So it comes as little surprise to most that Port Macquarie’s junior Magpies are the team to beat in this season’s under-17 AFL North Coast competition.

Coach Ged Byrne says the challenge for his team will come in the finals when their opponents find extra numbers.

“One of the problems in the finals is that it’s funny how other teams find a bit of extra depth they didn't have in the season,” Byrne said.

“The boys haven’t lost a game this year and some of them went through the under-15s undefeated last year.”

With an average winning margin of 50 points this season, Port Macquarie only need to keep doing what they’re doing.

Their last two wins have been by a combined margin of 223 points over Grafton and Sawtell.

With Sawtell possessing strong senior ranks it is a surprise to see their junior ranks struggling for numbers.

Byrne said most matches were 12 against 12 which “left a lot of open paddock out there.”

“They’re a talented bunch of kids who are agile and have good disposal skills,” he said.

“The core group have been playing since their Auskick days in under nines so they all know each other pretty well.”

A handful of players are in the Sydney Swans Academy while five represented North Coast at Tamworth at the weekend.

Byrne, however, said it was unfair to single any players out as team standouts.

“The difference in skills between those kids that are in the Swans academy and those that aren’t isn’t that big,” he said.

“You couldn’t single any of them out.”