This is following on from the successful senior competition for higher age groups earlier this month, which saw 465 students from 32 teams.
The very popular event was created with the purpose of establishing an opportunity for multicultural, refugee and under privileged students to play Aussie Rules football.
For the Junior event last week, it is fair to say that community spirit took out the flag with plenty of kids learning and enjoying Australia’s native game on a beautiful spring day in Sydney’s west.
Emad Elkheir, a teacher at Punchbowl Boys High School, was full of praise for the multicultural and indigenous themed event, which is run in conjunction with Multicultural NSW
“For schools like Punchbowl Boys HS, it gives the kids a chance to try something new, a chance to express themselves,” said Elkheir. “They get into their comfort zone which is sport, but it’s challenging for them in the sense it’s not their regular sport.
“It helps them grow, which is something I have seen over the many years this event has now been running. They may only be in year seven or eight, but the kids really give it a go.
“They are comfortable in the setting, they understand the brand of the Giants so there is a comfort there, but there is a discomfort in trying something new. But it’s great to see the kids getting involved and it’s fascinating to see them learn.”
The Giants have worked hard over the past 13 years to bring Aussie Rules football to the Western Sydney community, and the growth of their membership base (37,705) is testament to the connection many locals now have with the Giants.
Elkheir has no doubt the Giants’ community programs have brought them a new generation of fans.
“This event helps the boys and girls of the community connect with the Club, the kids now talk about how they watch the Giants every weekend. We take the kids to the Club to watch the boys train, the kids now feel this is our club.
“They see Stephen Coniglio and they know him. They see people with similar backgrounds to them, and have a sense it’s our Club now. Aussie rules is not the leading sport in Sydney but the boys still feel, ‘this is GWS Giants and it’s our club’.”
David Hook, the Participation Manager for Greater Western Sydney, believes events like the Stephen Coniglio and Amanda Farrugia Cups play a key role in connecting kids to Aussie Rules football and in particular the Giants, while breaking down obstacles that kids might face when playing the game.
“So, the majority of the kids here come from schools that have high multicultural enrolments. So the partnership with the Giants remove a lot of barriers for these kids in that we give them free transport, put on a free lunch for the kids and we don’t charge entry fees to schools,” said Hook.
“You’ll also notice that every one of these fields have 2-3 dedicated AFL staff that provides coaching and education, to help ensure the experience for them is positive in understanding and learning the game.
“A lot of these schools were visited in the lead up to the competition so the kids were given one-on-one training so they familiarise themselves with the game and understand the basics.
“So it’s all about removing barriers for these kids where Aussie Rules is not necessarily a number one or number two sport.
“We want to see kids out there running around and getting healthy, and if Aussie Rules becomes their number one sport that is a bonus.”
Hook admitted that these school events have peaked a lot of interest from young kids, who usually play other sports, but now have a sudden interest in Aussie Rules football. He was particularly excited about the growth of girls and women’s football in the region.
“We have a lot of kids that come and ask us what happens next, showing they want to keep playing the game? We have modified rules, we reduce tackling and make it safer and thus we have more kids involved, especially girls,” he said.
“Girls football especially is starting to grow. The Hills and Penrith region have always seen large participation and the rest of Western Sydney is also growing.
“With these kids, they are now asking how they can play outside. We try and put on a great experience here and then we pass on information to teachers, and we rely on them to help promote it for us when they get back to school.”
Hook has also seen a number of kids now connect with players from the Giants, who they now see as a role model and someone they can emulate.
“If these kids look at footballers like Stephen Coniglio and Amanda Farrugia and say they want to be like them, and they turn up to games to watch their heroes, that is one of those things we can’t measure but obviously it’s something that means we have produced positive results."
He is also impressed with the number of kids that come from diverse backgrounds who now attend games, something he attributes to the work done by the AFL
“We have a diversity and inclusion team who work across Parramatta and Hurstville LGA’s. We have two dedicated staff who go into schools and work with them.
“We give them match day access and provide an experience. The Giants have been great in allowing schools to attend training, meet the players and have lunch.
“We aren’t trying to convince them to leave their favoured sport, but if we can get them following the Giants by going to games or watching on TV that is a win.”
Coniglio himself was beaming on the day, and admitted he felt an immense sense of pride that the event was named after him.
“It’s a massive thrill to be involved in this tournament. When this first started I probably didn’t realise how special this was, now I’m a bit older, it means so much more.
“For Amanda as well, the first AFLW Captain and a local girl, it’s a massive thrill. Especially when you see and meet kids who never knew anything about Aussie Rules, they get into the game and want to come and meet you. They follow you on Instagram and it’s funny how they connect with you. It gives me a huge thrill.
“Especially since I grew up in Perth, so Western Sydney is not somewhere I am originally from, but now to feel such a connection to the community is something special.
“Where I grew up, obviously being Italian, I had a lot of connection to the Italian and indigenous communities.
“So it was easy to settle into Western Sydney with so many ethnic and indigenous people here too. It’s been great for me personally to be exposed to so many different cultures and for me to learn and embrace so many backgrounds, it has been fantastic.”
Coniglio, who was pick 2 in the 2011 AFL Draft and a foundation Giants’ player, admits the growth of the game in Western Sydney is what has excited him the most.
“When I first went to schools when I first joined, everyone only knew Israel Folau. After a few years they knew others like Toby Green, the Jeremy Camerons and so on,” he said.
“So the growth of the game has been great, where many kids in this part of the world are now Aussie Rules mad.”
While the Stephen Coniglio and Amanda Farrugia Cups are about helping youngsters fall in love with the game at a social and community level, there are plenty of reasons to believe a number of the kids that participate could one day don the orange, charcoal and white of the Giants on the AFL or AFLW stage.
In fact, there are some exciting local products expected to feature in the AFL and AFLW National Drafts in the coming years.
The likes of Majella Day, Morgan Stevens, Zoe Curry and Ethan Matthews are Western Sydney locals and are currently thriving in the GWS Giants Academy. All four of them have also been selected into the AFL/W National Academy Programs for 2026.
Coniglio was quick to point out the pathways that now that exist for kids to achieve their potential in the game, thanks to events like this and the other programs the Giants offer.
“For me being Italian, Aussie Rules wasn’t my first sport growing up, and definitely it’s similar for these kids,” he explained. “So that is why it’s great that days like today and our community programs really show kids there is a pathway to the top if they really want it.”
The Stephen Coniglio and Amanda Farrugia Cups are one aspect of the excellent community program run by the Giants. In 2025 the Giants have conducted over 800 hours of community clinics and player appearances, visiting 27 clubs and 34 schools across the Greater Western Sydney and Canberra communities.
The Giants have also facilitated a variety of workshops to deliver value for community club stakeholders, including two coaching workshops and a cultural awareness training program engaging over 25 clubs.
This past few weeks, the GWS Giants Academy teams have been training at Bob Prenter Reserve in Macquarie Fields, using the new upgraded $7.8M facilities. Bob Prenter Reserve is the home of the South West Sydney Blues, and is an example of the far reach the Giants have across the region.
