Year in Review: GSJ
The 2013 season saw a growth of 7.65 per cent for the Greater Sydney Juniors (GSJ) competition with 11,051 participants across 65 clubs and 439 teams making it the largest junior competition in the state.
The Willoughby Wildcats JAFC in Sydney’s east is the biggest club in the competition, with 466 participants, ahead of East Sydney and Manly.
The Sydney Harbour Red Grand Finals demonstrated the depth of the competition, with 20 clubs represented across the 18 Grand Finals, where no club won more than two Premierships.
Maroubra was the highest represented club with four teams in Grand Finals.
Queenwood School for Girls took out the Under-16 Youth Girls competition, with more and more females taking up the sport after the introduction of another successful Youth Girls competition on the Central Coast. There are plans to introduce another competition in Newcastle next year.
Western Sydney held Grand Finals for the first time at SKODA Stadium with the Under-16 Grand Final played under lights.
2013 also saw the introduction of the AFL GSJ Club of the Year competition with Camden (Western Sydney), Lake Macquarie (Newcastle), Peninsula (Central Coast), Hornsby (Sydney Harbour Red), and Cronulla (Sydney Harbour White) all recognised for their achievements.
Retiring Regional Chairman David Burgess and former Newcastle Junior AFL President John Holmquest were awarded GSJ Life Membership at the AFL GSJ Annual Forum held at Kiama recently.
In talent news, Mosman’s Callum Mills was selected in the Level 1 AIS Academy, won the Carbine Club Scholarship, and was named Division 2 MVP at the NAB AFL Under-16 National Championships in Sydney.
QBE Sydney Swans Academy member Lloyd Perris, from St George, will also formally join the Sydney Swans in November, on a two-year rookie list contract.
