Rugby league sides had taken out the award in the junior and senior sections for three consecutive years but in 2013 there was a change in codes.

The pennants squad from Maitland Golf Club took out the Maitland Team of the Year after a stellar summer on the fairways, taking out the A, B and C grade titles.

They became the first club since 1955 to claim the top three grades in one Hunter River District Golf Association pennants season. 

This follows the efforts of rugby league groups the Mindaribba Warriors (2012) and the Maitland Pickers (2010, 2011), who were ­previously voted Maitland Team of the Year.

It has been a similar story in the junior ranks with the Greta Branxton Colts under 12s (2010), Thornton Public School (2011) and All Saints College, St Mary’s Campus, Maitland (2012) all clinching the city-wide gong for exploits on the rugby league field.

In 2013 the girls from Telarah Public School were recognised for as well as  Australian rules.

Virtually the same squad were Hunter champions in both competitions before going on to contest state championships, despite having little to no experience in either discipline, and they also progressed deep into football and cricket knockouts.

Telarah Public School captain Jannali Hunter was at Maitland Town Hall on Friday night to accept the award from 1991 Maitland Sportsperson of the Year Tony Howard, while Nathan Small of Maitland Golf Club graced the stage to collect the trophy from two-time Maitland Sportsperson of the Year Brian Burke.