The NSW Bar Football Club (NSW Bar FC), now in its thirteenth season, is open to barristers, members of the judiciary, associates and tipstaves, clerks and employees of the Bar Association regardless of gender, level of ability or fitness. It currently consists of over 90 members.

Domain Soccer League

After a pandemic-induced hiatus, the Domain Soccer League (DSL) competition resumed in 2022 with a much-depleted number of teams. NSW Bar FC was one of eight teams contributing to the revival of the DSL competition, which was held at lunchtimes between April and September in the Domain.

The competition was reduced from three divisions to one post-COVID. Despite often obvious gaps in the ages and abilities between Bar FC and our opponents, Bar FC finished the season mid-table and ready for the perennial highlight of the football calendar, the annual Tri-State Football Challenge involving teams from the bars of NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

Annual Sports Law Conference

The Annual Sports Law Conference was held in Sydney on 10 September 2022 at the mediation and arbitration facilities of 12 Wentworth Selborne Chambers. The Conference was preceded by welcome drinks and canapes hosted by Maurice Byers Chambers on the evening of 9 September 2022.

The Conference was chaired by Anthony Lo Surdo SC of the NSW Bar. Approximately 25 barristers from the Sydney, Queensland and Victorian Bars were registered for the Conference. The speakers were Simon Philips, Ivan Griscti and Thomas Liu of the NSW Bar, John Boultbee AM, CEO of the National Sports Tribunal and Judge Graham Turnbull SC DCJ.

The Tri-State Football Challenge –Suncorp Perpetual Trophies

The annual Suncorp ‘State of Origin’ was held at the Domain football field in ideal early spring weather. Due to a clash with another function, Queensland numbers were severely depleted. Nevertheless, and in a true spirit of collegiality, members of the NSW Bar and supporters (including some of their progeny) donned maroon jerseys to ensure that the competition was not diminished.

The NSW Bar FC squad was made up of the following members: David Stanton, David Patch, Adrian Canceri, Jeh Coutinho, John Harris, Rohan de Meyrick, Danielle Wood, Faraz Maghami, Richard di Michiel, Simon Philips (C), Nicholas Olson, Sebastian Hartford Davis, Thomas Liu, Darcy Munce, Jackson Rogers, Hugh Morrison, Ivan Griscti, Joel Cook, Jon Tsang, Daniel Pace, Andy Munro, Stephen Spiers, Nick Condylis.

NSW Bar FC emerged as comfortable victors in the competition, with comprehensive wins against both the Queensland and Victorian teams, and retained the Suncorp Perpetual Trophies for yet another year. Special thanks must go to the President of the Bar Association, Gabrielle Bashir SC who kindly presented the trophies, and to Turnbull SC DCJ, Lo Surdo SC and Patch for officiating.

It was also an opportunity to present Lo Surdo SC with the inaugural NSW Bar FC Lifetime Achievement Award. Lo Surdo SC was one of the founding members of Bar FC and has been instrumental in ensuring its success over the last 13 years and was a worthy inaugural recipient of the award in the view of all members of Bar FC.

The future

The Bar Football State of Origin and Annual Sports Law Conference will be hosted by the Victorian Bar in Melbourne on Saturday, 16 September 2023.

NSW Bar FC welcomes new members. If you are interested in playing please email David Stanton (d.stanton@mauricebyers.com) to join the mailing list. If you would like to attend or speak at the Annual Sports Law Conference, please email Anthony Lo Surdo SC (losurdo@8wentworth.com.au). BN

Acknowledgements

NSW Bar FC acknowledges Suncorp for its ongoing and generous support. Thanks must also go to:

• Andrew Skoien of the Queensland Bar, James Fitzpatrick of the Victorian Bar and David Stanton of the NSW Bar for arranging their respective teams;

• Simon Philips, Ivan Griscti and Thomas Liu of the NSW Bar, John Boultbee AM, CEO of the National Sports Tribunal and Judge Graham Turnbull SC DCJ for speaking at the conference; and

• Each of the participants and especially those members of the Queensland and Victoria Bars for travelling to Sydney.