Commissioned especially for the annual series, the ANZAC Day Challenge trophy is a unique artwork created by local makers Resinate Wood Co in conjunction with Delbasid Timbers, and has been built to reflect the deeper purpose of an event that is centred on remembrance, respect, service, and connection.
From the outset, Townsville Touch Football and the North Queensland Defence Touch Association were determined that the series deserved something more meaningful than a standard trophy or shield.
TTF President Kerrod Hall said the vision was always to create a piece that would tell its own story and carry genuine significance.
"I've said a few times during the planning of this year's event that my vision was for a trophy or shield that tells its own story and holds genuine significance and meaning, and this more than fits that."
Hall said commissioning the piece was an investment the organisation was proud to make.
"It's an investment that is absolutely worth it, because it sends the message that we are more than just financially invested in this event."
"We are invested in what it stands for, in the people it brings together, and in building something that carries real meaning for many years to come."
The trophy has been brought to life by Resinate Wood Co, a father-and-son team whose creativity, craftsmanship, and lived experience made them a fitting choice for such an important project.
Designed and built by two Australian veterans with a combined 49 years of service and eight operational deployments, the piece carries not just symbolism, but the weight of personal experience and understanding.
Hall said the final product was the result of a shared vision between TTF and NQDT, and the skill of those entrusted to make it real.
"This started with a vision that Damien Scott and I were talking through early on, and Damien was then able to relay that to Lucas at Resinate Wood Co, who has produced something really amazing."
"What they've created is not just a trophy, it's a piece that reflects the spirit of the event itself."
The trophy has been crafted with a range of symbolic elements that tie together service, sacrifice, remembrance, and the bond between the Defence and touch football communities, and organisers say those details will give the series an even stronger sense of identity moving forward.
For Townsville Touch Football, that was always the goal.
The ANZAC Day Challenge was established not simply as a set of representative matches, but as a way of honouring the ANZAC spirit and recognising the contribution that Defence personnel, past and present, have made to Townsville and the wider region.
Hall said the trophy now gives the event a centrepiece that matches that vision.
"It represents far more than who wins on the night."
"It represents service, sacrifice, mateship, and the enduring connection between those who serve and the community that stands beside them."
The new trophy will be presented for the first time following this Thursday night's ANZAC Day Challenge at Queens Park, where Townsville Touch Football's Saints and the North Queensland Defence Touch Association's Crocs will once again come together for a series built on far more than just football.
Click here to read more about the ANZAC Day Challenge trophy.