As well as key speakers throughout the evening the Pambula U13s, Narooma U16s, Pambula development and Pambula senior grades were presented with their 2014 premiership flags after spectacular seasons respectively.

The key message throughout the launch indicated for a exciting and successful Sapphire Coast AFL season in 2015 and beyond with great initiatives being put in place by clubs, the board and AFL NSW/ ACT to help grow, enhance and professionalize the game of AFL within the Sapphire Coast region. With six U13, four U16 teams and the introduction of an U11 competition and the Broulee/Moruya Giants into the junior grades, Sapphire Coast AFL chairman Tim Shepherd ‘believes the competition is moving in a clear and exciting direction with junior football a high priority allowing kids to remain active, meet new friends and learn life skills’, while ‘leaving the game in a better place then when I started in the role’.

The Pambula Panthers come into the 2015 senior competition with a target on their back having gone over 12 months without a loss in regular season and pre-season competition. Have the likes of Bermagui, Bega, Tathra, Merimbula and Narooma done enough over the off-season and pre-season to catch the reigning premiers in 2015 and win the 2015 premiership? With Bermagui, Merimbula and Tathra recruiting well in the off-season they will believe they have improved enough to catch the Panthers while Bega will go into the season as underdogs with the Bombers known to cause some upsets along the way. 2015 will see a relatively inexperienced Narooma team give an opportunity to a number of promising juniors after coming off the back of the under 16 premiership in 2014.

In the junior grades, the Sapphire Coast AFL welcomes the Broulee/Moruya Giants into the competition creating a fresh buzz around the competition. The Narooma U16s will be looking to duplicate their highly successful 2014 with Merimbula, Pambula and Bega looking to overtake a relatively stable Lions squad. In the under 13 and under 11 competitions Pambula will be looking to continue their 2014 finals form into 2015. Merimbula will have a chip on their shoulder after falling short in the finals after looking like the team to beat during the regular season while Bermagui, Bega and Narooma will be looking for development from their highly skilled juniors to challenge for the top prize come September.

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 junior representative carnival with U12, 14, 16 and youth girls teams available, while the senior men will travel to Canberra in June to take on a Canberra representative team in what should be a great game of football at a premier venue.

Be sure to barrack and follow your local team in 2015!