Sydney Spartans Arm Wrestling, over the top!
with Matt“ Duck Man” Austin
Arm wrestling has been around since the eighth century. When many people think of arm wrestling, they picture hulking figures – strongmen, powerlifters, bodybuilders, perhaps even Arnold Schwarzenegger types. You know the ones; massive blokes who could lift a family car( with the family still inside), devour a month’ s worth of food in a week, and wrestle dinosaurs for fun!
But according to Oz from Sydney Spartans Arm Wrestling, that image couldn’ t be further from the truth.
Oz founded Sydney Spartans Arm Wrestling in 2015 after discovering that nowhere in Sydney catered to the sport. That’ s right – no dedicated arm wrestling space in a city of five million. So, he started his own club from his backyard in North Rocks. What began as a personal mission has grown into a thriving community of 25 to 35 regular arm wrestlers each week, battling it out across nine purpose-built tables.
While arm wrestling in Australia isn’ t yet a professional sport and doesn’ t
Devon Larratt turns fifty. Credit: Sydney Spartans Arm Wrestling. have the scale seen overseas, Oz says the number of participants might surprise you. Even more surprising is the diversity of the competitors: Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, Australian, Russian, older gents in their sixties, and even white-collar professionals from law firms – all united by their passion for this unassuming but intensely competitive sport.
I asked Oz how it all began for him. He explained it started with a loss – a friendly match against a high school mate that didn’ t go his way. The defeat lit a fire in him. Determined to improve, Oz joined a club and trained hard, eventually becoming a state champion and winning silver and bronze medals at the national level. Ironically, his schoolmate never accepted a rematch.
The sport in Australia is governed by the Australian Armwrestling Federation with state directors across the country. Oz’ s club, Sydney Spartans, is the only dedicated arm wrestling club in Sydney and arguably the most successful in Australia, regularly claiming gold at both state and national championships. In contrast, Brisbane currently boasts around eight clubs.
Internationally, particularly in America and Europe, arm wrestling is a major sport – professional and financially viable. It even draws in personalities from other strength disciplines, like Canadian legend Devon Larratt, who stands at an imposing 196cm( 6’ 5”) and 125kg( 275lb). Many newcomers to Sydney Spartans first hear about the sport through Devon’ s massive online following.
Australia’ s own premier event, the Over The Top tournament, takes place on the Gold Coast in October – and yes, it’ s named after the 1987 Sylvester
Mario and Ivan from Sydney Spartans cleaning up in Arizona. Credit: Sydney Spartans Arm Wrestling.
Stallone film of the same name. Oz has big ambitions too; he’ s campaigning for arm wrestling to be included in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, and with sixty members now on the books, expansion might not be far off.
For those keen to get involved, it’ s simple. Newcomers are welcome to drop in – Oz gives them the basics, and they quickly start training with other members. Best of all, it’ s free to join. The club also hosts a monthly competition called the Super Match Series, where participants choose an opponent and face off in a bestof-three bout.
Arm wrestling also tests grip strength
– another key component of the sport. There’ s even a grip strength challenge, with the club record sitting at an impressive 114kg. Oz himself can close 94kg.
The NSW Arm Wrestling Championships were recently held at the Meatstock Festival in May, further raising the sport’ s profile.
If you’ d like to give it a go, Sydney Spartans Arm Wrestling trains every Wednesday night from 7:30pm to 10:00pm in North Rocks. Whether you’ re a total beginner or looking to compete, you’ ll find a welcoming and passionate community – no dinosaurs required.
Hills United FC Women carrying the flag in NSW Football with Matt“ Duck Man” Austin
Football in the Hills District continues to thrive, with strong participation across both the men’ s Premier League and the women’ s Phoenix Premier League, as well as competitions under the Blacktown District and Granville District Football Associations.
Participation numbers are steadily increasing, and Hills United’ s presence in the NSW Women’ s League One has gone from strength to strength— particularly in recent years. Their 2025 form has been nothing short of outstanding.
Hills United women’ s team ready for action. Credit: Football NSW.
The season got off to a flying start with a 2 – 1 win in Round 1 against South Coast Flame, followed by a commanding 6 – 0 home victory over Inter Lions.
That match featured stellar performances across the board, most notably from striker Elin Rosenborg Cemazar, who netted a hat-trick. She has now scored 13 goals in 15 matches this season, bringing her career tally to 33 goals in 72 appearances.
She even earned an early mark in the 69th minute to enjoy the rest of the match from the sidelines. Midfielder Bianca Galayini also impressed, scoring a brace and controlling the centre of the park with poise and precision.
This season has also seen a change between the posts. Last year’ s captain and Australian futsal goalkeeper Sarah Easthope has stepped into a leadership and mentoring role, passing the gloves to the capable Nicola Simmons. Simmons has started 13 of her 14 matches this season and has proven to be a dependable presence at the back.
Hills United followed up with another home fixture— this time at Valentine Park— against Blacktown City, where Jess Wootton bagged a hat-trick. She opened her account with a penalty on the stroke of half-time and sealed the treble in the 92nd minute. With 12 goals so far this season, Wootton continues to show her class, bringing her career totals to 64 goals in 104 appearances.
Captain Aisling Davidson has also been a standout. Elevated to the role this year, she’ s led from the front with commanding defensive performances as she approaches her 100th career match.
The momentum continued with a 3 – 0 away win against Camden Tigers, followed by a home draw against second-placed SD Raiders— arguably Hills United’ s most serious challengers this season. That was the only blip in an otherwise flawless month that saw Hills string together four consecutive wins: a 1 – 0 result over Marconi Stallions, a 5 – 0 drubbing of Blacktown Spartans, and a stunning 8 – 0 demolition of Sutherland Strikers, where Cemazar scored five goals in one match.
They followed that with a 2 – 0 win against Bankstown City Lions before a narrow 2 – 1 loss away to a determined Central Coast Mariners side at Pluim Park— a rare slip in an otherwise dominant season.
Since then, Hills United have regained
Bianca Galayini receives her 100th jersey. Credit: Hills United FC. their composure and grit, adding four more wins to their tally: a 3 – 0 victory away at Nepean FC, a tight 1 – 0 win over St George FC, a 6 – 0 triumph against South Coast Flame, and most recently, a 7 – 0 rout away at Inter Lions.
Now past the halfway mark, Hills United sit atop the ladder on 37 points after 14 matches, holding a six-point lead over SD Raiders. With everything clicking into gear, it’ s hard to see who might stop Allan Tasses’ side.
2025 could well be Hills United’ s year.
THE HILLS INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine. com. au ISSUE 121 // JULY 2025 29