On Friday the 28th of March Sapphire Coast AFL coaches, club representatives, sponsors, life members, board members and AFL NSW/ ACT staff descended on the Merimbula RSL to officially Launch the 2014 Sapphire Coast AFL season.
The key message throughout the night indicated that the Sapphire Coast AFL is set to explode in season 2014 and beyond with great initiatives being put in place by clubs, the board and AFL NSW/ ACT staff to help grow, enhance and professionalize the game of AFL within the Sapphire Coast region. With only five under 13 and four under 16 teams making up the junior grades, Sapphire Coast AFL chairman Tim Shepherd ‘would love to see all seven clubs fielding a team in both junior grades to enhance the competition and to provide stability and longevity for clubs within the Sapphire Coast’, whilst ‘Leaving the game in a better place then when I started in the role’.
The 2014 Sapphire Coast AFL appears to be the tightest to date with a handful of teams capable of capturing the premiership plate based on past and pre-season form. Tathra FC will be vying to continue their premiership streak and add a fifth consecutive premiership whilst Pambula and Merimbula snap at their heels. The majority of senior coaches have tipped the Bega Bombers to be the big improvers in 2014 thanks to a number of additions to their 2013 team.
In the junior grades, Merimbula will continue to be the benchmark of the competition with the likes of Pambula, Narooma, Bermagui and Bega looking to dethrone the Diggers and become premiers of the under 13 and 16 competitions in 2014. The 2014 season will see the launch of the intr 10's program allowing children to gain an experience in the training and match demands of AFL.
In another great sign of AFL developing within the Sapphire Coast, The Sapphire Coast AFL Stingrays will travel to Nowra in June to participate in the representative carnival with U12, 14, 16 and senior teams available. 2014 will also see the first year that children under 17 will have the opportunity to play within the AFL Canberra junior structure as part of the AFL South Coast U17’s.
Be sure to barrack and follow your local team in 2014 and witness some exhilarating football!
Last Modified on 09/05/2014 13:28