Junior State Cup 2026 was held from 9 – 11 July, with BMTA’s Junior Mustangs Program proudly represented by 23 teams. In the lead-up to the event, our teams trained every Sunday and competed in three carnivals to prepare for the state event. The atmosphere around the BMTA tent on Thursday morning was electric, with players and supporters excited to have reached the main event. All 23 teams competed admirably across the three days, and we would like to extend an honourable mention to the following teams for reaching a final: U10 Girls Red, U10 Boys Red, U10 Boys Blue, U12 Girls Red, U12 Girls Blue, U16 Girls White, 16 Boys and 18 Girls.

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BMTA 12 Boys Red State Champions

​Congratulations to our 12 Boys Red team, who were crowned State Champions on Saturday after a thrilling grand final, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Palm Beach A. After falling short in the grand final at the Palm Beach Cup Lead-In Carnival, the team returned to Junior State Cup determined to go one better. With belief, resilience and a commitment to the game, they proved exactly what they were capable of when it mattered most. A huge congratulations to the 14 superstars, led by Head Coach Jesse Green and Assistant Coach Cameron Boyd. This achievement was a true team effort, made possible by the unwavering support of parents and fellow Mustangs, as well as Jesse and Cam's inspiring sideline presence and impactful halftime talks.​

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BMTA 14 Boys Blue Challenge Champions

The Mustangs U14 Boys Blue JSC journey was one defined by resilience, growth and determination. From the outset, the group faced challenges, working hard to understand their team dynamics and build cohesion. At the Mustang Stampede, they were out of sync and struggled to connect on the field, highlighting that they were still learning how to play together.​​​ Despite early challenges, the boys continued to put in the work. Wet weather disrupted their preparation, limiting valuable training time heading into the lead-in carnivals. Results were mixed, a narrow Grand Final loss at the Gold Coast Cup followed by a tough Arthur Davis Cup campaign where they secured just one win. Rather than letting this define them, the team responded, bouncing back to win the Palm Beach Challenge division, building confidence at the right time.

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Across the 3 days at JSC, the boys showed incredible grit and determination, coming from behind to win 4 tough matches, including all 3 finals, demonstrating their ability to stay composed under pressure and rally around each other in key moments. After 10 hard fought matches, the boys were crowned U14 Boys Challenge Champions, a result that truly reflected their perseverance, growth and belief in one another. A big thank you to Head Coach Jayden Holland, Assistant Coach Kevin Wong and Manager Adrian Clarke for their leadership and dedication to the team.

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BMTA 14 Girls Blue Challenge Champions

BMTA is proud to celebrate our U14 Girls Blue, who secured the U14 Girls Challenge Division Championship. After a strong start to the season, the girls showed great promise, reaching 2 semi finals in the lead-in carnivals but narrowly missing out on progressing further. Rather than being discouraged, they used these experiences as motivation, continuing to improve each week while building s a strong connected team culture both on and off the field. Their growth and resilience were on full display at JSC, where the girls played with confidence, discipline and composure. This culminated in a near-flawless performance on the final day, with the team executing their game plan and supporting one another in every moment. Their hard work, determination and belief in each other ultimately saw them claim the Challenge Division title, a well deserved reward for their efforts throughout the campaign. Congratulations to Head Coach Russell Pery, Assistant Coach Jason Tavita and Manager Robbie Gore, your dedication, leadership and support throughout the program have been outstanding and instrumental in the team's success.​

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BMTA 16 Girls Red State Champions

Our 16 Girls Red also claimed the State Championship title. An incredible achievement and a true reflection of their outstanding season. The team put together a strong Mustangs campaign, reaching the Grand Final at the Gold Coast Cup and narrowly going down 4-3 to the Gold Coast A. They responded in the best way possible, bouncing back to win Arthur Davis Cup and continuing their momentum with a Semi Final appearance at Palm Beach.​

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Heading into JSC, the girls brough a positive attitude and a focused mindset, finishing top of their pool and remaining undefeated across all 8 games. The Grand Final was another tight contest, but the team held their composure under pressure to secure a thrilling 4-3 victory over Palm Beach and were crowned State Champions. Congratulations to Head Coach Jenna Rowsell and Manager Nic Harman for their leadership in guiding such a talented and connected group to success. A special mention also to Coaching Director Wayne Grant for his ongoing support of the 16 Girls Red throughout their campaign.

