2023 Asia-Oceanic Ultimate and Guts Championship - Tournament Preview
Helen Epstein and a team IOU Contributors
As Australia approaches the end of winter, the ultimate community turns its attention to the muggy skies of Manila. Three Australian teams will take the fields on 6th - 10th September to determine three regional champions, for the first time since 2019. The Asia-Oceanic Ultimate and Guts Championship is back.
2019 seems like a lifetime ago, so in case you’ve forgotten (we definitely had to do some furtive Googling), Japan dominated the men’s and women’s divisions and the Philippines took the title in mixed. The Firetails and Dingoes were within inches of gold at the last AOUGC, both losing to Japan within only a few points. The Barramundis placed 5th, with a tight quarter final loss to Team India.
But a lot can change in four years. It’s anyone’s game in 2023.
AOUGC is a bit of a wild card tournament. There are club teams, national teams and did we even spy a u24 team? If you look hard enough you might even spot a team from United Arab Emirates, and a whole Mixed Masters division (although disappointingly - no Australian Masters team).
All the divisions have odd numbers of teams, making the pools uneven. Those in the bigger pool will have an extra pool game before going to quarters (Dingoes will have six pool games while Japan has five, etc.)
Will the Philippines sustain their energy on home soil? Will Japan keep their cool and dominate again? And what will the four years time away reveal? One thing we do know is Team Australia is STACKED. Our eyes were watering reading those team lists.
Stick around to find out a bit more about each team as they make their way to Manila.
Mixed Division
We chatted to Col Phink, coach of the Barramundis.
Tell us about your campaign so far.
2023 Mundis began with the most interest that has (to our knowledge) ever been expressed in a mixed team. Half the athletes (give or take) that applied for Team Australia preferenced mixed. Head Coach Bree put a real emphasis from the very first session at the first selection camp that joy would be central to the success of our team, and in addition to our performance goals, we would always have a strong focus on fun and good vibes. We've been winning, on that front, all the way through so far.
Describe your team in two words.
No, because we have 3! The Mundis are LER. Loud. Encouraging. Relentless. We're intent on making the combination of these three our signature right throughout this campaign. (I would add that the people in this team are *incredibly* silly, too, but we didn't put that into our cheer 😂)
Is there anything new you’ve done with this team that you’re really proud of?
As the most diverse team in Team Australia, by gender, by geography, by experience... we're really stoked with how quickly the group has come together and cohered into a *team*. It very much feels like a family already, which is a wonderful achievement after only three camps.
How will you measure success as a team?
We've talked a lot about taking total control and responsibility for how we play. We're not interested in letting the conditions, our opponents, the score, or anything else, interrupt our ability to choose our highest performance state and execute on it. Our highest level of performance might be enough to win the championship, and it might not. Our goal (and our primary measure of success) is to know that we've consistently reached it, no matter what we're up against.
Which players on your team should fans keep their eye on?
Expect Dennis Tran to get big-time horizontal and make some huge plays. Expect Adrienne Fleming to quietly sneak around the field absolutely destroying the opposition's defences with beautifully timed cuts and well-placed throws.
The Barramundis face Brunei and Singapore on Day 1. We wish them the best of luck and can’t wait to see what they can do!
Shout out to the flight attendant who announced the Australian team’s presence over the intercom and incited a round of applause from the entire plane.
Opens
The 2023 Dingoes are coached by head coach Yew Eng Ng and assistant coach Greta Murdoch. six of the seven 2022 male Crocs feature on this team, laying the foundation for something spectacular to grow. Captained by seasoned Dingoes Rob Andrews, Tom Tulett and Alex Ladomatos, the team will use that Sunder and Ellipsis muscle memory plus some big names from around the nation.
