The finest young football talent in the region has been rewarded for its efforts at the inaugural South East Juniors/AFL South East Regional Top-Age Awards Night at Bunjil Place in Narre Warren.

The inaugural combined event saw the cream of the crop from the SEJ share the stage with the eye-catching top-age players in the region – consisting of under-17 boys and under-18 girls from both the SEJ and Frankston and Districts Junior Football League (FDJFL).

Season 2019 saw the introduction of the AFLSE Regional Top-Age competition, with the main objective to create sustainable and even competitions that provide an incentive for boys and girls to continue to play football.

Best and fairest winners across 18 divisions were announced, with the top five from each division also acknowledged for their great play throughout the season.

Riley Hilliard (pictured) from Beaconsfield was the biggest winner on the night, claiming the Under 12 Blue Best and Fairest award with 36 votes, enough for a three-vote victory in the much sough-after Lindsay Patching Medal – awarded to the highest vote-getter across all divisions of the SEJ.

And it wasn’t just the players who took centre stage, with clubs, volunteers, coaches and umpires also rewarded for their magnificent efforts across the course of the season.

Narre North Foxes took out the prestigious Best Conducted Club Award, while Shadia Haidar from Noble Park and Mark O’Brien from Narre Warren shared the Volunteer of the Year Award.

Noah Balica from Noble Park won the coveted Young Club Person of the Year.

Craig Talbot (Berwick), Glenn Lyons and Kirsty Lebusque (Pakenham) made a clean sweep of the coaches awards, while Jackson Hamilton, Thomas Kreun and Lachlan Vienna were rewarded for their terrific efforts in the umpiring ranks.

The stage is now set for a bumper SEJ grand final day, where 16 teams will become 2019 premiers.

The grand final action takes place this Sunday at Narre Warren and Pakenham, with the Top-Age preliminary finals to be held at Shepley Oval and Frankston Park.

AFL South East would like to congratulate all award winners and wish all grand final teams the very best of luck.

To purchase photos of last night’s event go to; https://garybradshaw.com.au/portfolio/frankie-photography-2019