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BMTA 18 Boys State Champions

BMTA are extremely proud to celebrate our 18 Boys, who claimed the State Championship title and broke a 14 year drought in the division. From the very beginning of the Junior Mustangs Program, it was clear this group was determined to put in the work and finish the job. They showed their intent early, reaching the grand finals at Gold Coast Cup and narrowly going down to the Gold Coast, before bouncing back at Arthur Davis cup to secure the win and prove that they were all in. But as the saying goes, you don't win JSC at the Lead-In carnivals.

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When it mattered most, the 18 Boys delivered. They went through Day 1 & 2 undefeated in their pool and carried that momentum into Finals Day. A hard-fought semi final against Arana saw both teams go try-for-try in a thrilling contest, before BMTA came away with a 6-4 victory to book their place in the grand final. Facing Toowoomba in the decider, the pressure was on, but the boys rose to the occasion. With composure, resilience and a crucial halftime chat from Adam Richter to steady the group, they produced a championship performance to secure the win and etch their names in BMTA history.

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A special mention to Head Coach Brett Hughes and Assistant Coach Adam Richter for their unwavering dedication and leadership. Their commitment to the 18 boys throughout the journey truly embodies what it means to be a Mustang. It was a fitting and memorable way for some of the boys to cap off their final year in the Junior Mustangs Program.​

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Mustangs Coaching Team​

Our 2026 Junior Mustangs Program would not have been possible without the dedication of our Coaching Directors, Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Managers. Thank you all for the time, energy and passion you invested across trainings, lead-in carnivals, Junior State Cup and beyond. Your coaching is what makes the culture of our Mustangs group so special, creating an environment where players can grow, connect and thrive. The smiles on the kids' faces as they left on Saturday, win or lose, are a true reflection of the positive, supportive environment you created. The impact is because of you.

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Inspire Health Services

BMTA would like to shout out Inspire Health Services for providing BMTA with physio and sports trainer services over the course of the three days. Thank you to Liv for your attendance and for making sure our players were well looked after, your presence was certainly utilised and appreciated by all!

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Junior State Cup Referees 

BMTA would like to extend our thanks to our referees for their efforts at the event - Campbell Muir, John Hamstra, Michael Genrich, Riley Wotton, Shobna Moore, Zac Caton, Zoe Genrich, Ella Grant, Jake Guyder, Kahlia Mills, Olivia Georgas, Romeo Saunia, Troy Hale, Brett Powell, Nicole Powell, Will Atchison, Ashton Sykes, Hannah Teakle, Jessica Kendall, Jude Hollyock, Lola-Jane Moaga, Marlee Haigh, Ottilie Ballinger, Princeton Evans, Troy Chettleburgh, Warwick Nicholls, Freya Cromwell, Kaelen Luu, Lincoln Johnston, Mary Stadhams, Olivia Saba, and Ryan Page.

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Thank you also to our Metro Cup coaching panel, who each featured on the State panel during the tournament: Bec Webster, Brendan Jones, Luke McKenzie, Nathan Budge, and Rob Cooper. A huge thank you as well to our Referee Coordinator, Will Atchison, for his outstanding efforts in organising referees and leading a club record of 32 BMTA referees at JSC.

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As usual, BMTA was well represented in the appointments on grand final day. A special congratulations to the following referees on their grand final appointments: 

 

• Campbell Muir - 18 Boys

• John Hamstra - 18 Girls

• Zoe Genrich & Will Atchison - 16 Boys Championship

• Mary Stadhams - 16 Girls Championship

• Riley Wotton - 14 Boys Championship

• Ashton Sykes & Kaelen Luu - 14 Boys Challenge

• Zac Caton & Olivia Saba - 14 Girls Championship

• Ella Grant - 14 Girls Challenge

• Troy Hale - 12 Boys Championship

• Shobna Moore - 10 Boys Championship