AFL Canberra’s Year 7-9 Junior School Competition Final will now carry the names of two of the city’s star AFL and AFLW exports, AFL Canberra has today announced.
GWS GIANTS AFL midfielder Tom Green and Sydney Swans AFLW midfielder forward Cynthia Hamilton have been honoured with the renaming of the male and female junior school final competitions they once played as junior aspiring players.
Now, Year 7-9 school football sides from across the nation’s capital will compete for the Tom Green Cup and Cynthia Hamilton Shield in recognition of the athletes’ impressive rise to the elite level from Canberra’s grassroots competitions.
Tom Green playing for Marist College
Tom Green said: “I absolutely loved my time playing footy in Canberra, so having the AFL Canberra Year 7-9 Junior School Cup named after me is incredibly humbling.
“Growing up with Marist, I saw first-hand how much school footy meant to everyone, and I hope these competitions continue to grow and inspire the next generation.”
Number 11 pick Cynthia Hamilton poses in her Queanbeyan Tigers polo with Alana Woodward during the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft
Cynthia Hamilton said: “It’s a real honour to have the AFL Canberra Year 7-9 Junior School Cup named after me.
“I still remember playing in these school competitions growing up in Canberra, and hope students and schools continue to embrace these opportunities for years to come!”
AFL Canberra’s Year 7-9 Junior School Competition invites schools from across the city to field male and female teams in a competitive pathway tournament against other schools in search of claiming the Tom Green Cup and Cynthia Hamilton Shield.
Winners of the Tom Green Cup and Cynthia Hamilton Shield progress to the AFL NSW/ACT Junior Schools Cup Final where they compete against the victors of the age group’s state-wide regional competitions.
Steven Mahar, AFL Manager – ACT and Southern NSW said: “Tom and Cynthia’s progression to the AFL and AFLW is an inspiring pathway for junior Aussie Rules players across our territory.
“The naming of the Tom Green Gup and Cynthia Hamilton Shield is in celebration of these players’ achievements, their continued engagement with the AFL Canberra community, and to motivate the next generation of players aspiring to follow in Tom and Cynthia’s footsteps.”
With the naming of the Tom Green Cup and Cynthia Hamilton Shield, the star players join other notable Canberra athletes to have school trophies named in their honour, including the Jack Steele Shield and Hannah Dunn Cup (year 5-6 competition), as well as the Mark Armstrong Shield and Elise O'Dea Cup (year 10-12 competition).
AFL Canberra’s 2025 Year 7-9 Junior School Competition Final will be held this Tuesday 12 August at Jamison Oval, Macquarie.