REPLAY: THE FLY 2025
Four days of Sixes lacrosse culminated in two winners being crowned in front of Manchester City FC’s Etihad Stadium on 1st June 2025. Some of the best players from across the UK and further afield were drafted to four women’s and four men’s teams, all with the shared goal of leaving the competition - which is now entering its sixth year - as a The Fly champion. In order to execute an event marketed as showcasing the Olympic lacrosse format, a number of elements have to align perfectly and the planning must be exceptional. Money, and a fair amount of it, is needed to not only put on the event but to make it better than previous years, and every on-field representative from the players and coaches to the officials, need to be at the top of their game. In short, it isn’t easy to organise an event such as The Fly; but did its organisers, England Lacrosse, pull it off?
Well, it depends on who you ask.
But before we dive into everyone’s favourite topic (criticising the NGBs), let’s cast our minds back to the weekend of 17th and 18th May. The Fly opened its doors at a new venue in South East London promising fans a weekend of elite level Sixes lacrosse action to enjoy. Players and spectators descended on Blackheath Rugby Club, the stands full of the stench of sun cream and beer as a sunny weekend packed with 12 games of lacrosse got underway. Both Hustle teams took the first win of the men’s and women’s competition, each going up against Swift, who couldn’t handle what the team in purple had to offer. Hustle men shared the ball seamlessly, resulting in nine different goal scorers compared to Swift’s six, and goalkeeper for Hustle, Hal Dwobeng, finished the game with a 64% save rate with Swift’s goalie, William Baxter, sitting on 44%.
However, Swift didn’t have an easy ride this year - far from it, actually.