KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - INTERMEDIATE BPRELIMINARY FINALBEACHETTES 8 22 d CENTRAL 12 12

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - JUNIOR CPRELIMINARY FINALGERRINGONG 10 7 d BEACHETTES 12 6

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - UNDER 10BERRY 7 12 d CENTRAL 17 0

St George Illawarra Dragons' defence went missing in their loss to Manly at Kogarah on Saturday.They went down 40-24 as the Sea Eagles kept their slim finals hopes alive, the second week in a row that the Dragons have conceded 40 points.Lyhkan King-Togia scored in the ninth minute as part of a promising start by the home side but they looked to be heading for an embarrassing defeat after trailing 22-6 at halftime.Manly prop Tof Sipley was sin-binned in the 42nd minute and Jacob Liddle and Christian Tuipulotu touched down to bring the Dragons back into the contest at 22-18.Sea Eagles forward Corey Waddell and Tommy Talau crossed the stripe soon after Sipley returned from the sin bin as the scoreline blew out.The Dragons have dropped to 15th on the ladder after they were top-eight contenders for most of the season."We've got to go out next week playing Penrith, and who knows what team they put out, but go out with some respect," Dragons coach Shane Flanagan said.Their record now sits at 8-15 heading into Saturday's WIN Stadium showdown with the Panthers.Gerringong Lions forward Hamish Stewart missed the match against Manly due to a recent concussion while rookie centre Hayden Buchanan made 88 run metres from 13 hit-ups and 26 tackles out wide.In the NRLW, Kiama junior Maria Paseka continued her recent purple patch with a try in St George Illawarra's 26-18 win over the Warriors.The Dragons have improved to a 3-6 record and moved up to a share of seventh spot with the Warriors heading into the final round.They travel north to face Newcastle next Sunday.

When a young footy player gets the chance to play a higher grade of rugby league, they can have a number of highlights, if they are lucky, in a career. The first-grade debut is certainly one of these. A lot of great players never get the chance to run on the field in ONE premiership match. I certainly did not.Ashton Ward is a young player who sought a chance at South Sydney this year. In the normal course of events, he most likely would have just played in the lower grades and hoped for a chance next year or the one after. This would be the same for many young men and women in all the NRL clubs. But this has not been a normal year for Souths. Almost a whole NRL team has been on the injury list on many occasions. This meant Ashton got a chance to play first grade, and he has made every post a winner.He has played in five premiership games. By coincidence (or is it coincidence?), Souths have won the last three games in a row after a horror run of losses.Last week was the highlight in his brief career when he starred in their 40-0 win over St George Illawarra. Ashton's old teammate from his Gerringong days, Hayden Buchanan, was playing at centre for the Dragons so this game had a special meaning for him.And what a game it was. Ashton played no small part in a great victory. The highlight was the try assist for the first try of the match. Ashton threaded the needle with a little kick behind the line for Jacob Host to pounce. In fact, he was heavily involved in just about all of the significant attacking plays in the match. Ashton’s defence has been notable in all games. He has a beautiful style of “grasscutting”, an old term meaning he tackles around the legs. Everybody did that in the olden days.On top of this, the rookie five-eighth was in sensational goalkicking form with six goals from seven attempts.The commentators were generous in their praise of him although they made jokes at his expense about his size and the fact that he looks very young. Interviewed after the match, Ashton did make a comment about how tough it was when huge bodies headed his way.Mind you he and Jye Gray share the ‘little blokes’ tag in the team and the fullback has also been in sensational form.They only have one more match this season after the bye when they face the Roosters next Friday.Ashton will hopefully get to have extended time playing alongside Cody Walker next season. Cody is a brilliant, highly experienced playmaker and would be a great mentor.South Sydney’s supporters certainly hope so - they have been lavish in their praise on The Warren fan forum with comments like these ones:“This kid is not ready for first grade, but no one told him. He has stood up with one of the smallest frames to play the game in a long time. The kid tackled his heart out and stood in front of anyone.”“We’ve had two wins straight with Ward starting.“Ward is a very legitimate chance to be one of our long-term halves.”“Ward reminds me of a young Keary. If he’s half as good as Keary, he’ll be a fine player.”“Take a bow Ashton Ward, and a ten-year contract.”Will Ashton be able to compare with the other Gerringong legends who made it in the premiership like Eels legend Mick Cronin, Paul Quinn and Rod Wishart? Time will tell but he’s off to a great start.

