Kiama Junior Football Club joined the nationwide celebration of Female Football Week in style last week with eight of its 12 female teams playing at home on Saturday.Female Football Week is a national initiative that celebrates the growth of women’s football at every level and recognises the vital role women play in developing the game on and off the field.Kiama JFC honoured its 12 all-girl teams, featuring 168 players and more than 60 female coaches, managers and volunteers.“We had eight teams playing at home on the Saturday,” says Kiama JFC’s female football advocate Ben Morgan. “There was a great atmosphere - we had a giant inflatable football jumping castle, a photo booth, giveaways, and face painting in club colours. It felt like a really special day.”Morgan said the club had enjoyed a huge increase in female participation, especially in recent years - a shift he credited in part to the Matildas’ success.“I’ve coached my daughter’s team since they were under-6s - they’re under-10s now,” he says The girls in action at Kiama Sporting Complex on Saturday. Source: Ben Morgan“Five years ago, Football South Coast didn’t offer a girls’ under-7s comp. We had to move up an age group just to play with other girls. That same age group now has around 30 teams. It’s unreal.”Morgan said he wanted to continue building on that momentum by creating inclusive and positive spaces that help girls feel confident and motivated to stay in the sport.“There’s still a big imbalance between boys and girls in football. We need to keep raising awareness and encouraging girls to get involved. Some girls thrive in mixed teams, but others can feel intimidated or go quiet when playing against boys. Having all-girls teams gives them a space to come out of their shell and really enjoy the game.”Importantly, Morgan believes Female Football Week is not only a celebration of players but of all women in football, including referees, coaches, administrators and volunteers.“Last year was the first time we really celebrated Female Football Week in a big way,” he says. “We want to keep building on that. It’s also about recognising the women working behind the scenes - the volunteers, committee members, and coaches - who help make it all possible.”As Kiama JFC continues to champion girls’ football, events like Female Football Week play a vital role in building momentum, boosting visibility, and creating a welcoming environment for the next generation of players. 

Gerroa surfer Sally Fitzgibbons finished runner-up at the Gold Coast Pro final last Saturday, falling just short of her first Championship Tour title in four years.The 34-year-old veteran went up against rising star Bettylou Sakura Johnson, 20, from Hawaii in a high-stakes final at Burleigh Heads.Fitzgibbons gave it everything, surfing an impressive 13 waves in pursuit of the win. However, her two-wave score of 7.83 couldn’t match Sakura Johnson’s commanding 15.33.“I wanted to get it together so bad in that final, but it was Betty’s day,” Fitzgibbons told 7 News.“It’s been a fight and a grind the last few years, but I want to be here. My deep desire is to keep surfing.”Sakura Johnson set the pace early with a strong 8.50 on her first wave, leaving Fitzgibbons playing catch-up for the remainder of the heat. Despite four aerial attempts, Fitzgibbons was unable to land the moves she needed.The victory marked Sakura Johnson’s first Championship Tour win.“This is the best feeling in the world,” she said. “I’m over the moon to have my first win here on the Gold Coast. This is what winning feels like, and I want to keep winning.”Now in her 14th year on the Championship Tour, Fitzgibbons has recovered from a slow start this season, placing fifth and second in her last two events. The Gerroa local will be aiming to break her title drought at the upcoming Margaret River Pro in Western Australia on 17 May.

Four local Kiama Power AFL players represented the South Coast on the weekend, helping both the men's and women's teams claim victories over the Hunter Central Coast representative sides.Three women - Dakota Mason, Teneale Keene, and Maddison Aitkin - along with Lachlan Kirk from the men’s side, were selected for the AFL South Coast teams, a strong sign of the club's growing strength in 2025.“Last year, we didn’t have any players selected, so it was great to see some of our own back in the mix,” says Kiama Power committee member Anthony Grady.Lachlan Kirk holding the cup after winning the annual match between AFL Hunter Valley and AFL South Coast. Source: Anthony Grady“All the girls played solidly over the weekend, and they came away with a win. Dakota scored a great goal, and everyone got through the game unscathed and ready to go again this week, which is fantastic.”Both teams won quite convincingly with the women securing a 44-23 win and the men dominating with a 106-84 victory.“Lachlan has been away the past two years, and was put straight back into the South Coast side his first year back and he kicked a great goal as well,” says Grady. The club is proud of its players for representing both Kiama and the South Coast on a bigger stage, building on momentum from Kiama Power’s first-grade team, which notched its first win of the season the previous weekend over last years premiers the Wollongong Bulldogs.“It was a really good win and gave the boys a lot of confidence,” said Grady. “We came out firing in the first quarter - kicked five goals to one. We didn’t maintain that intensity for the rest of the match, so it ended up being a tight finish.”“We won by less than a goal. In the past, those are the types of games we might have lost when the pressure was on. It was especially satisfying considering it was against the Bulldogs, who’ve beaten us by over 100 points the last two or three seasons.”All three Kiama Power grades - firsts, reserves, and women’s - will travel to Bomaderry on Saturday, 17 May, to take on the Tigers and look to extend their recent run of success.

