Nationals 2025 – The Best from around Australia head to Tasmania
The bowls train rolls into Devonport and Burnie in Tasmania over the next fortnight for the Bowls Australia Nationals 2025.
The Nationals concept sees all elements of the sport come together to compete in one location across a huge two weeks of bowls. WA hosted the series in 2023 and is once again preparing to host next year, but for now the battle lines will be drawn in Northern Tasmania.
The series commences with the Under-18s, Australian Champion of Champions Singles, and the Para-Nationals, before moving to the Australian Senior Sides Series for both men and women aged over 60 years of age, the Australian Sides Championships which sees the Open State Teams for both men and women squaring off, and finally the Australian Championships which showcases the State champions from each state competing across singles, pairs, triples, fours and mixed pairs disciplines.
Burnie will play host to the Para-Nationals portion of the program with each State and Territory providing six players to compete across multiple disciplines. For WA, a team with a strong country flavour with Capel’s Ashley Armstrong, Boulder’s Roger Pascoe and Dowerin’s Lesly Marshall join metropolitan competitors Eddie Gollan of Armadale, Kardinya’s Maureen Brett and Yanchep’s star para-Jackaroo Jodie Nikolic.
In the Under-18s event, ten players from each location will compete with WA’s crew headed up by the strong Osborne Park contingent of Callum Alberti, Sophie Hays and Eleana Manafis, as they are joined by Cockburn’s Sylvia Burgess, Midland-Morrison’s Rhiana Manahi and Erin Torpy of Gosnells to complete the girls’ side. For the boys, Alberti is joined by Pinjarra’s Aaron Birch, East Fremantle young-gun Elijah Blackwood, Brunswick’s Dante Burnham and Waroona’s Matthew Larkman.
The under-18s will compete at Devonport alongside the Australian Champion of Champions Singles event, and at the same venue that the Australian Sides Series will happen just a few days later. Certainly for those under-18s, a chance to dream of playing on the big stage with stars of Australian bowls in the coming years.
The Men’s Champion of Champions event commences tomorrow (Tuesday), and as always, has the most classy of fields attached to it. World Indoor Champion and BPL Melbourne Extreme star Jack McShane, aged just 20 years old, heads up the field, however New Zealand international Ali Forsyth, former World Champion Brett Wilkie, and South Australian star Max Kleinig all present a significant challenge. Victoria Park Carlisle’s Lee Such has beaten the best before and can expect a strong showing in the event for WA.
In the women’s event, Victoria’s Kylie Lavis looms as the one to beat – a former World Champion herself and a renowned singles player. Northern Territory’s Colleen Orr is a former champion of this very event, and NSW’s Natalie Lewis is also a high quality player. Busselton’s Karen Gaglia will relish the experience to battle it out with the best Australia has to offer as she enters the biggest stage of her singles career.
Follow all the scores and updates via Bowls Australia’s website and social media channels, with all details available at BA’s dedicated page here.
