KIAMA JFC - UNDER 16/17 MIXED DIVISION 3KIAMA JFC 4 d SOUTH COAST UNITED 0

It wasn’t a good weekend for local teams in NAIDOC Round 12 of the Group 7 competition, with both first-grade sides falling short in two tightly contested clashes.All first-grade teams wore specially designed NAIDOC jerseys to commemorate the occasion, with every game kicking off with a Welcome to Country ceremony.Group 7 Operations Manager Ashton Sims said the round held special significance.In a top-of-the-table showdown at Ron Costello Oval in Shellharbour, third-placed Kiama Knights were aiming to upset ladder leaders Shellharbour Sharks for the second time this season.Despite missing five-eighth Sam Hooper due to injury, Kiama struck first through a slick backline movement, finished off by Kye Andrews in the 34th minute.They led 6–0 at halftime, but the Sharks struck back just three minutes into the second half.Shellharbour and Kiama in their clash earlier this season which Kiama managed to win. Photo: @SticksPix_ Halfback Braxton Wallace grubbered for himself and scored under the posts to level the scores.Moments later, Shellharbour capitalised on an awkward bomb that Kiama failed to field, scoring again to take a 12-6 lead. A late penalty goal sealed the win for the Sharks, with the final score 14-6.Kiama fullback Brad Killmore, who sustained an injury in the match and is expected to spend four weeks on the sidelines, remained optimistic.“It was a disappointing scoreline, but there are still lots of positives to take away from the game,” he said.“Completing at 60% was what killed us yesterday, so that’ll be a big focus. Very happy with the defensive effort - only conceding tries off kicks.”Meanwhile, the Jamberoo Superoos also suffered a narrow defeat, going down to the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets.Nowra Bomaderry players participating in the smoking ceremony at the beginning of the match. Photo: Nowra-Bomaderry JetsThe Superoos have been plagued by injuries this season and are still awaiting the return of several key players. Nevertheless, they started strong, with centre Riley Plekan beating three defenders to cross in the 10th minute.Nowra hit back quickly, scoring off a kick just three minutes later. No further points were added in the first half, with Nowra leading 6-4 at the break.Centre Dean Watling put Jamberoo back in front early in the second half after finishing off a pinpoint kick from halfback Jono Dallas.Nowra winger Braydon Rumble-Walsh turned the game with back-to-back contributions - first scoring a try with some sharp footwork, then breaking the line and offloading for another to push the lead to 16-10.Jamberoo equalised with 17 minutes left through centre Dill Johnston, but couldn’t hold off Nowra, who sealed the win with two late tries.Gerringong Lions had the bye this week. Next round, they’ll face competition leaders Shellharbour Sharks, while Jamberoo take on Milton and Kiama face off against Albion Park-Oak Flats.

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KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTS U16 GTKIAMA KNIGHTS 34 d SHELLHARBOUR 22

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KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTS U12 BTKIAMA RED VS BOMADERRY

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UNDER 16-1 BTKIANA KNIGHTS 24 d GERRINGONG LIONS 14

Gerringong forward Hamish Stewart will miss just his second NRL match this year since he was handed his debut back in the opening round when the Dragons travel to Canberra on Saturday.Stewart suffered a category-one concussion when he came off second best while trying to make a tackle in last Saturday's 34-20 win over Parramatta at WIN Stadium.His absence is one of several changes St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has been forced to make for the trip to face the in-form Raiders at GIO Stadium in Round 18.The Green Machine are at the top of the NRL ladder with a 13-3 record after they knocked off the Knights 22-18 in Newcastle last Friday night.After beating the Eels despite a heavy injury toll, the Dragons have remained in the race for the playoffs with a 6-8 record to sit in 11th place.Young forward Toby Couchman (shoulder), wingers Nathan Lawson (shoulder) and Christian Tuipulotu (hamstring), second-rower Luciano Leilua (thigh) and Valentine Homes (State of Origin duty) are out from the team named last week.Tyrell Sloan and Sione Finau have been recalled to be the new wing duo with Corey Allan shifting in to centre. Veteran forward Raymond Faitala-Mariner has been elevated to start in the second row while Hame Sele, Loko Pasifiki Tonga and Michael Molo - in his first NRL appearance of 2025 - are the new names on the bench. Flanagan has relegated young forward Viliami Fifita drops to the reserves.