A rained-out weekend brought an early end to Kiama Power’s 2025 season, but despite all three grades missing out on finals, the club is calling it a step forward in its ongoing rebuild.Both of Kiama Power’s Premier Division teams - men’s and women’s - finished fifth on the ladder, just one spot shy of finals contention. The reserve grade side wrapped up their season in sixth place.“It was a few rough seasons, with the men's first grade team averaging a 100-point losing margin for two years,” said committee member Anthony Grady. “So it was good to turn that around and be competitive again.”A highlight of the season came in the form of individual accolades, with four players across the premier teams selected in the AFL South Coast Teams of the Year.“We had Hamish Robertson and Josh Simpson named in the men's team, and for the women, Dakota Mason and Teneale Keene were both selected,” said Grady. '“Our women’s coach, Arthur Chilcott, was also named coach of that women’s team of the year, which is a great recognition.”In the league’s medal count, one of Kiama's new recruits, Jack Eastwood, made a big impression - finishing runner-up in the Best and Fairest despite only joining the club in Round 7. “I think if he’d played a full season, he could’ve taken that award out,” Grady said.Off the field, Kiama Power has worked hard to build a stronger club atmosphere and sense of community. Kiama Power's Premier Division mens side finished one spot away from the top four. Photo: Kiama Power“We're really proud of the culture we've built this year,” Grady said. “We had a lot of new players join the club - including some top recruits who were recognised at the league awards night or selected for representative honours.”A major achievement for the club was securing more than 60 player sponsors - a number Grady says is almost unmatched in the league.“We’re very proud of that,” he said. “It’s allowed us to put on more events for members, players, and supporters, which strengthens the connection between everyone at the club.”The club also invested in growing its online presence, recently passing one million views on Instagram. Grady believes that’s been a key tool in attracting new players and sponsors. “We like to think that if a new player is looking around, we’re now front of mind,” he said. “And with that, it brings in new opportunities and partnerships that also benefit local businesses through sponsorship. It also gives people a chance to get to know the players behind the scenes, which really helps connect the community.”Looking ahead to 2026, Kiama Power has its sights set on expanding its women’s program. “Our biggest goal is to field a second women’s team next year - both a Premier Division side and a Reserve Grade team,” Grady said. “Adding a second side will boost depth and performance, but more importantly, help grow the club culture by bringing more women into the fold. That’s a really important step for us heading into next season.”While the on-field action has wrapped, the season isn’t over just yet. Kiama Power’s Presentation Night is set for Friday, 19 September, where players, coaches, and supporters will come together to celebrate a year of progress - both on and off the field.