Hundreds of swimmers poured into the water from 6:30am on Saturday for the second consecutive Elite Energy Kiama Triathlon, drawing athletes and supporters to the stunning Minnamurra coastline.The event featured both sprint and standard distance races, each attracting over 200 male and female competitors.The triathlon kicked off with a swim - 750m for the sprint and 1.5km for the standard - in the crisp, clear waters of the Minnamurra River. Athletes then transitioned into a 20km (sprint) or 38km (standard) bike ride out toward Jamberoo and back, finishing with a scenic 5km or 10km run along the coastline of Minnamurra and Kiama Downs.A triathlete running along the beautiful Minnamurra coastline in the Kiama TriathlonIn the sprint event, Nathan Dixon claimed first place with a time of 01:03:09. Trudi Barnes was the first female finisher in the sprint, crossing the line in 01:12:43.In the standard distance race, Rhys Corbishley took the win with a time of 01:49:02, while Calypso Sheridan led the women’s field with an impressive 02:01:47 finish.While the Kiama Triathlon Club had only a handful of members competing - due to scheduling conflicts with other events - members like event organiser for the club, Cheryl Freeman were still heavily involved on the day, supporting athletes and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere.“The Elite Energy events are so encouraging, and people here always cheer you on, no matter where you are in the pack,” Freeman says. “You've got athletes coming down the finishing line and everyone’s clapping for everyone. It’s really amazing.”Freeman praised the event not just for its sporting challenge, but for its positive impact on the community and the inclusive nature of triathlon.“It brings new people into our beautiful area, which is fantastic,” she says. “But also, it’s such an inclusive sport. It’s good for your mental health, and it’s full of people who just want to help and support each other. No matter what place someone finishes, everyone congratulates each other at the end.”This year marked the second straight year the Kiama Triathlon has been held, and Freeman is confident it has a bright future.“I think it’s here to stay,” she said. “There were locals out all along the course, cheering people on. "The course is beautiful and the vibes are just so positive. I can’t see why it wouldn’t be back next year!”

Former St George Illawarra Dragons NRL player Talatau Amone made his return to the footy field over the weekend at Kiama Showground, suiting up for Kiama Rugby Club in their stunning 33–27 win over Shoalhaven - ending their opponents’ incredible 43-game unbeaten streak.The 23-year-old had previously played 54 NRL games for the Dragons before he was stood down by the league for 12 months in 2023 following his involvement in a hammer attack in Warrawong in 2022.While Amone has been training with Kiama for several weeks, he made his official debut in one of the biggest games of the year - a grand final rematch against Shoalhaven, who had not lost a match in over 1,000 days and had claimed the last three Illawarra District Rugby Union titles, including last year’s final against Kiama.Amone in his Kiama Rugby debut. Photo: Paul Davidson“He was good friends with some of the boys in the team, and they told him to come down and have a run,” said Kiama Rugby Club president Mark Redding. “He didn’t play last week, but this week he played great against Shoalhaven - and that really helped us out.”Redding said it was the support of the playing group that helped the club welcome Amone with confidence.“Some of our blokes knew him and gave him their backing, so that was fine by us,” he said. “We know our fellas, and if they’re willing to support him, we’re happy to do the same. He’s fit in really well, gotten involved, and has been great for us.”Amone played fullback in the win and was given three points in the IDRU Player of the Year Award.As a team, Kiama put together a strong defensive performance - something they had been focusing on throughout the preseason after last year's 36–5 grand final defeat to the same side.Kiama player Dante Patrick, who scored a try in the match, admitted there were nerves heading into the game.“It was a different type of nerves from last year’s grand final,” Patrick said. “It was a mix of nerves and excitement because we had nothing to lose - but we really wanted to come home with the win.”Kiama started strong, holding Shoalhaven to just a two-point lead at halftime before the match turned into a second-half shootout.“We scored first in the second half, then they scored - it was back and forth,” Patrick said. “It was a bit unexpected since both teams are known for their defence.”Patrick said the win was a huge confidence boost, but it also highlighted areas for improvement.“It’s definitely a morale booster for the club - to know we’re not one-hit wonders, that we’re actually contenders at the top,” he said. “But at the same time, we pride ourselves on our defence, and conceding 27 points wasn’t good enough.”He stressed the importance of staying grounded ahead of upcoming games.“We’re happy with the win, but we’re not too satisfied. We can’t go into the next few games against University and Vikings thinking we’re on top just because we beat a team that hadn’t lost in three years. We’ve got more work to do.”Kiama will look to build on their momentum when they face UOW on Saturday, 24 May.

