Twenty-six minutes is nothing when you've been playing oztag for over 20 years.
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The inaugural ACT women's masters team claimed the National Championships title in Coffs Harbour last week, defeating the Sydney Vipers after 26 grueling minutes of extra-time.
There was blood, sweat and tears as Kendra Hall put the match to bed with a championship-winning try in the corner.
The crowd raised their hands in unison and performed the Viking Clap as coach John Phillips ran onto the field in celebration, but his five remaining players lay on the field with utter exhaustion.
Officials reduced the game to five aside and the sudden death pursued until there was a one-try advantage with an unsuccessful right of reply.
"They're phenomenal athletes. For them to play for 26 minutes with full intesnity after playing nine games is just torture," Phillips said.
"We had a mentality [of never giving up]. We've built a family of trust and every play is part of this family.
"We aren't playing for ourselves - we're playing for this group of women who have gone on this journey without winning nationals, but to win our first title as masters is a phenomenal effort.
"The women's 27's team also won their final, so we had two ACT teams win finals for the first time in 22 years."
Phillips led a group of 18 athletes to the championships, including 17 mothers with 51 children between them.
The oztag side barely trained together as a complete group due to family commitments and Phillips said some athletes spent their breaks managing their kids over the phone while preparing for their next match.
"Winning a national championship in our first effort having 51 kids in the back of it, the commitment paid off," Phillips said.
"We never had a full training because sometimes the kids come first. A lot of the mothers were cooking lasagnas and meals for the dads before they went away for the weekend and receiving phone calls, one [father] had to ask where the swimmers were for swimming lessons.
"They're a wonderful group of women and an inspiration to me as a coach."
Lucie Bertoldo
Lucie Bertoldo is a sports reporter for the Canberra Times.
Lucie Bertoldo is a sports reporter for the Canberra Times.
