Recap– Grand National Youth Eliminator 2025
By Matt Stevens
Walsh Goes Back-to-Back; Cochrane Claims Breakthrough Title in Caboolture
- Brianna Walsh storms through the bracket to win her second straight title
- Liam Cochrane delivers a career-best weekend to take the boy’s crown
- Huge scoring, dramatic eliminations, and a pair of gripping grand finals close the youth season
The final stop of the 2025 TBA Youth ranked season delivered the drama everyone expected. Caboolture Bowl once again proved the perfect stage for nerve, skill and big-moment execution as the Grand National Youth Eliminator wrapped up the year with two thrilling finals and a weekend full of momentum swings.
Across two intensive days, some of Australia’s best youth bowlers tackled 10 games of qualifying, a pressure-filled stage 2 cut, and Caboolture’s famous ‘footy finals’ eliminator bracket. By the time the last frame was bowled, two standout champions had emerged.
The Winners
Liam Cochrane and Brianna Walsh claimed their titles in completely different ways, but both wins felt like defining chapters in their young careers.
For Liam, the weekend marked a long-awaited breakthrough. After showing flashes all season, he finally put everything together – consistency in qualifying, resilience in the bracket, and the poise to close out tight matches when it mattered most.
For Brianna, it was the heart of a champion on full display. Starting outside the top positions, she fought through sudden-death matches, toppled higher seeds, and somehow found a way to win every time the pressure peaked. Her back-to-back titles cements her as one of the toughest big-moment bowlers in the youth division.
How it Happened
Stage 1 – Qualifying
Female Division
Home-centre bowler Katy Melton made the early statement, leading the field after the first 10 games with 2,064 (206.4 avg), backed by a 241 high game in Game 7.
Close behind, Bella Westlake posted 2,045 to sit only 19 pins back, while Tamika Pettigrew (1,962) held third. Defending champion Brianna Walsh finished fifth with 1,922 but remained within striking distance.
Male Division
Fresh from a podium at the Gunspray Salisbury Open, Liam Cochrane dominated qualifying with 2,347 (234.7 avg) – never dropping below 212.
He carried a massive 141-pin lead over Justin Dinham (2,206), with Victorian Jackson Morgan (2,194) close behind. The high game for the stage belonged to Victorian William Zaccaria, who fired a 290. Defending champ Lachlan Howse scraped into 12th with 2,056.
Stage 2 – Top 12 Block
Female
Melton held her spot after four games, finishing on 2,860, though Westlake closed the margin to just 3 pins. Walsh made her move, climbing into third on 2,708.
Male
The storyline flipped completely as Justin Dinham delivered one of the blocks of the year – a ridiculous 1,046 (+246) behind 253, 277, 259, 257. He jumped into the top seed on 3,252, narrowly ahead of Cochrane (3,245).
Jackson Morgan stayed consistent in third, while defending champ Howse fell short of the bracket by 48 pins.
Eliminator Finals – Bracket Play
Male Division
North Queensland’s Connor Raines arrived red-hot after jumping from 10th to 4th and kept rolling, knocking off top seed Justin Dinham in straight games 227-202, 245-223 (472-425). Jackson Morgan also advanced, defeating Cochrane 234-215, 258-224 (492-438).
Elimination Matches
- Seth Gray defeated William Zaccaria 441-431)
- Blayde Christensen defeated Mitchell Wardrop (406-393)
Round Two
- Justin Dinham defeated Seth Gray 218-213
- Liam Cochrane defeated Blayde Christensen 236-166
Round Three
- Liam Cochrane defeated Connor Raines 269-167
- Just Dinham defeated Jackson Morgan 267-243 in a thriller
Grand Final
- In a gripping finish, Liam Cochrane edged Dinham 200-196 to seize his first Eliminator crown
Female Division
Round One
- Katy Melton defeated Sophie Jones (399-364)
- Bella Westlake defeated Brianna Walsh (409-374)
Elimination Matches
- Vanessa Hannigan defeated Brooke Buckingham (399-352)
- Tamika Pettigrew defeated Emily Stark (361-324)
Round Two
- Vanessa Hannigan defeated Sophie Jones 225-133
- Brianna Walsh defeated Tamika Pettigrew 225-2222 in a nailbiter
Round Three
- Brianna Walsh upset top seed Katy Melton 160-146
- Vanessa Hannigan defeated second seed Bella Westlake 220-171
Grand Final
In a tense, low-scoring battle, Brianna Walsh defeated Vanessa Hannigan 188-182 to secure back-to-back titles.
The 2025 Grand National Youth Eliminator delivered everything the season finale should – drama, comebacks, breakout stars and clutch finishes. From massive qualifying blocks to tight eliminator matches, every stage showcased the depth and talent of Australia’s youth bowlers.
With Liam Cochrane and Brianna Walsh lifting the final trophies of the year, the Youth division closes 2025 on a high – and sets the stage for an exciting 2026 season ahead.
Winners Journey – Liam Cochrane (SA)
Stage 1
| 236 | 237 | 234 | 235 | 246 |
| 212 | 249 | 221 | 235 | 242 |
- Total – 2,347 over 10 games
- 234.7 average
- 1st place after qualifying
Stage 2
| 190 | 235 | 215 | 258 |
- Running Total – 3,245 after 14 games
- Average 231.8
- 2nd place at the conclusion of stage 2 (2nd seed)
Eliminator Finals
- Round 1 – Lost to Jackson Morgan 234-215, 258-223 (492-438)
- Round 2 – Defeated Blayde Christensen 236-166
- Round 3 – Defeated Connor Raines 269-167
- Grand Final – Defeated Justin Dinham 200-196
HIGH GAME
269
Winners Journey – Brianna Walsh (NSW)
Stage 1
| 182 | 220 | 224 | 179 | 162 |
| 232 | 165 | 172 | 209 | 177 |
- Total – 1,922 over 10 games
- 192.2 average
- 5th place after qualifying
Stage 2
| 190 | 222 | 188 | 186 |
- Running Total – 2,708 after 14 games
- 193.4 average
- 3rd place at the conclusion of stage 2 (3rd seed)
Eliminator Finals
- Round 1 – Lost to Bella Westlake 223-200, 151-209 (409-374)
- Round 2 – Defeated Tamika Pettigrew 225-222
- Round 3 – Defeated Katy Melton 160-146
- Grand Final – Defeated Vanessa Hannigan 188-182
HIGH GAME
232
GRAND NATIONAL YOUTH ELIMINATOR
CHAMPIONS
| YEAR | MALE | FEMALE |
| 2019 | Brandon Edwards (VIC) | Kylie Bailey (QLD) |
| 2022 | Samantha Clifton (NSW) | Jackson Buckingham (QLD) |
| 2023 | Tamika Pettigrew (QLD) | Justin Dinham (NSW) |
| 2024 | Brianna Walsh (NSW) | Lachlan Howse (QLD) |
| 2025 | Brianna Walsh (NSW) | Liam Cochrane (SA) |
