Opens & Senior Rep Touch

2026/27 JUNIOR & SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE PLAYER INFORMATION

 

Our Representative Touch Program is about to begin, and Orange Touch warmly welcomes all junior players to consider nominating and trialling for these teams. Orange Rep is a fantastic way to develop your skills, meet like-minded people, make friends for life as well as offer other representative opportunities.

 

To be eligible to trial, you must submit an EOI here.

 

EACH TEAM IS TO SUPPLY 1 REF FOR EACH TOURNAMENT FOR OUR 26/27 SEASON. NAMES NEED TO BE TO KARISSA ONCE THE TEAMS ARE FINALISED AND CARNIVALS DECIDED. IT IS ALSO REQUIRED FOR OUR 14-18 YEARS TEAMS TO REFEREE IN OUR SOCIAL COMPS. 


Age Divisions:

Please see below age divisions for our junior representative teams:

  • Boys U10 and Girls U10 – players born 2017 or 2018
  • Boys U12 and Girls U12 – players born 2015 or 2016
  • Boys U14 and Girls U14 – players born 2013 or 2014
  • Boys U16 and Girls U16 – players born 2011 or 2012 – Squads of 18
  • Boys U18 and Girls U18 – players born 2009 or 2010 – Squads of 18
  • Mens U20, Women U20 and Opens 

All players must trial within the age group their YOB falls within. Younger players will only be considered for inclusion in older age divisions, where the younger player has not been selected in their own age division and where the older age division is in need of players.


Eligibility:

In order to be considered for selection in our junior representative touch teams, all players need to:

  • be registered in any touch team in our social touch competitions, meaning any competition our club runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, at Waratahs Sports Ground. This will be checked by the committee during the first 3 weeks of the competition starting. 
  • satisfy one of the two options below;
    • attend one of the representative selection trials for their division, or

submit an ‘Inability to Trial’ email to our club prior to the start time of the last selection trial for your division (information on how to do this is listed below).

  • Be able to commit to all COMPULSORY carnivals as nominated by the Club. Should players be unable to commit to the 2 main carnivals, players are still welcome to trial for Representative Teams however they will be selected as a SHADOW player as per 2025 Orange-Thunder-Selection-Policy-2025. 

 

Please note that any player who DOES NOT either attend one of the selection trials or DO NOT submit an Inability to trial form, WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION in our junior representative teams.

 

Selection Trials:

Please see below the selection trial schedule for our junior representative teams, which will see our U10/U12/U14/U16/U18/U20/Opens teams have two selection trials.

As the trials are being conducted prior to the local competition, beginning fields may not be marked.

 

MONDAY 10 AUGUST – Waratahs Sports Ground

  • 4.30pm – U10 Boys & U10 Girls 
  • 5.30pm – U12 Boys & U12 Girls 
  • 6.30pm – U14 Boys & U14 Girls 

WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST – Waratahs Sports Ground

  • 4.30pm – U16 Girls & U16 Boys 
  • 5.30pm – U18 Boys & U18 Girls
  • 6.30pm – U20 Women & U20 Mens & Opens 

MONDAY 17 AUGUST – Waratahs Sports Ground

  • 4.30pm – U10 Boys & U10 Girls 
  • 5.30pm – U12 Boys & U12 Girls 
  • 6.30pm – U14 Boys & U14 Girls 

WEDNESDAY 19 AUGUST – Waratahs Sports Ground

  • 4.30pm – U16 Girls & U16 Boys 
  • 5.30pm – U18 Boys & U18 Girls  
  • 6.30pm – U20 Women & U20 Mens & Opens 

 

Please note that all players must attend one of the above selection trials for their division to be considered for selection (unless an ‘Inability to Trial’ email is sent). All players are to arrive 15-20 minutes prior to the above trial times. As part of the signing on process you will need to try on the new uniforms for sizing as our uniforms will be INFERNO for the next 2 years. Once the order is placed it is not the clubs responsibility if the uniforms are wrong sizing, so please try on. 

 

Following selection trials, final team’s will be named. Please note that some teams may wish to name shadow players, who can be used for events where final team players are not available. For any shadow players named, coaching staff will contact these players and their parents with all information relating to their shadow status with the team.

Players who miss out upon selection may request feedback upon their performance. Requests for feedback may be sent to orangethundertouch@yahoo.com the Club will endeavour to reply within 10 business days.

 

Under 16 and Under 18 teams may be run as a squad due to sporting commitments known to the club. If these are named as a squad your child will be expected to attend all training, purchase a uniform as a team will be named for each tournament. 

