MOREE’s own Lucena Deakin was named Player of the Finals when her club, Coolum Blue Fins, won the national women’s 27s touch football grand-final against Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association 4-3 in extra time at Coffs Harbour at the weekend.

Deakin is a world champion in her own right after last year wearing the green and gold for Australia as part of the Athelite Australian Emus mixed 30s touch team, who beat New Zealand at the Federation of International Touch World Cup in Nottingham, England.

She said winning the national women’s 27s competition on Sunday definitely put the Coolum Blue Fins on the map.

But the win didn’t come easy – not by a long shot.

“At half-time, we were up 3-1 but in the second-half Brisbane made an amazing comeback, with an equalising try on the hooter,” Deakin said.

“This took us to a drop-off scenario, where four players from each side play off with two whole minutes of game time.

“We defended the first set where Brisbane dropped the ball while attacking the line. We rucked out full-field, for a victorious scoot by our captain, Mez Walker, and a diving try by Charisma Burton.

“We defended two sets on our line to take the win – what a victory,” Deakin beamed.

“It was such a great outcome for a very deserving bunch of fun-loving girls – another gold medal to add to the pool room,” she laughed.

Lucena Deakin’s Coolum Blue Fins proudly show off their medals after winning the national women’s 27s touch football grand-final at Coffs Harbour (Image Supplied).

Deakin grew up in Moree with her parents John and Malou, and siblings James and Tracey, and began playing touch football nearly 20 years ago to “make up the numbers” while at boarding school.

Last year, she was afforded world champion status, and this year she and her Coolum team-mates are national champions after winning at the weekend.

Deakin lives on the Sunshine Coast with husband, Steve Gill, and their young children, Austin and Florence.

Somehow, she manages motherhood with an international touch football career, and her success at the weekend at national level was a proud family moment.

“We’ve had a long, six-month campaign leading up to this comp, after it was postponed due to Cyclone Afred,” Deakin said.

“An extended campaign meant sacrificing more weekends for training, which of course always plays on my ‘mum’ guilt,” she smiled.

“But being able to bring home another gold medal justified all the sacrifice, and it’s a big shout-out as well to all the other juggling mums on my team.”

Coolum Blue Fins started the competition strongly, beating Sydney Rebels 4-1, followed by a win against Western Australia, 8-3.

They then suffered their only loss, 5-3, to Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association – the team they ultimately beat in the race for gold.

Wins the following day against Australian Defence Force, 5-1, and Gold Coast Sharks, 4-3, put the Coolum Blue Fins in the semi-finals against Sydney Rebels.

“They definitely wanted the win to knock us out and go through to finals and at half-time, we were down two tries,” Deakin said.

“However, we put in the grind, worked hard to dig ourselves out of the trenches and get the win, 6-4.

“To seal the deal, we had a runaway try just before the hooter and this sent us through to the finals against Brisbane,” she said.

Lucena Deakin’s Coolum Blue Fins celebrate after winning the national women’s 27s touch football grand-final against Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association at Coffs Harbour (Image Supplied).

Deakin said Coolum Blue Fins took a different approach when mapping out a strategy for a crack at the national title.

“I suggested we put in a women’s 27s team, pivoting away from my usual mixed 30s side,” Deakin said.

The switch paid off in spades.

“This is my first Nationals win and one I won’t forget, and I’m also very grateful to take home the Player of the Finals award,” Deakin said.

“There was so much that went into this campaign. We started every game with an inspirational poem and a motivational captain’s speech. We worked for each other and never gave up. I’m very proud of our team.”

Deakin paid tribute to coach Geoff Hooper and assistant coach Cassie Vincitorio, team manager Lani Donnelly and captain Mez Walker.

“As a small, family-run affiliate club, we definitely put the Coolum Blue Fins on the map this year,” Deakin said.

In two weeks’ time, Deakin takes to the field again in the Mixed 30s State of Origin team.

“This will be a three-game series in Coffs Harbour again, and we’ll be up against some of my team-mates from our Australian side at last year’s World Cup – I’m excited about the reunion,” Deakin said.