The region’s best AFL juniors will showcase their silky skills at the Challenge Cup this weekend.
The two-day tournament, featuring under-13, under-15 and under-17 boys’ and girls’ teams from AFL Hunter Central Coast, is scheduled to take place at Lake Macquarie venues Feighan Oval and Tulkaba Park on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 June.
And, due to the growth of the competition, Hunter will be broken into two regions – Country and Metro.
Hunter Country consists of players from Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Nelson Bay, Wallsend West Newcastle and Muswellbrook.
Incredibly, the Roosters from Singleton boast 15 members of the squad (of 18) in the under-13YG division, highlighting the strength of the code at the club.
Warners Bay, Cardiff and Newcastle City make up the bulk of Hunter Metro, in another positive sign for the sport in the area.
AFL Hunter Central Coast competition coordinator Lauren Francis said everyone was looking forward to the fixtures.
“This year, we’ve extended the Challenge Cup over two days and invited teams from the North Coast to join in,” she explained.
“Each side will play four games over the weekend.
“Then we’ll have a match-win ratio to find out who the successful region is.
“Thank you to all our coaches, assistant coaches, team managers and the other helpers for your hard work so far.
“Good luck.”
Hunter Country
U13 boys – Alexander Farrell (Lake Macquarie), Billy Ellis (Maitland), Callum Walker (Port Stephens), Cody Beavis (Maitland), Cohen Denne (Lake Macquarie), David Gorton (Port Stephens), Elliott Taylor (Singleton), Fintan Trickey (Singleton), Henry Moore (Maitland), Hudson Roche (Nelson Bay), Joel Smith (Port Stephens), Owen Trickey (Singleton), Owen Edgar (Port Stephens), Ramin Nock (Singleton), Rhys Hay (Port Stephens), Ryan Stafa (Singleton), Ryley Jewell (Port Stephens), Seamus Dimery (Port Stephens), Tiaki Rees (Lake Macquarie), Tom Warren (Port Stephens), Tyler Kerr (Port Stephens), Tyler Downey (Lake Macquarie), Tyson Williams (Singleton), Xavier Stewart (Maitland)
U13YG – Aurelia Russell (c – Maitland), Ella Northey (Singleton), Ella Radmacher (vc – Singleton), Georgia Clydsdale (vc – Singleton), Georgia Dunn (Singleton), Hannah Borg (Singleton), Ineke Sunderland (Singleton), Keely Andrews (Singleton), Khloe Henderson (Singleton), Macy Neyland (Singleton), Madison Marsh (Port Stephens), Maegan Downes (Singleton), Marni O’Bryan (Singleton), Matilda Ord (Singleton), Milla Gainsford (Nelson Bay), Milla Hauville (Singleton), Milly Stephenson (Singleton), Quinn Neyland (Singleton)
U15 boys – Bailey Urquhart (Lake Macquarie), Blayne Chandler (Singleton), Cooper Higgins (Maitland), Damien Stafa (Singleton), Demetrius Rohr (Maitland), Ethan Davis (Maitland), Hamish Roy (Maitland), Jackson Maskey (Singleton), Jacob Radcliffe (Port Stephens), Josh Bohan (Maitland), Joshua Kellehear (Lake Macquarie), Kai Jansen (Nelson Bay), Lucas Doherty (Maitland), Nate Rothall (Singleton), Orlando Emmett (Singleton), Paris Forbes (Singleton), Patrick McGrath (Nelson Bay), Rory Hodgson (Maitland), Rowan Connick (Nelson Bay), Sam Boughton (Singleton), Seth Morrissey (Port Stephens), Toby Sinclair (Port Stephens), Tyreek Brunner (Maitland)
U15YG – Ally Neyland (Singleton), Amalie Ford (Singleton), Anika Cornford (Wallsend West Newcastle), Bella-May Marshall (Singleton), Catalina Labranox (Nelson Bay), Charli Henderson (Singleton), Chloe Jones (Singleton), Demi Bentley (Nelson Bay), Elise Kerr (Singleton), Emeilia Morgan (Singleton), Ivy Zulumovski (Wallsend West Newcastle), Jessica Borg (Singleton), Josephine Buffier (Maitland), Keeley Harris (Singleton), Lily Bos (Singleton), LJ Williams (Singleton), Maddison Jewell (Maitland), Molly Thomas (Singleton), Scout Walter (Wallsend West Newcastle), Sophie Elliot (Nelson Bay), Tyla Mathews (Singleton)