We caught up with some of the players while waiting at the airport. Here’s what they had to say:
"This team feels special - I guess you feel that to some extent about all national teams you play on but the amount of admiration and respect of all the guys who make up this team is on another level for me. I feel like there’s great expectation to win the tournament both from us and from the community we represent and I’m excited for our team to embrace and rise to that challenge" - Alex Gan
"There's a huge sense of excitement about this team and what we could achieve in this tournament. We're not afraid to say that we want to come home with the gold - a step closer from our Silver efforts in 2019. This team is set to do some amazing things and I can't wait to see each of my teammates do something special, make "that play", and leave a legacy." - James Bray
"On a personal level, and quite specifically, I want Olly to say to me 'yo that D was wild' after winning a gold medal. More generally, I'm excited for us all to get to know each other a little more, finding out all the ways each individual is special on and off the field. Also, I want us to learn how to support each dingo to thrive and be their best. I assume I'll laugh a lot, and have a great time. It's a forgone conclusion really with this pack!" - Alex Ladomatos
"Business trip. We’re setting out to do something no Dingoes team has done before, and everyone’s commitment to excellence is going to set us up for success." - Dylan Bennett
"I am definitely feeling confident for the tournament coming. The hype is slowly building for me for sure, and I'm really keen to put it all on the line at the tournament. I would say the Dingoes boys are looking mint. We’re fast, fit, and versatile. I would say be ready to see some non-traditional structures and plays, while still maintaining that relentlessness and clinical execution." - Ferdy Rahmadhan
"With the cancellation of worlds in 2020, it is incredibly exciting for the Dingoes to be returning to the field again. We have an incredibly deep roster of athletes who have been showcasing their abilities in the domestic and club seasons and it will be incredibly exciting to come up against Asia's best. We are going to the Philippines to win the tournament - something that we have not achieved before despite strong performances." - Rob Andrews
"I am so honoured and excited to represent the Dingoes in a few days' time. The feeling of wearing green and gold with such a committed and talented group of athletes is so special and something never taken for granted. We are here to win this tournament, and we will all give absolutely everything we have to do so and to make Australian Ultimate proud" - Tony Castrignano
The Dingoes play India and Singapore on Day 1. Buckle up, we’re in for a wild ride.
Womens
This Firetails preview is brought to you by Olivia Carr.
AOUGC is seen as a bit of a warm up tournament for the World Ultimate Championships (to be held, excitingly, in Australia next year). As such, it is only natural to want to perform well at the regional championships, and teams take the tournament very seriously. Its timing allows the right mix of exposure for greener players to play at the open age level for the first time, whilst also allowing more experienced players to remember how much chemistry they have with each other. And the chemistry that exists in the Firetails would pique even Marie Curie’s interest! To name just the players who were on the Crocs - Alex Prentice, Caro Ma, Sally Yu and Georgia-Egan Griffiths - is to guarantee some fast paced, high connection, mega-spice ultimate.
Looking back, there are a few key similarities and differences between this team and the 2019 team. For one, both teams have not necessarily been made up of all the top female players in Australia. Notably missing from this year’s team are Cat Phillips, Miki Dignam and Eunice Cheung, to name but a few. Some experienced players opt not to play AOUGC, but then put their names in the hat for World Ultimate Championships. Whilst this allows less experienced players valuable exposure at a higher level, it can also mean the team is not as strong as it could possibly be.
A key difference of this campaign is the level of preparation. In 2019, there were no training camps in the lead up to AOUGC - just selection camp then tournament. This year, the Firetails have had three training camps, allowing the team to gel, vibe and play together much more than previously. It will be interesting to see whether the loss of key players is combated by the higher level of prep, and how this plays out in the tournament results.
In 2019, the Firetails lost to Japan in the final of AOUGC to come second at the tournament. When watching the game back, to my untrained and inexpert eye, there were three key reasons for this. Firstly, the 2019 Firetails were not clinical with their hucks to the end zone, often throwing to little separation or shanking a throw out of the field. Secondly, Japan, despite often having the shorter players on the field, scored long to well placed shots and well timed runs. Finally, some at times some sub-par defense from Australia allowed Japan to showcase their classic clinical offence and move the disc freely downfield for many goals.
I believe that if the Firetails this year use their height and smarts in the skies effectively and grind hard on defense, there is no reason they should not come out on top against teams like Japan. An inside source from the team tells me that they have been practicing tactics of favouring hucking to the endzone. In a tournament with humid conditions and when you have a team that is likely to have lots of height, this seems like a good move.