June 30 marks the end of the player transfer window for the Group 7 South Coast Rugby League competition.All squads are now locked in - no more player movements between clubs for the rest of the season.The date also signals the halfway point of the season, with 11 rounds completed and roughly 11 weeks remaining until the 2025 premiers are crowned.The top five has shifted regularly throughout the year, with first place changing hands yet again after this weekend’s results. It’s shaping up to be one of the tightest seasons in recent memory, and the run home will be crucial for several clubs.1st – Shellharbour Sharks (16 pts)6 wins, 2 losses, 2 byesRunners-up to Gerringong in 2023 and 2024, the Sharks are still chasing revenge - but haven’t had the chance yet, with their Round 7 match against Gerringong washed out. They’ve now won three in a row and are looking strong.Shellharbour in their 12-0 loss against Kiama. Photo: @SticksPix_Their two losses came early: a 12–0 defeat in a rain-affected clash against Kiama (Round 3) and a narrow 12–8 loss to the Stingrays (Round 5). Importantly, they’re yet to beat another current top-four side, making this weekend’s clash against Kiama a crucial test.Halfback Braxton Wallace has been a standout and sits second in the Mick Cronin Medal standings. He, along with co-captain Jayden Morgan, will be key to pushing for their first title since 2018.2nd – Stingrays of Shellharbour (14 pts)7 wins, 3 losses, 0 byesTrey Barlow has been a great late addition to the Stingrays squad. Photo: @SticksPix_The Stingrays led the ladder for most of 2025 but slipped to second after a surprise 21-4 loss to Milton-Ulladulla last round. Despite that setback, they’ve claimed wins over top teams including Gerringong, Shellharbour and Kiama.With the most wins of any team, they’ve yet to have a bye - so fresh legs later in the season may help. Consistency will be the key to staying in the hunt.Second-rower Tom Warner, lock Trey Barlow, and half Hamish McLaurin are all in the top 10 of the Mick Cronin Medal race.3rd – Kiama Knights (14 pts)6 wins, 2 losses, 1 bye, 1 postponedKiama have been the underdog story of the season after finishing eighth in 2024 with just three wins. Their only losses came in Round 2 to Nowra-Bomaderry and in Round 9 to the Stingrays.A statement win over the current ladder leaders, the Shellharbour Sharks, earlier this season has them confident heading into their rematch this weekend.Fullback Brad Killmore and second-rower Tom Angel have led the way. Killmore said: “Looking to the back end of the year, I think staying healthy and fit is our biggest focus. Shellharbour this weekend will be another good test to see where we are.”Kiama have only lost one game at home this season. Photo: @SticksPix_4th – Gerringong Lions (12 pts)5 wins, 4 losses, 1 byeThe premiers had a slow start, with losses to Jamberoo, Kiama, Albion Park, and the Stingrays. But a strong turnaround has seen them notch three straight wins and climb back into contention.With a young core - and a large group of their potential players either playing in the NRL or knocking on the door - they’re building nicely. Fullback Cooper Harrison has been a consistent standout.Captain Nathan Ford said: “With a mix of experience and youth, it was always going to take time, but we’re heading in the right direction. Our main goal is to make the final - and ideally the top three - to give ourselves a second chance come semis.”Gerringong are coming together at the right time of the season. Photo: @SticksPix_5th – Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles (12 pts)4 wins, 4 losses, 2 byesAfter a surprise finals run in 2024, the Eagles have had a mixed campaign in 2025. Big wins over the Stingrays, Gerringong, and Jamberoo show their potential, but losses to lower-ranked teams like Berry and Milton-Ulladulla have hurt.Halfback Leroy Murray has been a shining light, but consistency will be their focus if they want to push deeper this year.6th – Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs (10 pts)4 wins, 5 losses, 1 byeMilton-Ulladulla are proving tough to beat at home - losing only once there all season. They shocked the competition with a dominant win over the Stingrays last week, but fell to Nowra-Bomaderry the week before.Injuries and away form are their biggest concerns, but if they can stay healthy and replicate that home performance, they could force their way into the top five. Hooker Riley Wooden has been a standout performer.7th – Jamberoo Superoos (8 pts)3 wins, 6 losses, 1 byeJamberoo started well with wins over Gerringong, Nowra and the Stingrays, but a brutal injury toll - currently missing around eight key players - has seen them drop their last four games.Coach Jono Dallas said: “We still need to get a run of games without losing players. Another two from the weekend's game will be unavailable next week.“It’s not necessarily about the quality of players - it’s just extremely difficult to improve when you’re changing the team every week.”Jamberoo in Round 1 of this season, due to injuries their team looks a lot different now. Photo: @SticksPix_8th – Nowra-Bomaderry Jets (6 pts)2 wins, 7 losses, 1 byeDespite sitting near the bottom, Nowra have shown they can compete - beating top-three side Kiama and also defeating Milton. Prop Zac Kershaw leads the Mick Cronin Medal tally.With upcoming matches against Jamberoo and Berry, they’ll hope to claw their way back into finals contention.Nowra-Bomaderry need to win their next two games to stay in finals contention. Photo: @SticksPix_9th – Berry Magpies (6 pts)2 wins, 6 losses, 1 bye, 1 postponedBerry are in a similar position to Nowra and must start banking wins fast. They’ve claimed solid victories over Nowra and Albion Park, proving they’re capable when at their best.Finals kick off on 6 September, with just two months left to lock in a top-five spot.With three local teams - Kiama, Gerringong and Jamberoo - in the mix, there’s plenty for South Coast footy fans to cheer for in the run home.