U17 boys – Blair Hosie (Maitland), Coby Marks (Maitland), Cooper Daniel (Lake Macquarie), Harry Cornford (Wallsend West Newcastle), Hassan Ahmed (Wallsend West Newcastle), Jarrod Inglis (Maitland), Joey Mott (Lake Macquarie), Kaleb Moran (Lake Macquarie), Lachlan Wellard (Lake Macquarie), Luke Dunn (Singleton), Oliver Palmer (Maitland), Olly Latter (Maitland), Regan Spicer (Muswellbrook), Riley Hawes (Maitland), Rywin Nock (Singleton), Samuel Mahomet (Maitland), Samuel Peacock (Maitland), Sonny Anderson (Maitland), Tyler Ford (Lake Macquarie), William Hall (Lake Macquarie), Xavier Russell (Maitland), Zack Stewart (Maitland)
Hunter Metro
U13 boys – Archie Bell (Warners Bay), Liam Bonham (Cardiff), William Boyle (Newcastle City), Lincoln Catchpole (Newcastle City), James Chugg (Cardiff), Coen Clark (Newcastle City), Luke Dinning (Warners Bay), Ty Ennis (Warners Bay), Chase Firman (Newcastle City), Harrison Fleming (Newcastle City), Samuel Gallagher (Warners Bay), Jeremy Gocher (Warners Bay), Max Langworthy (Newcastle City), Kynan Lascelles (Newcastle City), Taj Riddle (Cardiff), Tom Scanlon (Newcastle City), Elliott Thomas (Warners Bay), Rex Wardle (Warners Bay), Darcy White (Newcastle City), Xavier Dean (Newcastle City), Taj Wolfenden (Warners Bay), Boaz Bonar (Newcastle City), Alfie Bonar (Newcastle City)
U13YG – Amelia Robinson (Newcastle City), Elizabeth Georgalis (Cardiff), Elizabeth Leyshon (Warners Bay), Elki Long (Newcastle City), Ellen Moran (Newcastle City), Estella Walla (Cardiff), Gabriella Ihle (Warners Bay), Hannah Francis (Newcastle City), Holly Winter (Warners Bay), Mei Olson (Newcastle City), Myla Tucker (Newcastle City), Olivia Sullivan (Warners Bay), Pippa Hamilton (Cardiff), Rose Williams (Cardiff), Ruby Fogo (Newcastle City), Ruby Watson (Newcastle City), Scarlett Fox (Warners Bay), Shiloh Flynn (Newcastle City)
U15 boys – Ace Antonovich (Newcastle City), Alexander Gallagher (Warners Bay), Archer Harkness (Warners Bay), Bayley Clement (Cardiff), Brodie Wright (Warners Bay), Gabriel Bose (Warners Bay), Jack Anderson (Warners Bay), James Georgalis (Cardiff), Jarell Bose (Cardiff), Joe Harrison (Warners Bay), Jordie Harris (Newcastle City), Joseph Plumridge (Cardiff), Lachlan Clement (Cardiff), Lochie Sunderland (Newcastle City), Marshall Muirhead (Cardiff), Max King (Cardiff), Noah Lorenz (Newcastle City), Ryan Bonham (Cardiff), Taj Barton (Cardiff), William Ross (Newcastle City), Zachary Yurisich (Warners Bay), Zander Crowden (Warners Bay). Emergencies: Cooper Browne (Warners Bay), Lachlan Gillies (Warners Bay), Finbarr Hurley (Newcastle City), Xavier Thomas (Warners Bay)
U15YG – Amalin Griffiths (Newcastle City), Amber King (Cardiff), Ayla Flynn (Newcastle City), Charisse Watters-Cowan (Newcastle City), Charlotte Day (Cardiff), Charlotte Francis (Newcastle City), Claire Ljubic (Newcastle City), Hunter Rowntree (Newcastle City), Elizabeth Montgomery (Newcastle City), Ella Brownell (Cardiff), Ellie Nadalin (Newcastle City), Emily Treloar (Cardiff), Gigi Hubber (Warners Bay), Jassmin Daymond (Cardiff), Lily Martini (Cardiff), Matisse Murray (Warners Bay), Neve O’Kane (Newcastle City), Savannah Newton (Cardiff), Tameka Chambers (Cardiff), Tiarne Hagan (Cardiff), Violet Olson (Newcastle City)
U17 boys – Archie Waerea (Newcastle City), Brayden Hawkins (Cardiff), Cole Pedersen (Warners Bay), Connor Murray (Newcastle City), Cooper Harridge (Cardiff), Dominic Stanbridge (Newcastle City), Dylan Bonham (Cardiff), Jackson Kendall (Warners Bay), Joshua Bell (Newcastle City), Kaiden Brunckhorst (Warners Bay), Lachlan Falley (Newcastle City), Lachlan MacNarama (Cardiff), Liam Lieschke (Warners Bay), Louis Selkirk (Newcastle City), Mitchell Sweetnam (Warners Bay), Oliver Murdoch (Newcastle City), Reece Barton (Cardiff), Sebastian Thomas (Warners Bay)
U17YG – Asha Turner-Funk (Newcastle City), Beth Martini (Cardiff), Claudia Gray (Newcastle City), Eleanor Barnett (Cardiff), Ella Apostolidis (Newcastle City), Ellie Mackey (Newcastle City), Emily Martin (Newcastle City), Emma Campbell (Warners Bay), Emma Mantle (Warners Bay), Georgia Fleming (Newcastle City), Grace Baker (Cardiff), Hannah Melville (Cardiff), Isabella Sullivan (Warners Bay), Jade Archer (Newcastle City), Lily Veness (Newcastle City), London Ashcroft (Newcastle City), Marnie Robinson (Newcastle City), Nelita Bob (Cardiff), Niamh Hurley (Newcastle City), Shelby Newton (Cardiff), Sienna Isaac (Cardiff), Tenaya Marks (Cardiff), Zara Clark (Newcastle City)