 


Inability to Trial:

Any player who is unable to attend at least one selection trial for their division, must complete the Inability to trial form – prior to the start time of the last selection trial for your division.

 

Coaching Staff: 

The Club are extremely grateful to the following people for taking up coaching and Manager positions this season. We are in the process of finalising these positions and these will be announced soon. 

 


Junior Representative Calendar of Events:

Our club has a combination of gala days and touch championships planned for our junior representative teams this year, which will give all our teams the opportunity to play touch against some of the best teams in NSW, in preparation for our pinnacle event – the NSW Touch Junior State Cup.

 

Please see below our confirmed calendar of events for our junior representative teams:

These events are considered ‘COMPULSORY’.

 

Juniors

  • WSW Suns Junior Championships (SJC) – 16 January 2027 & 17 January 2027 at venue TBC 
  • NSW Touch Junior State Cup (JSC) – 12 February 2027 to 14 February 2027 at Jubilee Park, Wagga Wagga

 

Seniors

  • NSW Touch Senior State Cup (SSC) – 4 December 2026 to 6 December 2026

 

In addition to the above confirmed calendar of events, teams may attend an ‘optional’ events which they can participate in. The nominated events for this are:

  • Don Green Western Junior Championships (DG) – 21 November 2026 & 22 November 2026 at Glen Willow Regional Sports Complex, Mudgee
  • Capital Territory Cup (CTC), 14 November 2026 & 15 November 2026 2025 at Deakin, ACT
  • Peter Wilson Memorial Championships (PWMC) – 6 February 2027 & 7 February 2027 at Tuggerah
  • Country Champs (CC Seniors) 17 October 2026 & 18 October 2026 – Mudgee

 

Confirmation regarding this optional events will be made after teams are selected and once consultation between the club, coaching staff and families has taken place. The cost of attending this event will be the responsibility of the team to cover.

 

In relation to the above calendar of events, we are happy for parents to begin making accommodation arrangements, if they choose to do so. However, our club strongly encourages all parents to make any accommodation bookings will free cancellation and full refund options. Our club takes no responsibility for covering costs for any accommodations which are lost or not required.

Ambulance Cover 

Please note player insurance does not include Ambulance Cover. Families are encouraged to ensure they have adequate ambulance insurance. 

 


Orange Representative Player Expectations:

All players selected in our junior representative teams are to be aware of the simple expectations upon players, which includes:

    • Requirement to attend team training sessions, or when unable to train, player/parent must inform coaching staff (teams will usually train 2 times per week).
    • Requirement to attend representative events, or when unable to attend, player/parent must inform coaching staff (all events listed above in ‘Calendar of Events’).
    • Requirement to pay the invoiced player levy, or if under financial hardship, to contact our club to discuss payment plan options (information about costs listed below in ‘Player Levy & Costs’).
  • Players/Parents are expected to abide by the 

 

Our club believes these are simple expectations for players to follow, and in return, all players will be given the best opportunity to develop and thrive in a representative touch environment in one of the best clubs in NSW, which will give players access to progress along a Representative Sporting Pathway onto regional, state or national honours.


Orange Junior Representative Player Levy & Costs:

Please see below information in relation to the player levy, which will be invoiced to all players who make our junior representative teams. This levy is to cover operational costs our club has to run our Junior Representative Program. Levy payments this year will be split into 3 installments as follows:

  • 1st Installment (deposit to accept rep position) of $150 due by 3 Sept 2026
  • 2nd Installment of $150 due by 3 Nov 2026
  • 3rd Installment of the residual levy balance due by 28 February 2027

 

Orange Senior Representative Player Levy & Costs:

Please see below information in relation to the player levy, which will be invoiced to all players who make our junior representative teams. This levy is to cover operational costs our club has to run our Representative Program. Levy payments this year will be split into 3 installments as follows:

  • 1st Installment (deposit to accept rep position) of $100 due by 3 Sept 2026
  • 2nd Installment of the residual levy balance due by 13 December 2026

 

 All playing levies are to be paid in accordance with OTA Representative Team Selection Policy https://orangetouch.com.au/wp-content/uploaOrange-Thunder-Selection-Policy-2025 

2026/27 Junior Representative Player Levy – estimated to be between $400 and $600 per player (dependent on amount of carnivals attended). Estimate is based on last year’s costs and may vary slightly. Seniors Representative Player Levy – estimated to be between $230 and $400 per player (dependent on amount of carnivals attended). Estimate is based on last year’s costs and may vary slightly

Cost inclusions:

  • Player registration fee – SJC
  • Tent costs – PWMC & JSC
  • Medical/physio costs –  SJC, SSC & JSC
  • Operation costs for representative coaching staff and referees

Please note: This cost estimate is based upon Orange Thunder fielding teams within ALL Age Divisions, should there be less teams than anticipated levies will be higher.

