North West AFL players have spent the past week representing their region across two major carnivals, with junior sides competing at the Northern NSW Championship in Coffs Harbour before senior teams took the field for the Regional Australia Bank Cup.
The North West Blue Heelers fielded two junior teams at the Northern NSW Championship, held from Wednesday to Friday at Coffs Harbour.
The Under 13 Boys did not record a win across the carnival, but that did not stop the team celebrating after their final match on Friday.
The Under 17 Girls fared better, winning two of their six matches, with victories over Hunter and South Coast.
The Under 17 Girls were coached by John Woolaston, while Ryan Cooper led the Under 13 Boys.
Scores for all junior matches and age groups from the week can be found at playhq.com/afl/org/afl-nswact-representative-games/2026/595afc80.
The North West’s senior men’s and women’s teams then took part in the Regional Australia Bank Cup on Saturday, also played in Coffs Harbour after a late change of venue. The event had originally been fixtured for Wayne Richards Park in Port Macquarie, but Port Macquarie-Hastings Council closed the ground late on Friday morning, despite players from the Central West and North West already travelling to the region at the time.
Organisers moved the Cup to Coffs Harbour’s Sport & Leisure Park precinct to allow the matches to go ahead.
The North West women’s team was coached by Jakob Vearing, and the men’s team by Lachie Bennetts-Inkster.
Get involved
Anyone wanting more information on the junior programs can contact Under 17 Girls coach John Woolaston on 0427 868 407, or Under 13 Boys coach Ryan Cooper on 0488 532 554.
For the senior teams, contact women’s coach Jakob Vearing on 0400 438 090, or men’s coach Lachie Bennetts-Inkster on 0404 526 607.
Full results from Saturday’s Regional Australia Bank Cup, including goal kickers, are available at playhq.com/afl/org/afl-nswact-representative-games/afl-nswact-representative-games-2026/a1c1f93e.
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