The Kiama Knights first grade side made it two wins in a row in Round five of the Group 7 competition over the weekend, making the long 90-minute journey to Milton to face the Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs.The drive didn’t seem to faze the Knights, who scored two quick tries in the opening ten minutes. Halfback Cameron Vazzoler played a crucial role in both, setting up Tom Angel with a sharp pass and then Brad Killmore with a clever kick into the in-goal area.Milton-Ulladulla hit back just before halftime with a full-field intercept try, narrowing the margin to 12-6 at the break.In the 61st minute, Killmore executed a perfectly weighted kick from nearly 40 metres out, landing in the arms of Kye Andrews for a well-finished try.Just four minutes later, a short ball from Vazzoler sent Matt Nicholson over for Kiama’s fourth try, extending the lead to 22-6 - a scoreline that remained unchanged until the final whistle.“It was a great effort by the lads. We knew we needed to start fast with high energy, and we managed to do that,” said Killmore.Brad Killmore scored a try and had a hand in another in the Knights' win in Round 5. Source: Kristie Laird“Playing down there is always tough, but we stayed in the grind, and a few late tries got us over the line. It was good to walk away with the win.”Meanwhile, the Jamberoo Superoos, missing nine players through injury, were very tough in defeat against the Berry Magpies.Berry raced to an early 12-0 lead, but the Superoos fought back to level the scores 12-12 by halftime.Each side crossed once in the second half, but it was a penalty goal early after the break that proved the difference, with Berry hanging on for a narrow 20-18 win.Despite the loss, Jamberoo coach Jono Dallas remained upbeat.“We completed just 17 of 36 sets and gave away nine penalties, 7 of those inside our own 40 metres. That kind of pressure makes it almost impossible to win,” he said.“The most frustrating part was that we did most other things well. We showed great resilience in defence and looked dangerous when we got our chances. Losing by just a penalty goal in that kind of performance will maintain the boys’ confidence - as long as we tighten up our yardage.”The Gerringong Lions also had a tough outing, going down 20-6 to the Albion Park Oak Flats Eagles on the road. The Lions will look to bounce back next week when they host the red-hot Kiama Knights at Kiama Showground in what promises to be a high-stakes clash.Jamberoo will also face a huge test as they take on the ladder-leading Stingrays of Shellharbour, hoping to turn their season around despite recent injury woes.

The South Coast will get a taste of the retro rugby league sensation which has proved extremely popular in Sydney when the Beer Footy and Food Festival comes to Bomaderry for Group 7’s Magic Round at the end of the month.Bomaderry’s newly renovated Royal Artie Smith Oval will be the place to be on 31 May when the festival is held on the South Coast for the first time. The festival has attracted large crowds to NSW Cup matches at Newtown’s Henson Park and North Sydney Oval, home of the Bears, and tickets are on sale for the Group 7 version. There will be four games at the festival which doubles as the Group 7 Magic Round Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs 12.00pmJamberoo Superoos v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles 1.45pmNowra-Bomaderry Jets v Shellharbour Sharks 3.30pmStingrays of Shellharbour v Gerringong Lions 5.15pmThe day promises to be one for the books, and will add to the rich 110+ years of Rugby League History on the beautiful South Coast.As part of the festival, fans will be able to sample great beer, delicious food while watching the footy.There will be an impressive line-up of more than 20 craft brewers, as well as the food trucks and vendors that footy festival fans have come to know and love. DJs will be spinning tunes throughout the day and the kids and families will be looked after with a dedicated family area and kids inflatable world. Tickets are on sale via www.beerfootyfood.com. General Admission is $25, Concession: $15, Kids 12+: $10 and kids under 12 are free. A Family Pass (2 adults & 2 kids) is $60 and groups of 10 or more receive a 20% discount.Footy festivals will also be held at North Sydney Oval (8 June) and Henson Park (26 July)

