AFL North Coast’s juniors are in for another big year on the field after the release of the draw for the upcoming season.

AFL North Coast’s junior seasons get underway on Sunday, April 30.

This season will feature five competitions; under 12 mixed, Youth Girls 14, under 14 mixed, under 16 boys, and Youth Girls 17.

It will also see the addition of a new under 10 mixed (non-competitive) age group, to provide a smooth transition between Auskick and competitive football.

Last year the AFL North Coast junior competition had a total of 31 teams, and in 2023 that number has jumped to 47, with an increase of 44 percent in the number of girls teams.

Two new junior clubs are set to join the competition; the Lower Clarence Suns and North Coffs Kangaroos, as part of ten clubs playing off on footy grounds from Yamba in the north to Port Macquarie in the south.

AFL Northern NSW Competition Coordinator Brad Greenshields said this season promises to be the best one yet for junior football.

“The addition of a new age group and the growth in playing numbers proves that the AFL North Coast is continuing to gain in popularity,” he said.

“Once the season starts, each Sunday will see 22 games of footy played across six age groups, including the new non-competitive Under 10 age group.”

The AFL North Coast’s representative program has also increased in size with the North Coast Force fielding an Under 15 Girls team for the first time in 2023.

The representative teams will be playing in two carnivals this year.

One is in the Hunter region over the June long weekend and the second will be the Northern NSW Championships being held in Coffs Harbour over the middle weekend of the July school holidays.

This season’s premierships will be decided during the grand final day at the C.ex Coffs International Stadium on Sunday, 27 August.

By Aiden BURGESS