23/09/2026
On Sunday, 13 Under 13 Orange players travelled to Wollongong for our second-round Champion of Champions match, marking another significant milestone in what has been an extraordinary season.
We hired a bus and departed early Sunday morning for the long journey north, stopping for lunch at the very exciting landmark that is the Big Merino before continuing on to Wollongong.
Our scheduled 3pm kickoff was pushed back to 4pm, adding another challenge to an already long and hot day, with temperatures in the mid 30s for most of the afternoon. Three of our superstars, Jono, Mike and John, had already played with our Under 14s that morning.
Our opposition, Balgownie Junior FC, was an exceptionally strong side. Fierce on the ball, well organised and dominant in general play, they were a team that would have given our Under 16s a run for their money.
Our boys battled hard, eventually going down 4–0. While we would have loved a different result, we were proud of their efforts against such formidable opposition.
To have reached the final 16 teams in NSW and earned the opportunity to compete at this level is an achievement they should all be immensely proud of.
Special recognition goes to Jono, Frankie and Mike, who were our three equal standouts on the day, sharing the Best On & Dog awards. They showed tremendous effort, determination and commitment against exceptionally strong opposition. Well done, boys!
We would also like to acknowledge our opposition for the wonderful hospitality they showed us. The frozen oranges and drinks smuggled to us at halftime were greatly appreciated, particularly in the heat. Overall, they were strong, deserving and humble victors, and we wish them every success in the remainder of the competition.
Experiences like this are about far more than the result on the scoreboard. The boys will learn from playing against quality opposition, travelling together and experiencing football at a level many had not encountered before.
We also thank Avis Albury for being so accommodating and easy to work with in arranging our bus.
Most importantly, thank you to our 13 boys, who represented our club with pride.
TEAM FIRST. HEART. EFFORT. 🧡⚽
