FAMILY AFFAIR
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Touch football prides itself as being a family sport and this weekend will emphasise that image.
Siblings, cousins, husbands and wives will team up together to win the Trans-Tasman trophy for either Australia and New Zealand.
The Aussies will have three sets of siblings playing together and a set of cousins, while New Zealand will have a husband and wife pairing.
St Clair brothers Nick and Tim Good will play together in the men’s opens team, sisters Louise Winchester and Claire Tandek in the women’s opens, while Sarah Peattie and Laura Peattie will feature in the women’s and mixed teams respectively.
To top it off, Australia men’s opens captain Steve Roberts is Winchester and Tandek’s cousin.
For the Kiwis, Paris Winiata will play for the mixed team while his wife Coral Winiata runs out for the women’s team.
“You know you have a close bond with your teammates but you have a bond for life with your little brother so it is more exciting,” Tim Good said about playing alongside his brother Nick for the first time in Australian colours.
This will be Tim’s international debut at any level.
“It is going to be exciting, it has been a goal I have had for a while. I’m really looking forward to this and especially to do it with your little brother is even more special,” he said.
Nick said there would be family support in the crowd.
“Mum and dad are coming up,” Nick, the men’s vice-captain, said.
“It is pretty special for us because our grandfather fought for New Zealand in the army, so to play on Anzac Day will be something special. We will have him in the back of our minds as well.”
“Hopefully he is supporting us and not the Kiwis,” Tim added with a laugh.
You know you have a close bond with your teammates but you have a bond for life with your little brother so it is more exciting."
- Australian men's debutant Tim Good on playing alongside his little brother Nick.
For Winchester, she is over the moon to have her sister back in the Australian women’s team.
“I can’t tell you how proud it makes me,” Winchester said.
“She [Tandek] is just incredible to be at the top level and then to have two beautiful kids and to comeback... I love her to death.
“To play in the green and gold alongside her, nothing means more.”
Furthermore, it is special that Winchester and Roberts are captaining Australia this weekend.
“Stevie and I grew up together and we are best mates and will forever be best mates,” Winchester said.
We used to play outside the front of his place every afternoon after school; we just loved our footy.
“Then to come from that, to captain your country together, it is something truly special for the both of us.”