to eight in 2019, with the Sydney Roosters and the New Zealand Warriors joining the Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels, Newcastle Knights, Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys in this elite Touch Football tournament.
240 elite athletes: Each of the eight NRL clubs have fielded both an elite women’s and elite men’s touch team, meaning that more than 120 female and 120 male athletes have been competing to win their club a Premiership.
26 gamedays: The tournament has also significantly extended in gamedays since 2018 – from just seven in 2018 to 26 in 2019. The tournament runs over a period of five months, from 6th April to 18th August 2019.
More than 10 stadiums: Matches have been played at all major stadiums throughout Australia (including ANZ, Suncorp and CBUS Stadiums), as well as the brand new Western Sydney Stadium, Adelaide Oval, Glen Willow Stadium in Mudgee, GIO Stadium in Canberra and Mt Smart Stadium in New Zealand.
