COFFS Harbour Junior Oztag teams have taken on Australia’s finest juniors during the Oztag Australian Junior Championships in Coffs Harbour.

The Coffs teams played host to the visiting teams from across Australia at the Ce.x Coffs International Stadium and surrounding fields.

The annual event was held over three days as teams played off for national championships.

Coffs Harbour Thunder fielded three teams in the 13 Girls, 14 Girls, and 17 Girls competitions.

The Coffs Harbour Thunder 17 Girls made it to the quarter finals before being knocked out by the ACT.

The Thunder 17 Girls had two wins and a draw from their seven matches.

Coffs Harbour Thunder 14 Girls team manager Vanessa Biddle said going against Australia’s best juniors had been a good learning experience for her team.

“They are learning to grow and stick together, and they will improve by the time they get to the 17s,” she said.

“We hope to stick with the girls playing now and the same coaches.

“You’ve got to learn from the big losses, and I think it shocked them how close they got when they only lost 6-4 in one game.

“They’re starting to learn what plays the other teams do and the way they get through holes, and taken it to the next game.”

Biddle shared with News Of the Area the message she told her girls before the Junior Championships started.

“We’ve just got to stick together, and be all positive and have no negativity,” she said.

Coffs Harbour will now host the Australian Senior Championships on 4-6 November.

By Aiden BURGESS