KIAMA POWER JUNIOR AFL - UNDER 11 GIRLSVS NORTHERN DISTRICTS

KIAMA POWER JUNIOR AFLUNDER 11 MIXED VS NORTHERN DISTRICTS

JAMBEROO SUPEROOS FIRST GRADE 24 d GERRINGONG LIONS 6

GERRINGONG LIONS 2ND GRADE 24 d JAMBEROO SUPEROOS 14

JAMBEROO SUPEROOS LLT 1 - 28 d GERRINGONG LIONS 0

JAMBEROO SUPEROOS LLT2 -32 d WARILLA 0

In a complete reversal of last week's Group 7 Rugby League results, Jamberoo have claimed their first win of the season, defeating premiers Gerringong. Kiama went down by just two points in a heartbreaker to Nowra-Bomaderry.After a tough opening loss to Kiama, things weren’t looking great for the Jamberoo Superoos, who went into half-time at Kevin Walsh Oval trailing 6-4.But they came out a different team in the second half, scoring four unanswered tries to take the match 24-6. Zac Fairall was instrumental for the Superoos, crossing for three tries in a dominant performance.Jamberoo coach Jono Dallas credited the win to improved discipline and control.“We probably didn’t do too much differently to the previous week, outside of just thinking about our actions better,” said Dallas. “We didn’t put Kiama under any fatigue, and let them play with momentum for most of the game.“Just slowing down when we had to, and kicking a bit more tactically, made all the difference this week.”At Bomaderry Sporting Complex, the Knights started strong in their clash with Nowra-Bomaderry. Fullback Brad Killmore nailed a 40/20 early and then threw a cut-out pass for their first try in the sixth minute.But two tries from dummy half and a lucky rebound off a grubber kick saw Nowra take the lead 16-10. Kiama crossed for a final try with five minutes left, but it was too little too late, the match ending in a narrow 16-14 win to Nowra-Bomaderry.Gerringong will have a couple of weeks to prepare for their next game due to the Easter long weekend followed by a bye. Source: Brian Scott“I thought we didn’t do ourselves any favours completing our sets at 55%,” said Kiama five-eighth Sam Hooper. “But we’ll learn from it and hopefully bounce back against Shellharbour in two weeks.”All Group 7 teams will have next weekend off due to Easter. Gerringong will enjoy an extended break, following up the bye the week after. Jamberoo are set to host Nowra-Bomaderry at Kevin Walsh Oval on Saturday, 26 April, while Kiama will take on Shellharbour at Kiama Showground on Sunday, 27 April.Weekend Results - All GradesBomaderry Sporting ComplexLLT2: Kiama 34 def Nowra-Bomaderry 6LLT1: Kiama 34 def Nowra-Bomaderry 14U18s: Nowra-Bomaderry 34 def Southern Highlands 20Reserve Grade: Kiama 26 def Nowra-Bomaderry 8First Grade: Nowra-Bomaderry 16 def Kiama 14Kevin Walsh OvalLLT2: Jamberoo 32 def Warilla 0LLT1: Jamberoo 28 def Gerringong 0Reserve Grade: Gerringong 24 def Jamberoo 14First Grade: Jamberoo 24 def Gerringong 6