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KIAMA WOMEN'S BASKETBALLGRAND FINALTIMMS ROOFING 36 d DOLPHINS 24

Kiama Power’s Premier Division men’s team is just one win outside the top four on the AFL South Coast ladder at the midway point of the season - their strongest position in years.Despite three consecutive losses, early-season victories and two byes have kept them within reach of a finals berth. Power committee member Anthony Grady says the recent defeats haven’t been without their positives.“The boys played the two best teams in the competition in the last two weeks,” said Grady. “We played Northern Districts at home two weeks ago, which was a pretty close game. In the fourth quarter, there was only a point in it before they pulled away in the final minutes with a couple of late goals.”This trend has become familiar for Kiama, who’ve struggled to maintain momentum across the full 80 minutes. In April, they led competition leaders Figtree at half-time before falling by just seven points. Against Wollongong in Round 7, they trailed by four at the half but ended up losing by 34.Kiama Power have lost their last three games, but will be looking to turn that around in the second half of the season. Photo: Maddi Aitkin“There are still positive signs,” Grady said. “But now it’s more about what’s going on between the ears. The skills are there - it’s about applying that mental toughness consistently across all four quarters.”He believes a lack of confidence might be undermining the side's ability to close out games.“Self-belief is probably the big thing. A lot of teams we've played - especially those who’ve beaten us in recent seasons - still carry that confidence when they face us. We need to overcome that and sustain belief throughout the match.”Meanwhile, the Kiama Power Women’s Premier Division side currently sits inside the top four, despite losing their last four games.“We’ve had Maddie Edwards join the club, and we’re starting to get players back on the field,” Grady said. “Last weekend was probably our strongest lineup in a month.”He acknowledges there's still work to do to close the gap on the top three sides.Kiama Power's Olivia Falconer competes for a mark. Photo: Bob Willetts“The girls know what they need to improve on in the second half of the season - and the results reflect that. But I’ve got a lot of confidence in them."They’ve definitely shown they’re a top-four team.”This weekend, the Women’s team faces the Bomaderry Tigers away, while the Men’s side hosts the Wollongong Bulldogs at home on Saturday, July 5.