Gerringong Lions received a timely wake-up call in the Group 7 last weekend and will get their credentials tested further when they lock horns with Albion Park-Oak Flats this Saturday. The premiers have had a stop-start first month of their title defence - they opened with a bang by beating Berry 28-6 but then faltered 24-6 to Jamberoo, missed two weeks due to a bye and the Easter break before sneaking hom last Saturday at Michael Cronin Oval against Milton-Ulladulla. Gerringong coach Scott Stewart said it wasn’t a case of his team playing dry-weather style in wet conditions, it was a case of “playing under 10 footy in first-grade conditions”. “We were our own worst enemy with errors and turning the ball over and never really gave ourselves a chance,” he said.“But in saying that, our defence was good. To go in only 12-6 down at half-time after all the ball we had given them was a pretty good result for us.“It’s been raining, we’ve had a break, I could come up with a hundred excuses but we’ve just got to be better than that.“We had to work really hard for it in the end because we put ourselves in tough positions.”The Bulldogs shot out to a 12-0 lead after Jayden Millard and Lachlan Barr crossed the stripe in the opening 20 minutes. An Isaac Russell break swung the momentum back to the Lions to cut the gap to six at the break before they added another early in the second stanza to trail by two.Gerringong hit the front midway through the second half before nearly throwing the result away.“We fell into some bad habits again and at the end of the game, they had all the running and we were defending our line,” Stewart said.“We scrambled well to our credit, did well to hold them out.“We know we’re going to have to improve.”Stewart added it was hard to get an accurate gauge on who will be the teams to beat this year due to the inconsistency of the early results but said it was great to see some of the clubs that struggled last year lift their standard to challenge the frontrunners.Gerringong have a new-look team with around half of last year’s grand final side no longer at the club but he was confident that the mix of youth and experience in the 2025 line-up would eventually string together some consistent performances.“Some have gone to NSW Cup with the Dragons or Queensland Cup. That’s something we’ve dealt with for the last seven or eight years. Each year there’s blokes that go up and get that opportunity,” he said.“We’ve been lucky we’ve got some good juniors coming through, they’ll be on a steep learning curve.”Berry Shoalhaven Heads Magpies vs Kiama Knights was postponed last weekend due to the waterlogged state of Berry Showground.Shellharbour Sharks edged out Albion Park-Oak Flats 32-24 and Stingrays Shellharbour trounced Nowra Bomaderry Jets 42-12.Round 5 kicks off on Saturday with Berry at home to Jamberoo and Albion Park-Oak Flats hosting Gerringong at Centenary Oval. “They’ve had the wood on us up there over the past couple of years so we certainly won’t be taking them lightly,” Stewart said. On Sunday, Kiama travel south to Milton-Ulladulla at Mollymook Oval and the local derby between the Stingrays and Shellharbour will be held at Flinders Oval.Ladder after Round 4: Stingrays, Kiama, Shellharbour, Jamberoo, APOF, Gerringong, Milton-Ulladulla 4, Nowra 2, Berry 0