KIAMA COMETS U8 YELLOWVS GERRINGONG BREAKERS GOLD

KIAMA COMETS U10 GREEN VS GERRINGONG BREAKERS BLUE

KIAMA COMETS U8 GREENVS GERRINGONG BREAKERS RED

KIAMA COMETS U9 ORANGE VS ALBION PARK AQUA

Kiama Rugby Club’s first grade team got a preview of the 2025 rugby union season over the weekend when their second grade team faced off against the Wollongong Tech Warratahs.Due to scheduling issues, including byes, the Easter weekend, and cancelled trial games, the first grade team - who lost the grand final in 2024 - will have to wait until 26 April to take the field. Due to the little amount of preparation, several first grade players joined the second grade team in their round one clash, which ended in a dominant 41-3 victory against the Tech Waratahs.“Firstly, we’re really grateful to Tech. We know they’re having a tough time and weren’t able to field a first grade team,” said Kiama player Dante Patrick. “And they definitely gave us a good game to start off with. We had a few from firsts playing to release a little bit of those cobwebs, which was good. "This was actually our first test all year, and we're very proud of the result, but there's definitely a long way to go.”Kiama’s first grade team will face Campbelltown in their opening game on 26 April, and Patrick knows they’ll need to be sharp. Campbelltown will be out for revenge after Kiama knocked them out of the finals race in 2024.“They’ll definitely have some vengeance on their minds after we knocked them out in the grand final qualifier last year. So, we’re expecting a tough game and we’ll need to be well-prepared,” Patrick says.Dante Patrick coaching the Kiama squad at the Sevens tournament earlier this year. Photo: Brian ScottThere have been a few changes to the first grade squad since last season, with some players departing and new faces joining, including key recruit Tom Baker. But Patrick is confident the team will be firing on all cylinders in 2025.“Two years ago, when we made the semis, it really got people excited. There was a shift in momentum, and that carried us into last year’s big push to the grand final,” says Patrick. “So, for us, the first year was about reigniting interest, the second was about competing, and this year it’s about focusing on the little details to execute everything perfectly and go all the way.”When it comes to Shoalhaven - the team that broke Kiama’s hearts in last year’s grand final - Patrick knows they’ll be just as strong in 2025.“As long as they’ve got that trophy, they could lose a few key players and it wouldn’t matter. They’ve built such a winning culture down there, and that environment just keeps breeding success. But if we can test them as much as possible when we play them, I believe we can definitely compete,” he says.Kiama’s first grade team will face Shoalhaven in a grand final rematch in their first home game of the season on 10 May at Kiama Showground. They’ll be eager to take on the reigning champions and prove themselves as one of the top teams in the Illawarra.

Playing tennis is like riding a bike - once you learn you’ve got the skills for life.Ryan Stirling spent his younger years in Cowra and participated in tennis lessons organised by local club members from the age of four. He moved to Tenterfield where he played basketball, volleyball, golf, squash and Aussie Rules but no tennis as there was a lack of organisation.“The courts seemed to be never in use,” Ryan recalled. After completing his secondary studies at Tenterfield High School, Ryan completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial Chemistry) at the University. of NSW at Randwick. Ryan then went to work for Masterfoods at Wyong for four years, then travelled to Canada on a skiing holiday before moving to England where he worked for an engineering consulting company from 2004-2008.He made his comeback to tennis when he joined the Jamberoo Tennis Club in 2018 and started playing night competition in Division 4 with Shaun Thurkettle, Ryan Stalgis and Nick Kofod. Ryan came to live in Jamberoo in 2020 and works for the Shellharbour Council at the waste depot at Dunmore.This year he was promoted to Division 3 night comp, teaming up with two of the club’s most experienced members - Noel Faulkner and Joel Edwards. Ryan has performed well in the club championships, winning the B Grade Men’s Doubles in 2023 with Harley Fry and in 2024 with Shaun Thurkettle.