Kiama are sitting comfortably atop the Illawarra District Rugby Union ladder with six wins and just one loss - and they'll be aiming to avenge that lone defeat when they face Campbelltown again on 12 July.After a week off, and another bye this weekend, the team finds itself in a similar situation to Round 1 - when they last met Campbelltown and suffered their only loss of the season, going down 15–14 away from home. “That was our very first game for first grade. We had two weeks off beforehand with the bye and a rest week, and then went straight into playing one of the competition's top teams - Campbelltown,” said Kiama forward Dante Patrick.Now, with six straight wins under their belt, Kiama will be looking to make a statement at home.“We’ve had our rest and we’ll approach this week the same,” Patrick said. “But come Thursday, I think we’ll be having a full reserve grade versus first grade game. We're looking to get a referee in too, just to sharpen things up. We need those reps. It’s about keeping the bodies warm heading into a big match.”The clash also marks the start of the second half of the season, and Patrick says the squad has been strategic in how they build and evolve their play.“We set up a game plan to get us through the first half of the season, and we’ve probably got two more plans in our back pocket that we haven’t used yet,” he said. “Now that we’ve nailed down the first one, it’s time to roll out the others.“These new strategies are to keep things fresh and avoid complacency. Even though what we’ve been doing has worked so far, smart teams like Camden, Shoalhaven and Campbelltown will be doing their homework on us. We don’t want to be predictable.”Kiama’s reserve grade team is also hitting form, claiming their third consecutive win over the weekend and climbing to third on the IDRU reserve grade ladder.“It means a lot to have both sides playing so well. It shows the work we’re putting in is paying off. Hopefully, the reserves will join us at the top soon,” Patrick added.With both teams enjoying the week off, they'll be aiming for another double victory day when they host Campbelltown at home on 12 July.

With the 1985 premiership-winning side watching on in celebration of their 40th anniversary, the Knights had extra motivation to notch back-to-back wins at Kiama Showground on Saturday.KIama got off to a flying start in Round 11 of the Group 7 competition against the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets, scoring in the fourth minute thanks to a slick backline move finished off by winger Cade Hotham.Nowra responded with two quick tries, but Kiama levelled the scores in the 14th minute through centre Max Jennings.Play then settled into a grind, with both sides absorbing pressure and trading sets. Kiama broke the deadlock when Kye Andrews split the defence to regain the lead.Shortly before half-time, a pin-point cut-out pass from fullback Brad Killmore found Callan Thistlethwaite on the edge, extending Kiama’s lead. The Knights went into the break up 22-12.But Nowra weren’t done. Three minutes into the second half, they capitalised on a high bomb that was allowed to bounce, scoring to close the gap.Kiama’s defence, however, stood strong against a wave of Nowra momentum. In the 63rd minute, Killmore crossed the line to push the lead further out.From there, the Knights turned on the style, scoring two late tries - both set up by well-placed kicks - to seal a convincing win in front of their home crowd and the club’s past legends.“It was a huge day with the 1985 premiership-winning team coming to watch us. We needed the two points to keep building toward the finals, but also to make those old boys proud,” said Killmore.The 1985 premiership team. Photo: Kiama Knights“The game was a bit scrappy and stop-start for the most part, but off the back of our forwards we looked good when we found rhythm.”Kiama will aim to keep their winning streak alive next week against last year’s runners-up, the Shellharbour Sharks.Meanwhile, at Michael Cronin Oval, Gerringong also looked to extend their winning run when they hosted the struggling Jamberoo Superoos.It was all Gerringong in the first half, racing to a 16-0 lead with three sharp tries: a well-timed leap from winger James Kunkler, a powerful barge-over from hooker Nathan Ford, and a strong angled run from second-rower Jack Quine.Jamberoo avoided a scoreless first half with a penalty goal just before the break, with Gerringong ahead 16-2.Needing a big start to the second half, Jamberoo responded through powerhouse forward James Gilmore, who crashed over in the 45th minute. Then a clever show-and-go from five-eighth Mark Asquith saw them pull within two points at 16–14.Jamberoo are on a three-game losing streak. Photo: @SticksPix_But Gerringong quickly regained control, answering back with a try to Bailey Marks just minutes later, and then another in the 75th minute via Liam Holland.Jamberoo added a late consolation - an impressive length-of-the-field effort finished by Riley Plekan - but the final score read 26-18 in Gerringong’s favour.“It was good to keep the winning streak going at home against Jamberoo, who are always a tough side,” said Lions captain Nathan Ford. “It was an important win, especially with them sitting close to us on the ladder.“Great to have a big crowd too. It lifts the team. We’re starting to play the footy we knew we were capable of. "With a mix of experience and youth, it was always going to take time - but we’re heading in the right direction.”Gerringong will have the bye this week, while Jamberoo travel south to face Nowra-Bomaderry.