Bali Geckos Win the Inaugural
Bali 9s Masters Australian Rules Championship.

The Bali Geckos staged a brave second-half comeback to win the Bali Nines Masters Australian Rules Championship held in Kuta last weekend. In hot conditions, the Geckos proved too fit for the Singapore Wombats, and the South Coast Buccaneers, from south-east New South Wales, in the round-robin competition. “It was a close final and we may have been lucky to get over the line, but a win is a win,” said Greg Hinchliffe, Gecko's player-of-the-tournament.

The Bali Nines Masters is a new division of the successful Bali Nines tournament which is held each October. In the Masters all players must be 35 or over during 2005. There are also a number of other minor changes made to normal AFL rules.

Hosted by the Bali Geckos Football Club in association with islandSportz, this year’s event will be a stepping stone to bigger events in the future. “Masters Australia Football endorsed this year’s event, but will play a much larger role in future tournaments” said Event director Peter Muir. “It is planned that the Bali Nines Masters will attract at least one team from all Australian states and territories in 2006."

Masters football is extremely popular in Australia, with thousands of participants playing regular games in a number of divisions based on age. According to Peter, combining Masters Rules with the unique format of the Bali Nines creates an exciting, modified version of the great Australian game. “Its fast and action packed and has been designed to suit more senior players.”

An exhibition game - Bali’s first ever Gaelic Football match - was staged as a lead up to the grand final. Played at a torrid pace, the match between the Bali Geckos and the Bottle Shop FC, a Bali based ex-pat soccer team, finished in a draw. Gaelic football is popular in Ireland and has been described as a cross between rugby and Australian Rules, although both are predated by the Gaelic game. The normal Gaelic rules were somewhat modified to suit the teams and the venue, with the result being the creation of Bali Gaelic Football, a game players and the crowd enjoyed.

The weekend's highlights also featured a ‘Superkick’ competition, where spectators and players competed to see who had the longest kick, and a ‘hit the wicket’ throwing competition coordinated by the Bali Cricket Development Centre. A junior football clinic was held in the morning before the games began.

For enquiries regarding the Bali Geckos Australian Football Club or the 2006 Bali Nines, click on www.balinines.com.