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Unstoppable Jharkhand win both national trophies

Posted on Sunday, February 2, 2025 by ARFAI,

Winners of the 10th National Championship - The Jharkhand Crows

Winners of the 10th National Championship – The Jharkhand Crows

Jharkhnad Crows continued their dominance and won both the senior and junior division titles at the 10th edition of the annual National Championship of Australian Rules Football in India, organised by Australian Rules Football Association of India (ARFAI) from 24 to 26 January 2025.

Jharkhand won the senior division Grand Final defeating arch rivals West Bengal Tigers in a closely fought game 9-4-58 to 6-6-42. In the junior division Grand Final, the Crows convincingly defeated Maharashtra Giants 10-5-65 to 6-2-38, winning their seventh national title in junior division and continuing their domination.

The milestone ARFAI National Championship 2025 was organised at the Centurion University of Technology and Management (CUTM) Oval in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The development of the sport in the state of Odisha across 12 districts and the support from the CUTM President Prof. Mukti Kanta Mishra who is an Australian alumnus himself, ensured the venue for the nationals return to the state post the nationals in 2024 as well.

Odisha Swans Vs Bihar Bulldogs senior division match
Odisha Swans Vs Bihar Bulldogs senior game

The tournament marked a significant milestone in the journey of Australian Rules Football in India and the annual national championships being organised since 2012. The very first national championship was organised at Kozhikode, Kerala back in 2012 on a dusty-sand ground with 3 states participating. The tournament has grown every year with more states and teams joining in and the tournament itself being organised in various states including Goa, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Odisha. The special 10th edition was organised at possibly the best ground the nationals have ever been held at, along with wonderful support for the players in terms of hospitality that was organised by the national body.

The tournament also expanded this year in terms of matches being held across three days instead of two days as per past championships. This was done to accommodate more matches to be organised with an increased number of teams. Additionally, to mark the scenes of the annual championships and the special milestone tournament, ARFAI introduced an additional day of women’s Footy in India, by organising the inaugural women’s zonal championship of the sport in India on Monday 27 January 2025.

Ho. Sports & Education Minister of Odisha Mr. Suryabanshi Suraj inaugurating the ARFAI event
Hon. Sports & Education Minister of Odisha being felicitated by Team India Capt. Mahesh Tirkey

The cherry on top was the Hon. Sports and Education Minister of Odisha, Mr. Suryabanshi Nayak, inaugurating both the tournaments together on 24 January as the Chief Guest of the 4-day carnival and inspiring the participants through his speech, before hoisting ARFAI’s flag, kicking the Footy to score a goal with Indian Captain Mahesh Tirkey and then announcing the tournaments open.

League matches kicked-off on Friday 24 January, with the hosts Odisha Swans playing their first match of junior division against the Telangana Saints on Day 1. Day 2 saw an official Opening Ceremony of the tournament in the morning with the Indian National Flag hoisted, 350+ players and officials singing the Indian national anthem in unison, followed by the Welcome Address to all participants and guests by ARFAI Founder and Former Team India Captain Mr. Sudip Chakraborty. ARFAI was also honoured to host Dr Sourjya Ranjan Parija, Dy. Director (PE/NCC) Higher Education, Odisha and Mrs Anuradha Biswal, former Olympian athlete (track and field), also known as Odisha’s Hurdles Queen, at the opening ceremony as Guests of Honour. Earlier in the day, league matches started off after a delayed start due to heavy fog on the ground and across CUTM campus, but the energy from all participants and supporters on field made up for a fantastic day of Footy in India.

Day 3 saw some of the remaining league matches for both junior and senior divisions being played by in the morning before the semi finals kicked off at 1pm. 

The Junior Division Semi Finals saw the Bihar Bulldogs make it to the finals for the very first time, with the ever dominant Jharkhand Crows taking away the junior division cup after a great Junior Division Grand Final game against the Maharashtra Giants who have developed their performance over the years.

The Senior Division Grand Final saw the Bengal Tigers and Jharkhand Crows lock horns yet again for the trophy, after defeating Kerala Bombers and hosts Odisha Swans in the Semi Finals. The Grand Finals kicked off with the Bengal Tigers ahead at first quarter time by 2 goals but the highly coordinated Crows came back strongly taking the game away from the Tigers second quarter onwards, with the Tigers putting in a desperate attempt in the final quarter before the final siren. 

Sudhasil Mitra (team India Head Coach), Recebba Crawley (Thamarrurr Youth) and Srabani Nanda (Indian Olympian)

The presentation ceremony post Senior Division Grand Final saw Ms. Shrabani Nanda, Indian Olympian Athlete (sprinter) and Prof. Supriya Pattanayak, Vice Chancellor, CUTM as the special guests alongside our very own Sudhasil Mitra, Head Coach of Team India who took India to the historic Asia Cup 2024 Semi Finals and also founding committee member of ARFAI, to hand over prizes alongside other distinguished guests.

Among multiple prizes that were handed out across both divisions including Fair Play trophies, Best Mark, Best Goal and Best Defender, Jagannath Lohar from Jharkhand Crows won the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award in junior division and Shiba Marndi from Odisha Swans won the award in senior division.

Player of the Tournament (Sr) - Shiba Marndi from Odisha Swans
Shiba Marndi receiving his award from Mark Healey

NC25 Awards List

Best Mark: Jr – Ankit Kumar, Bihar Bulldogs; Sr – Gurudev Nayak, Odisha Swans

Best Goal: Jr – Shivam Kumar, Bihar Bulldogs; Sr – Midlaj AH, Kerala Bombers

Best Defender: Jr – Miraj Sk. – West Bengal Tigers; Sr – Oman Maskal – Jharkhand Crows 

Player of the Tournament: Jr  – Jagannath Lohar, Jharkhand Crows; Sr – Shiba Marndi

Claridge Fair Play Award: Jr – Odisha Swans; Sr. Kerala Bombers

The ARFAI would like to thank all the sponsors and supporters who made the tournament a grand success including Centurion University, Thamarrurr Youth Indigenous Corporation and the AFL through AFL Asia. ARFAI is also grateful to all the officials and volunteers across ARFAI’s national organising committee headed by Ms. Kanchan P. Khurana, local organising committee volunteers headed by Footy Association of Odisha (FAO) President Mr. Rama Ch. Murmu and the CUTM and TYIC staff and volunteers.

Photo credits – Matt Reilly