Cunnington's other junior football highlights included earning NAB AFL U18 Championships All-Australian honours and finishing runner up in the TAC Cup Morrish Medal where he averaged 23 disposals (11 contested) and six marks.

Geelong Falcons regional manager Michael Turner described Cunnington as the most professional player I have seen in 15 years of TAC Cup.

Often considered one of the toughest players in the AFL, Cunnington won North’s best and fairest award, the Syd Barker Medal in 2014 and 2019 and was runner up in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2021.

In August 2022, Cunnington signed a two-year contract extension at North, taking him to the end of the 2024 season.

[8] Cunnington twice recovered from cancer to earn his place again in North Melbourne’s top side.