Kiama Netball Association kicked off its season over the weekend with its Presidents Round, a special day commemorating the generations of presidents who have run KNA since it began in 1986.The beginning of the season also marked the launch of KNA’s all-abilities program for young children with additional needs. Thanks to support from Greater Bank, the association has received funds to assist with registration fees, uniforms, operational costs, and more.KNA President Michelle Gregory is excited about the program, as she sees local netball as a crucial step in helping young netballers achieve their dreams.“All young netballers have dreams to be an Australian Diamond, but without grassroots netball and the trust and support of organisations such as Greater Bank, opportunities are limited and the pathway to success becomes much harder to navigate,” says Gregory.Gregory is also enthusiastic about the season ahead and specifically mentioned that she wants to place a greater focus on netball umpires this year.“Our goal for this year is a fun, positive season where everyone enjoys the sport. We will continue to work on the growth of our players and coaches and would love to do more work with our umpires - without them, we have no sport,” she says.Over the past few years, KNA has been dedicated to improving their courts and ensuring the playing environment is of the highest quality. Illawarra District Netball Association Secretary Jude Goodair says the funds from Greater Bank will allow Kiama to shift their focus to other important areas of the club.“The support from Greater Bank allows us to shift our focus and set some new goals for this year’s season,” says Goodair. “We have big goals again this season to provide quality programs for our players as well as offer coaching development, pathway programs and increase men’s participation in netball.”Greater Bank Shellharbour Branch Manager Matt Tonkin says he is proud that the company is supporting such a great community sport.“We are really proud to support the local netball associations that bring our community together for good,” says Tonkin. “I love seeing people come together to cheer along their family and friends from the sidelines - it's great to see our sense of spirit come to life!”

Eight players and two coaches from Kiama Oztag proudly represented Australia over the weekend when they made the long trip to New Zealand for the Trans-Tasman series.Held in Auckland from April 4-6 across 15 divisions, the Australian Tagaroos faced off against the New Zealand Tag Blacks in five consecutive matches - one on the first day and two on each of the following two days.Kiama had players competing in the men’s and women’s open divisions, the men’s under-45 division, and the men’s under-60 division. Meanwhile, the two Kiama coaches managed the mixed under-21 team.A list of all the Kiama Phantoms in New Zealand. Source: Kiama OztagTo have so many individuals representing Australia from a town as small as Kiama is an incredible achievement.Four of the five teams with Kiama representatives finished undefeated against New Zealand.The men’s open team lost two games, won one, and drew one before their final match.“The boys were losing the series and went into their fifth game needing a win by a certain margin,” says Kiama Oztag coordinator Keiron Duncan.“That game went into a drop-off, where the teams played five on five, and Kiama’s own Cooper Lee was involved in Australia’s five. The Aussies ended up winning that game and ultimately the series.”At the end of the series, an all-star team was selected, and Cooper Lee was chosen to be part of that squad - an incredible achievement.Duncan, a man of many talents, was also one of the individuals representing Australia in the men’s under-45s division. He describes the weekend as an unforgettable experience.A few of the Kiama men in the Under-60 Australian team. Photo: Kiama Oztag.“Any time you get to represent Australia is special. Your teammates come from all over - Queensland, Gold Coast, ACT, Central Coast, everywhere. Sometimes, there are only a few people you know on the team,” said Duncan.“You meet lots of great people, and the fact that you might only play with them during that tournament makes the experience even more meaningful.”The Trans-Tasman series marks the end of Duncan’s Oztag year, as he now prepares to rest before gearing up for the next season. He’s excited about the upcoming season and the plans he has in place to make it even better.“We’ve got some big plans. We don’t need to build tons of teams; we just want to maintain the quality and ensure the competition remains fun for everyone,” says Duncan. “Moving to the Kiama Leisure Centre this season has been a big help, so hopefully we can stay there. Plus, with the support of Kiama Leagues Club and other sponsors, we can now offer things like ‘Man of the Match’ vouchers, which will help us grow in small ways.”The new season will kick off around September-October, so start gathering your friends and get ready to join one of the biggest sports in Kiama.

