The Torquay Bowl: Suns’ debut sets stage for cross-town showdown

A NEW cross-town rivalry will begin in Torquay next weekend when the Surf Coast Suns take on the Torquay Tigers at Banyul Warri Fields.

The round 1 clash marks the Suns’ long-awaited entry into the Bellarine Football Netball League (BFNL) and the first instalment of the Surf Coast Times Torquay Bowl, with the sides to meet on 4 April.

Formed by a small committee in 2015, the Suns have spent more than a decade building toward senior football and netball, with the club now stepping onto the BFNL stage for the first time.

Both sides head into the season opener confident after using the past 12 to 18 months to assemble lists they believe can compete across multiple grades.

 

The Suns have recruited from clubs all over the state, keen to get their first season off on the right foot.

A Grade netballer Elisa Hall, who joined the Suns from Torquay in the off-season, is fired up for her first shot at her former side.

“I’m very excited to be finally getting out there with the team after what has been a big pre-season,” she said.

“We’ve had a lot of practice matches, so we’ve been preparing well.

“It’ll be bittersweet playing against Torquay, but I’m keen to get it started.”

Suns football captain Dylan Flanigan said the group had quickly found its rhythm.

“It’s been an extended run into the season, but we feel we’ve gelled quicker than expected,” he said.

 

“We’ve done a lot of preparation together and team building exercises, and we feel we are in a great position to give it a crack next weekend.”

Torquay enters the clash looking to build on a strong 2025 campaign that ended in a preliminary final loss to Anglesea.

Speaking earlier this month, Tigers president Cameron Healey said the club was well placed, particularly with junior talent continuing to emerge.

The fountain of youth could be the key for Torquay, with the side likely to blood some up-and-coming talent from its juniors throughout 2026.

Tigers senior football captain Ben McNamara said facing another Torquay side had heightened the stakes of the contest.

“It’ll just be exciting to play against another club in Torquay, and hopefully it’ll be the start of another fantastic rivalry,” he said.

“We just want to get the first win on the board, just like every other club would be.”

The Tigers will also be looking for improvement across their netball program after missing finals in several grades last season.

Netball leader Kate Schippers said a strong start would be key.

“Hitting off the start of the season with a win over the Suns would be huge for us, it’s our main priority,” she said.

“We’ve had a hard pre-season and practice matches and we are now ready to go.”