Canberra men win Australian championship silver
The Canberra Handball Club men’s team took silver at the 2026 Australian Handball Club Championship, in their first ever appearance in the championship final.
Canberra faced the reigning Australian champions, Sydney Uni, for a chance at the title. The two teams were evenly matched, playing goal-for-goal for the first 25 minutes, but Canberra ran out of steam, allowing Sydney Uni to pull away for a 40:22 victory.
Despite the final result, the tournament was a massive success for the club. Canberra’s journey to the championship match included some big wins. They opened the tournament with a 40:28 win over UTS and followed that with a 28:19 victory over the 2023 champions, UQ - the first time Canberra has ever defeated UQ in competition. In the semi-final, the team had to dig deep to overcome Victoria's top side, Saint Kilda, clinching the win with a strong defensive effort in the final five minutes.
Individual players were also recognized for their outstanding performance throughout the weekend. Veteran Sasa Setic finished as the team's top scorer with 23 goals. Goalkeeper Emerson Ferreira was a standout, leading the entire competition with 55 saves. And, Matheus Barros Santos was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Coach Xavier Orsatti has built a highly competitive squad, and with the national tournament now behind them, the team is turning its attention back to the NSW League. They are currently focused on their next goal: winning their third consecutive league title.
Women’s team in fifth
The Canberra women’s team also competed strongly, finishing the tournament in 5th place. Despite a dominant 32:21 win over UNSW during the preliminary rounds, the team narrowly lost to them in the final standings. Hannah Mouncey was a standout throughout the event, finishing as the tournament's overall top scorer with an impressive 42 goals.
This event marked the fourth and final year that Canberra has hosted this premier club tournament. Due to a lack of available courts in Canberra, the championship moved to Coffs Harbour in 2025.
Photos: Handball Australia