The competition, which began on November 11 and wrapped up on November 30, featured a strong turnout from the MFC children each week. 

“Our club would consider it a success,” Lello said. 

“We had great participation from Murrumbateman. We had 14 kids registered and pretty much the full compliment of those turned out every week, which was fantastic.”

Although some of the other clubs involved, including Bungendore and Yass, struggled for numbers, the competition went ahead as planned and most weeks a full Murrumbateman team would play against a combined side from the others. 

The competition is designed to acclimate kids who are new to Aussie rules to competitive football in a friendly and safe environment while continuing to develop their skills, something which Lello said had been resoundingly achieved by the tournament’s end. 

“[There was] extensive development over the course of [the program],” Lello said. 

“The best sign of that is really in the last couple of rounds. The scale of teamwork between the kids, really some fantastic end-to-end ball movement, back line to the forward line and vice versa. 

“It was really great to see them actually working as a team, and holding positions. One of the things that we’ve noticed, certainly in the last couple of weeks, is that they’re genuinely holding positions. 

“The skills in general around kicking and passing, getting to the ball first, are all higher-order skills at the end of the campaign.” 

The development of the youngsters is especially pleasing for Lello and the MFC committee as they are looking to develop the kids into potential players for the senior side, who will take to the field in the ACTAFL competition for the first time in 2019. 

“What we’re trying to do here is really align the juniors to the seniors,” Lello said. 

“We’ll have junior participation at the senior’s home games for example, Auskick will kick off in February, Lake George Cup will be later in the first term, and they’ll be coordinated by a combination of efforts from the AFL and from the club. 

“We want to give those guys a springboard into the junior comp, and from junior comp we really want them to see the seniors team as a springboard for them.” 

Lello thanked the AFL for its support in running the Lake George Cup, and said that the club looks forward to putting on more junior events early in 2019.