Kiama AFL club will have their Family Day at Bonaira Oval on Saturday as all three teams take on Figtree in what is shaping up to be one of the strongest seasons the Power have had in years.Round 1 of the AFL South Coast competition took place over the weekend with only the Kiama Power women’s premier division and men’s reserve grade teams taking to the field.The women recorded a convincing 28-7 over Bomaderry but the reserve grade men narrowly went down 81-71 to Bay and Basin.Action from Kiama Power's women's team last weekend. Source: Kiama PowerFamily Day will coincide with the first game of the season for first grade and committee member Andrew Grady says the club is the strongest it has been in years.“We've had a lot of new people turning up over the pre-season, so we're probably in the healthiest place we've been in for years in terms of numbers,” he said.“At training we've had upwards of 60-plus, which hasn't been seen definitely in the last five, six seasons, especially since COVID, so that's a positive.”Grady said a big part of attracting new players was to do with the club's environment and culture, which has caused many players to stay loyal despite the last few tough seasons.“The last two, three seasons have been pretty hard in terms of results. We haven't really won many games, but the focus has just been on building that culture off the field that people feel like they want to be a part of,” he said.“So we feel like we've done that really well, we've seen the majority of the men's side over the last few seasons remain at the club despite all the results that haven't gone our way on the field, so that's been very positive to see.”Kiama Power's 2024 men's team in a huddle. Source: Kiama PowerFamily Day is a testament to the culture that Kiama Power have been building at their club. The day will join the seniors and the juniors as the junior teams present the seniors teams with their jerseys on Saturday and vice versa on Sunday.There will also be face painting and inflatable slides for kids on the Saturday as well as a fundraiser for Heart Research Australia - a cause very close to the club.“We lost our former president Darren Williams in 2019 - he had a heart attack at the game, so it’s a very important cause to us and we're raising money for that this weekend as well,” Grady said.As for the upcoming match against Figtree, Grady is optimistic despite the Kangaroos being the benchmark team across all divisions. The return of key players like Lachlan Kirk, Charlie Wood, and Callum O'Toole, along with the addition of new players like Hamish Robertson, Luke Fallance, and Matt Walker, brings a fresh energy to the men’s team.On the women’s side, the club has added Imogen Fowles, an Australian indoor hockey representative, as well as a new coach Arthur Chilcott, the first Illawarra player to represent the Swans."Arthur’s expertise will be invaluable as he coaches the girls this season," Grady said.Head down to Bonaira Oval for a weekend full of exciting footy, fun, and a celebration of Kiama Power's growing culture.

Kiama’s Ali Day continues to reign supreme at 34 over much younger ironman competitors, cruising to his fourth Australian crown at the 2025 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.The five-leg race includes a board, run, swim, run and ski. Day was at least 30 metres in front of all competitors as he hopped out of his surf ski and ran the last stretch to the finish line, fist raised to the sky as he realised he had done it again.Day at 34 says he relishes every event as he comes to the end of his career. “I wanted to seize the moment and not leave anything out there,” Day told Surf Lifesaving Australia.Last October, Day claimed his 10th Shaw and Partners Coolangatta Gold Ironman, and he credits his long career experience as a main reason why he continues to be so successful.“The Aussies finals are different,” he said. “I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s not necessarily faster than your semis and it’s definitely harder, but it’s just another pressure situation. You got to stand up and deliver.“I guess that’s experience for me now being in things, that’s my 10th or 11th Australian Ironman final I know how to stick to the race plan.”The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships were held at North Kirra, and Day was racing out of the Surfers Paradise SLSC. The beach holds a special place in his memories.“North Kirra is a lucky beach for me. I came down here as like a 15-year-old and marvelled at Shannon Eckstein, Zane Holmes and Ky Hurst and thought, you know, how cool would that be to one day be in the same arena… and now I’m mentioned in the same sentence as them, it’s really special,” he says.At 34, there has to be a couple of SLSC Ironman competitors dreaming about the time Day decides to give it a rest, but he assured Surf Life Saving Australia that he will be back next year to do it again.“I’ll definitely be back next year. I think there’s a bit of pressure going in today, looking at that under 19 age group coming up, and they get harder and harder to win. To win another one today, I’m over the moon,” he says.This may have been the Kiama local’s fourth Australian open ironman win, but it remains to be seen whether it will be his last. For now, Day's grip on the competition remains strong, and his passion for the sport shows no signs of waning.

