Twenty Kiama Oztag players featured across the two Illawarra sides that claimed national titles at the Australian Championships in Coffs Harbour.

Held from 7-9 November, the tournament saw more than 75 Kiama players take part, with both the Men’s 35s and Men’s 60s teams advancing all the way to their grand finals - and taking home the titles.

“It was massive. Illawarra hasn’t had an over-35s team since the name changed from the Vipers to the Steelers a few years ago,” said Kiama Oztag Coordinator Keiron Duncan.

“So to go up there and win it is a massive achievement. We had nine Kiama Phantoms in that side, plus they were coached by Kiama’s Ben Cairncross.”

The Men’s 60s victory was also heavily influenced by Kiama talent, with 11 local players in the squad. The team was captain-coached by Kiama’s Ross Thomas.

Thomas said he was thrilled with the win when interviewed by Duncan following the final.

“I’m pretty tired after seven or eight games to get to the grand final, but winning eases every bit of pain in your body, that’s for sure,” Thomas said.

“It’s good to see all those 60s guys getting up and having a go - I really admire it. And for our guys, we were probably not the prettiest team, but we worked the hardest in defence, and at the end of the day that’s what matters.”

Thomas said the Over 60s competition was incredibly tight, with no easy games throughout the tournament.

“All the games were really tight - we had a couple of draws, then a 2-1 win, 3-1 win, 4-2 win - so all these teams were really competitive. I just admire all these older blokes and ladies who keep playing the game,” he said.

All but three Illawarra Steelers sides made the finals over the weekend, including the Women’s Opens team, who fell agonisingly short in their grand final.

Duncan praised not only the Kiama players and officials but also the support across the broader region.

“It’s a collective effort where all our associations come together to show how strong we are as a region.

"Playing under that banner is a credit to all the committee members and to the level of talent in the area,” Duncan said.