Sydney Uni secured the title in the men’s competition at the 2025 Australian Handball Club Championships and will represent Oceania at the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship, while the University of Queensland were crowned champions in the women’s competition, sealing back-to-back titles, after winning in 2024.

Nine men’s teams and five women’s teams lined up at the start of the competition, which took place at the Sportz Central Indoor Stadium in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, between 4 and 8 June.

The men’s sides were divided into two groups, one of four teams and one of five teams, while the women’s sides played in a round-robin format, with the top two sides progressing to the final, while the third and fourth placed sides competing in the bronze medal match.

In the men’s competition, Group A was dominated by former champions University of Queensland, which took a 31:7 win over the University of New South Wales HC, a 22:16 win over Brisbane HC, a 30:18 win over Saint Kilda HC and a 31:28 win over Handball West. The second-placed side was Saint Kilda HC, which won their remaining three matches – 31:20 against Brisbane HC, 24:22 against Handball West and 24:20 against University of New South Wales HC.

In Group B, Sydney Uni controlled their opposition and took a 39:22 win over Canberra HC, a 37:21 win against University of Technology Sydney and a 10:0 forfeit win against the University of Western Australia HC. The second place went to Canberra HC, which bounced back after their loss against Sydney Uni, to take a 48:16 win over UWA HC and a 31:25 win over UTS HC.

The semi-finals were thoroughly dominated by the two group winners, with the University of Queensland taking a 33:23 win over Canberra HC, while Sydney Uni throttled Saint Kilda, with a 29:13 win.

Sydney Uni had previously won all the three finals played against the University of Queensland, in 2019, 2022 and 2024, and this was the case once again, as they had no issues to jump to an early lead after only nine minutes, 7:2.

The University of Queensland never bounced back and with six goals from Alexandre Coindevel Valiamee and five goals each from Maximilian Kessler and Noe Carriere, Sydney Uni were crowned champions with a 30:19 win in the final.

It was Sydney Uni’s ninth win in the Australian Handball Club Championships since 2014 and the third in the last four years, as the Australian side will now represent Oceania once again at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship.

The bronze medal was won by Canberra HC, with a 32:22 win over Saint Kilda HC. 

Canberra HC’s Matheus Barros Santos and UQ’s Pierre Cailler were the competition’s top scorers, with 38 goals each.

In the women’s competition, the five teams played in a round-robin format, with the top two sides progressing to the final. Those sides were the University of Queensland HC and the University of Technology Teal, with UQ securing four wins in their preliminary round matches.

They started with a 28:7 win over the University of Technology Sydney White, followed by a 33:20 win over Canberra HC, a 19:16 win over the University of Technology Sydney Teal and a 25:18 win over Sydney Uni.

The first team of the UTS finished second, thanks to their wins over Sydney Uni (23:19), Canberra HC (24:17) and the second team of the UTS (33:19), but had a tough outing in the final against the University of Queensland.

A low-scoring match was once again on the cards, but at the break, UQ led 12:6, after previously taking a 11:3 lead. Kianna Dawson and Shoko Takinawa each scored five goals, to help their side to clinch a 20:13 win, and the title, the second in a row.

In the bronze medal match, Canberra HC took a 26:22 win over Sydney Uni.

Canberra HC’s Hannah Mouncey and Stephany Thuleau were the competition’s top scorers, with 38 and 34 goals respectively.

Photo credit: Handball Australia