Kiama and Gerringong kicked off their South Coast Group 7 campaigns with a bang on the weekend.The revamped Knights faced the Jamberoo Superoos at Kiama Showground on Sunday. Both teams featured new signings and players stepping up from the U18s.Kiama proved too strong, establishing their dominance early by scoring within the first 10 minutes and dominating from there, finishing the game with a 26-0 win.Fullback Brad Killmore, returning from injury, said the team was not quite perfect despite keeping Jamberoo scoreless in a promising sign for the season ahead.“It was a solid first hit-out. With new players coming into the team and a few of the 18s stepping up, it was a bit clunky in patches, but everyone did their job. "We’ll only get better. I’m very happy with our defence - holding them to zero was a great effort by the team,” Killmore said.New Knights recruit Sam Hooper. Source: Kiama Knights.The Kiama Knights also triumphed in the reserve-grade match, although Jamberoo managed to take both ladies' leaguetag games, ensuring they didn’t leave empty-handed.Gerringong suffered an early setback before defeating Berry Magpies at Michael Cronin Oval on Saturday. The premiers found themselves behind when Berry scored the first try in the 11th minute.The halftime score was locked at 6-6, but the second half was all Lions as they surged ahead to a 28-6 victory.Gerringong also defeated Berry in the reserve grade and U18s games, though Berry triumphed in the Ladies League Tag 1 match.Elsewhere, the Kiama Rugby team dominated their match against the Wollongong Tech-Tahs at Kiama Showground on Saturday, winning 41-3.The Kiama Quarriers soccer team enjoyed a strong weekend in the Illawarra District League, securing three out of four wins, while Kiama Power claimed victory in their sole South Coast AFL match.

Thirteen-year-old Kendall Payne made history on Sunday by winning the first ‘water medal’ in the history of Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.Competing in Kirra, she earned a silver medal in the U13 surf race - a 400m swim through the surf - finishing ahead of 230 other competitors. Her father, Richard Payne, who is also the Vice President of Gerringong SLSC, recalls the thrilling moment:“Kendall led the pack through the break, with four girls in contention. They rounded the can, and the race out was quick, but the return was tricky with heavy water movement,” Richard said.“As they slowed down, I couldn’t quite tell where she was. “But then, all four girls caught a wave together. One of them surged ahead by a metre, and the other three were neck and neck. In a sprint to the finish, Kendall edged out the others, crossing the line in second. It was incredible.”Kendall was thrilled about her historic achievement. Hudson Alchin, Kendall Payne and Charlie Miller at The Australian Championships. Photo: Supplied“I’m very proud and it still hasn’t properly sunk in, but overall I am honoured to represent this amazing club alongside with my teammates and coaches that I wouldn’t be here without,” she said.Kendall was one of three Gerringong SLSC members - alongside Charlie Miller and Hudson Alchin - to compete at the Aussie Championships. Richard credits the club’s success to their coaches, ex-professional ironmen Larn Darragh and Greg Miller, who have played a significant role in developing the athletes.“We’re a small, regional club with two former ironmen coaching. They’ve helped teach the little things - like navigating the break - and that’s been key to our success, especially in tough conditions,” he said.Kendall with her medal. Photo: SuppliedHe also praises the dedication of the young athletes at Gerringong SLSC, highlighting Kendall’s rigorous training schedule as an example.“I’ve never seen anyone train harder,” Richard added. “Kendall’s the most determined kid. Despite battling severe asthma and even breaking her toes this year, she never misses a session.“Most of the kids have four pool sessions and another five outside for running, board work, and more. They’re training nine sessions a week, and they would train more if they could. They absolutely love it.”For Kendall, the passion for surf lifesaving goes beyond the sport itself. What truly drives her is the supportive and challenging environment at Gerringong SLSC.“I love everything about surf lifesaving - the hard work, friendships, pushing myself, and the laughs,” Kendall said. “I train hard because I look up to iron women and men, and I know my effort will pay off. But the best part is my teammates and club, they push me to my limits and always support me, no matter what. There’s no easy session with them.”Hudson Alchin made the U13 swim final and finished 25th, while Charlie Miller made the quarters in the swim but narrowly missed out on a semis spot.