Next month’s NSW Triwizard Tournament will culminate in the crowning of a 2014 NSW Quidditch Champion. This marks the first time in Australian quidditch history – founded in 2011 – that a NSW State Champion will be officially declared. The announcement comes with the recent formation of Quidditch New South Wales (QNSW), a new entity formed to further develop quidditch throughout the state.

The NSW State Champion team will be determined by results across the final two rounds of the NSW Triwizard Tournament held in September and October. With the first instalment already played at University of Western Sydney Campbelltown last month, this year’s final round will be hosted at the University of Wollongong on Sunday October 5th. Nine teams from Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and Canberra will clash together in this last epic showdown before the Nationals, battling it out for the inaugural NSW Cup. Triwizard Tournaments occur six times a year, in monthly intervals while university is in session.

UNSW Snapes on a Plane are the hot favourites to take out the NSW Cup, proving to be a consistently unstoppable force throughout the 2014 season. UNSW have a history of dominating quidditch both state and nation-wide since competitive play began in 2011, having won two of the last three years’ National titles – the QUAFL Cup. They also took out this year’s Midwinter Cup in Newcastle, despite having five national players missing from their squad on representative duties in Canada’s Global Games.

Their closest challengers may be the second-placed UWS Thestrals, who have been the only team in recent times to consistently gain the upper hand on the Snapes. In their peak form back in early/mid 2013, UWS won the 2013 Midwinter Cup and the Autumn/Winter Sydney Quidditch League. The Newcastle Fireballs (2014 Midwinter runners-up), Sydney Uni Unspeakables (2014 World Cup contenders) and Macquarie Marauders (2013 QUAFL Cup runners-up) could also give the Snapes a run for their money, if they are able to field their full strength squads and find top form.

There is always hope for the Snapes’ opposition; UNSW surprisingly bowed out of last year’s QUAFL Cup in the quarter finals, with the Perth Phoenixes stealing the National title from the two-year reigning champions. It should also be noted that the Macquarie Marauders – who were defeated by Perth in the 2013 final – were the highest finishing NSW team in the QUAFL Cup.

If past NSW champions were to be awarded retroactively, it would be difficult to look beyond UNSW’s domination of national rankings at the conclusion of each year since 2011.

Quidditch New South Wales encourages everyone to come along to watch this great new sport, and sign up to join a team!

UPCOMING EVENTS IN NSW:

NSW Triwizard Tournament

Sunday October 5, 9am – 5pm

University of Wollongong

Sydney Allstars Fantasy Tournament

October 25 & 26

Venue TBC

QWAFL Cup Wheelchair Quidditch Championship

Friday November 28

Macquarie University

QUAFL Cup Oceania Championship

November 29 & 30

Macquarie University