State Shield 2022
/The 2022 State Shield was certainly a weekend to remember!
Held in Maroochydore QLD, State saw five teams come together from Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales to battle it out for the title of Australia's best and, as a result, we all got to see some truly exceptional quidditch.
Day One saw teams compete for the highest rankings they could, with first place at the end of the day receiving an automatic spot in the 3-game Grand final Series. Ultimately, it was the NSW Bluetongues who topped the Day One charts.
Day Two started off strong, the grandstands were getting warned up for the day, and everyone watched in amazement as the Leadbeaters and Thunderbirds fought for the final place in the Grand final Series. After mighty efforts all round, the Thunderbirds took the game with a snitch catch, sending them through to take on the Bluetongues, while the VIC Leadbeaters, NSW Bluebottles and QLD Firehawks would battle it out for 3rd, 4th and 5th place.
During the first Grand final match, the Bluetongues pushed ahead early and, despite a great snitch catch to the Thunderbirds, NSW managed to maintain enough of a lead to take the game. With the second Final match fast approaching, the Thunderbirds knew they needed a win or the Shield would, once again, go to NSW. It was a grueling challenge that saw both teams give their all, and a quick snitch catch from QLD saw tensions rise, but the Bluetongues had enough momentum to cinch the necessary three goals, and secure themselves the title of 2022 State Shield winners!
The playoffs for the final rankings between the remaining teams were, according to some reports, an even better watch than the Grand final games. Each team fought tooth and nail, and every player proved their place in the tournament. The Leadbeaters, Bluebottles and Firehawks each respectively took home 3rd, 4th and 5th place, wrapping up what is sure to be a State Shield for the books!
Instead of playing a third Grand final match, an Empowerment Exhibition Match was organised. Women and non-binary players were invited to participate in game that also featured a non-binary Head Ref and snitch. Onlookers, who were predominately men, noted that the match was no less physical or exhilarating to watch, and had a blast cheering on their team mates from the sidelines.
The tournament closed with the presentation of medals and the Shield, as well as the announcement of Most Value Players. Two MVPs were selected specifically from the Grand final games, Bluetongues players Samantha Chittenden and Brandon Frison, but the overall tournament MVPs were Leadbeaters Hannah Walravens and Sam Kilpatrick. All MVPs played exceptionally over the weekend and were well-deserving of their titles. Topping off the celebrations, the State Shield Social was held at Duporth Tavern in Maroochydore and was, by all accounts, a fabulous night.
The weekend wouldn't have been possible without the help if many different people. A notable mention includes Sandman Technical, the 2022 State Shield sponsors, and specifically Glenn who, despite some technical difficulties, captured every match and will be uploading all footage in the near future. Some more notable mentions include Nic Radoll and Deadly Sports Plus, who supported our players through what was undoubtedly a tough weekend of physical activity, Scott and Steven with their commentary and livestream support, Eden, Jaimee and Dash - our volunteers - as well as everyone who helped ref, snitch, pitch manage, photograph and support us during this event. A special shoutout to Alistair Yapp, the event organiser, who ensured State Shield ran as smoothly as possible.
Another exciting feature of this State Shield was the introduction of two-armed tackling and behind contact. Not only did these new rules make for great viewing and awesome photos, but it has become an equaliser of sorts, allowing players of all sizes to unleash their full contact potential on field. According to Nic Radoll, Deadly Sports Plus founder and quidditch-specialised medic, this State Shield had the lowest rate of injuries, with most occurring from off-ball movement, which suggests that these new contact rules can truly benefit the safety of our players.
Overall, the 2022 State Shield was a fantastic weekend, which saw players coming together from across the country for the first national tournament since 2019. Congratulations to NSW Bluetongues on a well deserved win, and well done to all the teams for a great weekend of Quidditch!