Australia’s world standing has been on an upwards trajectory in the past few years. With the Crocs coming second at the World Games and Ellipsis coming 4th in the women’s division of WUCC, and many of the players from both teams appearing in this Firetails line up, this team will have high expectations for itself. What’s more, without the classic heavy-weight countries of America, Canada or Colombia in the draw, it is seen as a tournament that the Firetails very much could, and some feel almost should, win.
Coaches:
Steve Wright (head coach). Was assistant coach in 2019. Recently coached Ellipsis to Australia’s best ever result at the World Ultimate Club Championships in the women’s division (4th place). Combines elite level tactics with bucket loads of care and compassion. Is well placed to make the most of a good team with a host of promising young faces alongside stalwart veterans.
Mandy Fung (assistant coach). Played in the 2019 campaign before rupturing her achilles and famously having a whole leg cast for the rest of the tournament. Brings on-field smarts and elite communication skills to her coaching role. Will be a huge asset to the team.
Cat Phillips (assistant coach). A name most notable for not being on the Firetails team list (for the first time in a long time). Not able to be present for the tournament, but has had a big impact on the team and players throughout their many training camps and pods.
Star Players:
There are too many star players to name them all. Here are some key players that I’m pumped to watch.
Dani Alexander. Has not represented Australia at a tournament since 2019 when she played the last AOUGC. Many are looking forward to watching her dominate the field as she once did. Watch out for her getting block after block as the deep in a zone.
Kat Smith comes back to the team following winning a Bronze medal with mixed club Lunchbox at WUCC. Look out for back-of-the-opposite corner pulls as well as full field hucks.
Eva Weatherall has come across the ditch from NZ and my-oh-my are the Australian Ultimate community pleased. Watch out for classic layout grabs in the end zone and a layout D anywhere between once a game to once a point depending on how fired up she’s feeling.
Rising Stars:
Again, this Firetails team is star studded, and many of these rising stars are already becoming frisbee house-hold names, and for good reason. An inside source tells me the unstoppable connection between Lyra Meehan’s canon powered hucks and Angela Pidgeon’s unfairly large catching window is already causing a stir inside and outside the team.
Extremely sadly, Manly fans (of which I am one) who were keen to watch Nat Otten dominate the skies as she did at both Australia and New Zealand Nationals, will be unable to. Nat has injured her knee, but an inside source tells me it is an MCL, which will hopefully come good for WUC selections, fingers crossed.
Other players I can’t wait to see perform on the big stage include Anna Roesler, an absolute work-horse on the field who, with her lightning quick turns, has broken my ankles too many times for comfort, and Brit McCarthy, who combines well placed break throws with sweet hucks. Their club teams of Zig Theory and Sugar Magnolias respectively will be cheering them on like the rest of us. It will be interesting to see whether the loss of these players impacts on the results in 2023.
Did you know?
Following the cancellation of the 2021 WUGC, WFDF was considering using the results from regional championships like AOUGC in 2019 as the basis for who qualified for the World Games in 2023. Eventually, however, it was decided that the 2016 WUGC results would be used to determine which countries qualified for the World Games. Had WFDF decided to use the AOUGC 2019 results, Australia may not have qualified for participation in the World Games last year.
The Firetails go up against Hong Kong and China on Day 1. Get around them.
As the athletes and staff make their way to Manila, fans can look forward to five days of elite ultimate, showcasing the top players in this corner of the world. The event will be live streamed by Ultiworld - check out their event pack here:
One game per day will be streamed for free on YouTube - watch this space for info about streaming later in the tournament. In the meantime, keep an eye out for our daily recaps, scores and more exclusive content coming your way!
Bonus contest: guess all three teams’ final placing in the comments. First person to submit the correct placings wins a mystery prize!
IOU contributors have conducted research to the best of our ability, with information available at the time of writing. Please let us know of any inaccuracies, or reach out to help us with future coverage.
Outstanding preview. Crisp, insightful, and fun to read. Best wishes for continued success. We are very excited to stream this tournament and wish everyone a great time. Tim Rockwood, Managing Director, Broadcasting and Marketing , WFDF