 

The above player levy DOES NOT cover the following costs:

  • Player registration fee –  SSC, PWMC & JSC – these registrations are completed by player/parent online via MySideline (we will provide you details to complete these regos)
  • Travel and accommodation for events – these are to be arranged by the individual
  • On-field and off-field apparel – these are additional optional items, based on what the individual needs

 

Once all representative teams are selected, if you’re a parent who believes you may have difficulty in paying player levies installment in a single payment,please ensure you contact our club by email orangethundertouch@yahoo.com to discuss with us options available to have you pay your child’s levy off via a payment plan, please note payment plans must be implemented and progressive payments made prior to the due dates of the installments. 

 

Scholarship Applications

Our club fully understands the possible financial hardships in relation to the cost of child participation in sport, so this year, due to generous donations, our club has a limited amount of scholarships available to families experiencing financial hardship. Depending on your circumstances and the number of scholarship applications received the financial assistance may be available as follows:

  • a one off lump sum to be applied to the representative playing levy of up to $200 and/or
  • a personal loan for the player levy with a schedule of payments to be negotiated by Thunder Executive with you

To be eligible for consideration, applicants must meet one or more of the criteria contained in the  Orange Thunder Orange Thunder Junior Representative Scholarship Program Guideline 2025_26 and complete the Representative Scholarship Application Form  by no later than 5pm 19 September 2026. Applications received during the representative season will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

 

Fundraising:

In order to help players/parents with the costs of being involved in our Junior Representative Program, our club will continue to conduct the weekly CANTEEN on the WEDNESDAY MINIs/ JUNIOR COMPETITION  afternoon/evening. The canteen is run by our Committee Canteen Coordinator but relies on parent volunteers through our Volunteer Incentive Scheme (outlined below ) to keep it running weekly. There will be weekly meat raffles also run at Waraths and each team is expected to help on your nominated days. 

 

Sponsorship:

Our Club is in its first year of its two year sponsorship arrangement with the below generous businesses who have sponsored our Junior Representative teams and playing uniforms for the 26/27 and 27/28 seasons:

  • Woodwards, your Butcher on Moulder
  • JJ Physio & AEP
  • West Orange Motors – VW
  • Kooler Ice
  • Major Civil & Plant
  • Sullivans Mining & Industrial
  • Rogerias Transport
  • Occupational Therapy Plus
  • The Clarke Family

 

We still have other opportunities for families or friends who run their own business, or are involved in a business that may wish to explore sponsorship, please contact our club by email orangethundertouch@yahoo.com to request a package to be sent to you. In exchange,our club would warmly welcome product/services donations, in exchange for corporate partnership (sponsorship) with our club as well.

 

Volunteer Incentive Scheme: this season the Club are continuing an initiative which commenced last season that is designed to provide a dollar value for the time our volunteers donate to our Club. The Club is a small committee who struggle to effectively conduct all the roles necessary to coordinate weekly programs and are always grateful for the assistance of volunteers. Hours volunteered accumulate and then can be utilised to reduce player costs during the season. For more information, please read this document Orange Thunder Volunteer Incentive Scheme. 

 

It is hoped that through these measures accompanied by reducing operational costs as well as limiting carnival attendance, will reduce the costs of playing representative touch for Orange Thunder. Our club is fully committed to making representative touch as inclusive and affordable as possible for all our players and their families.

 

Playing Uniform: to align with the 2 year sponsorship deal we will have our new playing and supporting uniform released in the coming weeks. INFERNO will be our supplier for the next 2 years. Please ensure that at the trial, players try on a playing singlet and playing shorts for sizing purposes. Due to the discrepancies in the sizing chart it is recommended to ensure accurate sizing to physically try items on. Try on kits will be available at all trials days. Please ensure your child tries on both the playing singlet and playing shorts. Please also confirm 3 playing numbers at the trails or on the EOI, these numbers are not guaranteed but we will try our best to give your child 1 of these numbers. 

 

Questions: All questions about our Junior Representative Program can be directed to our club by email orangethundertouch@yahoo.com.

 

If you have further questions please give me a call as I am happy to answer any further questions. 

 

Karissa Roberts 

Orange Representative Director

0409150682

Additional Partners