PORT Stephens Power has taken out the prestigious Central Coast Hunter AFL Junior Club of the Year Award for 2024.

The progressive Power club received the honour at a special AFL Awards Dinner held recently at the Belmont 16 Footers.

It is a huge achievement by the Port Stephens-based organisation that fielded six teams in the Central Coast-Hunter Giants Conference junior competitions this season.

Emerging Power midfield tyro Jake Marsh was also named the Central Coast Hunter AFL Under 13s Player of the Year.

The Medowie youngster was judged the best and fairest player by the competition umpires for his stand out performances in the 2024 series.

Jake is one of several talented Power prospects in the Sydney Swans Academy squads and guided his team to this year’s Under 13 Mixed finals.

Other promising Port Stephens juniors to stamp their mark were Jaxon McNamara (Under 9s), Riley Ashpole (Under 11s), Ryan Poole (Under 13s) and Under 17 Girls ace Ella Burggraaff, who were all recipients of Team Achievement Awards.

Ella lined up for the Nelson Bay Marlins Under 17s this season when the Power couldn’t field a girls side in that age group with NSW Schoolgirls representative Maddi Marsh, another Sydney Swans Academy inductee, linking up with Cardiff.

The club’s tireless Vice President, Tracey Harley was also recognised on the night as a finalist in the Volunteer of the Year Award category.

Port Stephens Power enjoyed a fruitful 2024 campaign by reaching the Under 11 and Under 13 Mixed preliminary finals as well as the Black Diamond Plate Senior Women’s finals series.

The Power bowed out of the Under 11 Mixed title race after a 31-2 loss to eventual champions Warners Bay Black at Pasterfield Sports Complex and were beaten 57-25 by Saratoga Hawks in the Under 13 Mixed division at Northlakes Oval.

Warners Bay Black defeated Warners Bay White in last Sunday’s Under 11s title decider at Feighan Oval after the Whites had earlier tipped out Nelson Bay Marlins 32-8.

By Chris KARAS