Kiama Power are celebrating after six players were chosen in the NSW/ACT Men’s and Women’s Senior Representative games on Saturday.They will be in the AFL South Coast teams that will square off against Hunter-Central Coast at Blacktown International Sports Park, before Sydney lock horns with Canberra to reignite their rivalry to close the competition series.The handpicked squad lists for the representative games have been identified from across the state and territory and showcase the next generation of burgeoning footy talent on the pathway to the elite level. Power duo Lachlan Kirk and Cooper Richards were selected in the AFL South Coast men’s squad which will be coached by Glenn Haase. For Richards it is his first call-up to the senior representative ranks while Kirk is back in a South Coast guernsey after two years in South Australia..New recruits Maddison Aitkin and Teneale Keene join Kiama teammates Laura Kent and Dakota Mason in the women’s side under the coaching of Sophie and Allie Phillips.Cooper Richards. Photo: Kiama Power Kent has been selected following a stellar 2024 season, which culminated in her being named in the AFL South Coast Women’s Team of the Year.Mason adds another representative honour to her lengthy resume with her maiden selection in the South Coast women’s squad.Head of AFL NSW/ACT Andrew Varasdi said the NSW/ACT men’s and women’s representative games play a critical role in shaping the future of footy.“The selected athletes are a cohort representing the state and territory’s best and have showcased immense potential as they follow the pathway to participation at higher levels.“We are set for an amazing series of representative footy featuring many of our most talented players.”If you can’t get to Blacktown to watch the games, you can view them free on AFL Sydney’s official streaming partner, Streamer.Kiama Power’s men’s premier division registered a thrilling 8.5 (43) to 6.13 (49) in muddy conditions at Bonaira Oval last Saturday while the reserve-grade side was on the wrong side of a 12.16 (88) to 1.0 (6) scoreline against Wollongong Bulldogs.Maddison Aitkin. Photo: Kiama PowerThomas Bell led the way for the Power in the main game with three majors while Max Whiticker booted two with Scott Phillips, Kade Ovenden and Shea Hammond also chipping in.The Power women’s team went down 5.5 (35) to 2.3 (15) to the Bulldogs at Bonaira with Carra Sheldon and Courtney Smith the goal-scorers for the home side.There are no matches this weekend due to the representative fixtures.

Monday, 28 April marked the final day of the summer season for Kiama’s volunteer surf lifesavers - but they were on duty right until the final moment, rescuing a rock fisherman just three days earlier.Last Friday on Anzac Day a man in his 40s was swept into the water near the Kiama Blowhole - fortunately, he was wearing a lifejacket.“It was before patrol officially started - around 9:40am - when a member of the public alerted our team that fishermen had been swept off the rocks at Blowhole Point,” says Kiama Surf Life Saving Club president Phil Perry.“Two patrolling members, Ben George and Dave Gorman, launched the IRB (inflatable rescue boat) and found a fisherman floating in the water, conscious. The massive thing that saved him was the fact he had a lifejacket on."George and Gorman transported the man to Kiama Harbour, where paramedics and emergency services were waiting. He was later taken to hospital with minor injuries sustained from the rocks.Perry emphasised the importance of safety gear: “It’s so important for the general public - especially fishermen in that area - to wear a lifejacket. If you get washed in and hit your head, your chance of survival is much higher if you're buoyant.”The rescue capped off a busy and successful season for Kiama SLSC, which recorded 46 rescues and approximately 770 preventions. Perry noted a visible rise in beachgoer numbers.“We’ve definitely seen more people on the beach this year. Our patrolling membership grew from 84 to 102 members, which made a huge difference,” he says. “We’ve also put a big focus on developing our youth and cadet programs. Our board training sessions now attract 50 kids per session, up from 40.”Kiama SLSC patrolling membership grew from 84 to 102 members. Source: Kiama SLSCThis year, the club trialled a flexible volunteer roster system, which proved particularly effective for frontline, shift, and FIFO workers.“It’s a minimum of three hours per shift, and volunteers can come when they’re available. It’s worked really well, and we really appreciate the support,” says Perry.Looking ahead to next season, Perry encouraged more community members to get involved with the club.“You don’t have to be an ironman or ironwoman to be a surf lifesaver. "There are so many roles - from radio operator to first aid and advanced rescue. It’s about being part of the village and having fun.”The club will celebrate the season’s achievements at its annual presentation night on 17 May, held at the Kiama SLSC auditorium.

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTSU14 GIRLS TACKLE VS WESTS

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTSU16 GIRLS TACKLE VS MILTON-ULLADULLA

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTSU11 BT KIAMA RED VS STINGRAYS

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTSU10 BT KIAMA WHITE VS WARILLA

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTSU10 BT KIAMA BLACK VS APOF

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTS U10 - KIAMA RED

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTSU10 - KIAMA BLACK

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTS U12 GIRLS TACKLE

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTS9-N KIAMA RED