World Footy News

The tenth annual Bali Nines has taken place on 6 October 2012, being hosted by the Bali Geckos, a mostly expat playing group based in Seminyak. The original tournament was played in 2003, to commemorate the first anniversary of the Bali Bombings, in which 202 people died, including 88 Australians.

The tournament consisted of seven teams, vying for the coveted title, with teams from around Indonesia, from Australia and around Asia.
 

The Hurricanes from Perth, a side combined of ex state and league players, proved too good. They beat the Wembley Magpies in an all-Western Australian final. The finalists from Western Australia beat local teams, the Bali Geckos and Jakarta Bintangs in the semi finals to get there.

Played at the Canggu Club in Seminyak, the matches were contested in the 9-a-side format on rectangular fields, a form of the game that is growing both internationally and in Australia. The field is split into three zones and the players have restricted movement. The smaller playing surface combined with the small number of players results in a fast paced, high scoring event.

The Geckos also host a Masters competition of the 9-a-side format, which also attracts teams from across Asia and Australia, but is restricted to the more experienced players.

As the game continues to grow through Indonesia and the rest of Asia, and awareness of the event continues to grow in Australia, the tournament looks set to continue to grow.