NSW Senior State Cup: Port Macquarie hosts touch football festival

After securing the event for a further three years in February and bouncing back from a disruptive two years, the Port Macquarie Touch Association is looking to further solidify the region's reputation as a premier host.

Teams from 48 affiliate associations will play pool matches on Friday and Saturday with finals on Sunday.

Port Macquarie has six teams in action; men's under-20s, mixed open A, mixed seniors, mixed masters, women's masters and women's under-20s.

The 2022 Senior State Cup was hailed a success. The Makos women's masters side head into the tournament defending champions after defeating Sharks Touch Football Club in a thrilling grand final last year.

Under new president Wayne Gleeson the association is hopeful of regaining the Junior State Cup Northern Conference after losing hosting rights to Dubbo. The Central West city has the rights until the 2026 tournament.

Gleeson said he was working to strengthen relationships with NSW Touch and the other affiliates after the weather affected events of 2021-22.

"Our goal is to build the relationship back up with NSW Touch and the other affiliates because we've had a tough time over the last few years," he said.

"It's all heading in the right direction and the ultimate goal is to win the Junior State Cup back as well and try to nurture our kids through."

The three-day event, held at the Regional Stadium and Tuffins Lane from December 1-3, injects about $4 million into the Hastings economy.

With drainage a key issue at Tuffins Lane, Gleeson said the association will again look to the skies in the lead up to this year's event.

"We're at the peril of the elements, any sort of rain event, Tuffins Lane does flood reasonably quick. It is built on swamp lands," he said.

"We've also worked hard with council and had some great directors and mayor (Peta) Pinson behind us to get some studies done in next year's operational plan budget.

"We might be able to bounce back on the fields within 24 hours as opposed to three days if we can get drainage work (done)."

Port Macquarie hosted the first senior State Cup in 1977 and every year it has been run since 1989. The region first hosted the junior event in 2013.

The association will celebrate their 50^th anniversary next year.

"We're just going through records and Alan Foote and Les Murphy were the original guys that got the State Cup to Port Macquarie and we're looking at doing a bit of a show next year to include all that," Gleeson said.

"Also working out who were the mainstays in building Port Macquarie Touch and also getting the State Cup."

Friday: 3.35pm vs Philippines (Field 3), 5.20pm vs Peninsula (Field 5)

Saturday: 9.10am vs Beresfield (Field 14), 11.30am vs Penrith (Field 5), 2.25pm v Hills (Stadium), 4.10pm v Wallsend (Field 21)

Friday: 10.55am v Newcastle (Field 19), 1.15pm v Taree (Field 8)

Saturday: 8.35am v Beresfield (Field 9), 12.05pm v Doyalson (Field 15), 5.20pm v Tamworth (Field 1)

Friday: 8.00am v Maitland (Field 8), 9.45am v Nelson Bay (Field 7), 12.40pm v Sharks (Field 5)

Saturday: 8:00am v Taree (Field 22), 10.55am v Beresfield (Field 8), 3.00pm v Orange (Field 5)

Friday: 9.45am v Berkeley Vale (Field 23), 12.05pm v Tamworth (Field 18)

Saturday: 10.55am v Raptors (Field 2), 1.15pm v Northern Beaches (Field 4)

Friday: 10.55am v Carlingford (Field 5), 1.15pm v Newcastle (Field 3), 3.35pm (Field 6)

Saturday: 8.35am v Central Coast (Field 18), 12.05pm v Maitland (Field 24)

Friday: 8.35am v Newcastle (Field 6), 12.40pm v Manly (Field 6), 3.00pm v Ballina (Field 7)

Saturday: 9.10am v Balmain (Field 2), 1.50pm v Macksville (Field 14), 4.10pm v Doyalson (Field 4)

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