CELEBRATING OUR JUNIOR PROGRAM

A message from Junior Vice President, Jeremy Hearne.

As we wrap up another fantastic junior football season, I wanted to take a moment to thank every player, family, volunteer, coach and supporter who helped make 2026 such a success.

This year marked another important step forward for our junior program. We were thrilled to field two Mixed Under 8 teams and introduce our very first Girls Under 8 team, alongside our Under 10s, Under 12s, Under 14s and Under 16s teams. With seven junior teams this season compared to five in 2025, our program continues to grow, and we are excited about what the future holds. These achievements came despite the challenges created by the redevelopment of our new facilities, which limited some of our social activities and made wet weather days a little more complicated.

Through it all, our families continued to show up, support their children, and contribute to the positive, welcoming culture that makes our club so special. A club like ours simply cannot operate without volunteers.

To every coach, assistant coach, team manager, medic, Match Day Official, goal umpire, umpire escort and parent who stepped up throughout the season, thank you. Your generosity and commitment are the foundation of everything we do. I would also like to make special mention of Liana and Vianney Keenan, whose tireless efforts behind the scenes continue to be the backbone of our junior program.

Congratulations to all of our award winners across every age group. Individual recognition is always special, but remember, football is a team game, and those achievements are only possible because of the teammates, coaches and families who support each player along the way. A particular congratulations to Jacob Knowles, who won the Under 14 competition Best & Fairest, and Yaqub Dau, who was runner-up in the Under 12 competition.

I would also like to acknowledge Cortni Buchanan for her leadership of our girls development squad. Week after week, a dedicated group of young girls turned up to train, learn and improve, despite not having regular Sunday games to look forward to. Their commitment and enthusiasm were inspiring, and we are incredibly optimistic about creating more playing opportunities for them next season.

As we close the season, we also say thank you to three outstanding coaches who will not be returning in their coaching roles next year. Darcy Smith guided our Under 10s from a group that was short on numbers before the season to a finals appearance. Shaun Forbes delivered the club's first junior premiership in seven seasons, creating memories that the U12’s players and families will cherish for years to come. Damon Hollow stepped up to lead our Under 16s, building a competitive and resilient team that never lost its spirit. On behalf of the entire club, thank you for your dedication, leadership and care for our players.

Looking ahead, there is every reason to be excited about 2027. We expect strong numbers across all age groups and may even have opportunities to field additional teams in some divisions. We have already appointed coaches across our mixed age groups and look forward to introducing them to the club community soon. We are also working hard to expand our girls program, with aspirations to field Under 10, Under 12 and Under 14 girls teams next season.

Perhaps most exciting of all, our new facilities remain on track for completion before next season begins. These new rooms will provide a fantastic home for our players and families and help ensure our club continues to be a place where young people can thrive both on and off the field.

We will also be establishing a Junior Committee in 2027 to help share the workload and give more families an opportunity to shape the future of our junior program. If you've ever considered getting involved, we would love to hear from you.

Thank you once again for your support throughout the season. The growth, success and culture of our junior program belong to all of you. We look forward to seeing everyone back around the club in 2027.

Go Tigers!

Jeremy Hearne

Junior Vice President