For the first time in Kiama Rugby Club’s history, the club will host a major semi-final - with the first and reserve grade teams taking the field.The major semi-final, played between the top two teams on the ladder, offers a direct path to the grand final for the winner. The loser gets a second chance the following week in the preliminary final.After finishing second in both grades, Kiama will play for a spot in the grand final this Saturday at Kiama Showground."It's a great milestone for us," said club president Mark Redding. "We've never had a home major semi-final with both grades in it before.“We’ve had minor semis way back in the early 2000s, but never a major semi-final with both teams involved, so it’s a big moment for the club - and very exciting.”Kiama will face Campbelltown in first grade and Shoalhaven in reserve grade. Redding expects both visiting teams to bring strong supporter groups."Campbelltown usually travel well, and Shoalhaven do too," he said. "Plus we’re expecting a big turnout from Kiama, with both teams involved. We’re focused on making sure everyone is looked after and has a great day."This semi-final is the culmination of several years of rebuilding and development, with Kiama first grade making last year’s grand final and reserve grade finishing in the top four.“Both sides did really well last year,” said Redding. “We were hoping to build on that, especially because we didn’t lose many players - and we picked up a few. We were very confident coming into this season."Kiama Rugby are calling on the Kiama community to come out and support both grades as they try and qualify for the grand final. Photo: Brian ScottRedding credited coaches James and Trevor Patrick for their leadership and recruitment, noting the strong culture they've fostered at the club.“James and Trevor deserve a lot of credit. They’ve put together a great squad, they’ve got a strong reputation, and players want to play for them,” he said.“The playing group is a great bunch of blokes - they work hard and enjoy themselves on and off the field. That shows in the way they play. Plus, the club is fully behind them. The support they get really helps.”Kiama Rugby is eyeing an historic double - winning the premiership in both grades, something Redding can’t recall ever happening.“Not in my time,” he said. “The last grand final we won was first grade in 2003. I’m not saying it’s never happened, but I’ve never heard of both grades winning in the same year.”Heading into the weekend, Kiama’s reserve grade holds a 1-1 record against Shoalhaven this season, while first grade has lost both encounters with Campbelltown.Reserve grade will kick off at 1.30pm at Kiama Showground, followed by first grade at 3pm.Redding called on the local community to get behind the teams.“I’d love the community to come down and support both teams,” he said. “To host a home major semi with both sides involved is a big achievement - it doesn’t happen every day.”“We’d love to see that reflected in a big crowd on the sideline, cheering, wearing the black and white. Let’s get both teams into the grand final - that would be fantastic.”

Josh Douglas, captain of Kiama Downs Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC), has been named Facilitator of the Year at the Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence, held recently at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney.Kiama Downs had nominees in nine categories on the night, with Douglas taking home one of the top honours.“I don’t really like getting recognition and things like that, but it’s nice,” said Douglas.The Facilitator of the Year award recognises individuals who train and assess surf lifesavers in essential skills across areas such as first aid, resuscitation, and rescue craft operation.“For me, that means a lot of first aid courses, advanced resuscitation, IRB and RWC - which are the jet ski courses,” Douglas explained.“This past season, I also travelled to a lot of branches across NSW to upskill trainers in IRB operations. There’s new work being done in that area. I even went down to Victoria to learn about the updated RWC (jet ski) training, then brought that knowledge back to share with clubs across New South Wales.”Douglas was also recognised closer to home, receiving Club Person of the Year at Kiama Downs SLSC’s own presentation night last Friday. Club President Brett Schweitzer highlighted Douglas’ wide-ranging contribution to the club.“Josh was away for about two weeks this year supporting the Northern Rivers during the floods,” Schweitzer said.“He’s heavily involved in our community events, like Australia Day, and he’s on three patrols - so he does a huge number of patrolling hours. He’s also on call for after-hours rescues, and he never says no to those.”The Kiama Downs SLSC crew at the SLSNSW Awards of Excellence. Photo: Kiama Downs SLSCDouglas has been part of the club for 27 years and recently completed his 20th season as Club Captain. His motivation, he says, is simple.“It’s the people. The members at Kiama Downs are there for the community - they want to help. It’s just a great bunch of people working together, not just to improve the club, but to make the broader community better too,” he said.Schweitzer said the awards serve as a valuable reminder of the efforts made by volunteers.“Volunteers don’t seek recognition, but we should take at least one opportunity each year to acknowledge the incredible work they do,” he said.“None of the people we recognised do it for awards. They do it because they care about the community. These awards are just a moment to reflect on that - and have a bit of fun too.”Kiama Downs SLSC Presentation Night Award WinnersJunior Competitor: Maria Flor Santana De CastroCompetitor: Kirra DaleCadet: Polly Gazzard Junior Member: Darcy NewmanBill Gown Award: Gary TrudgettPatrol Person: Nick MulhollandClub Person: Josh DouglasKiama Downs Nominees at the 2025 SLSNSW Awards of ExcellenceCoach: Nathon FosterAssessor: Trina JensenServices Team: Support Services Team, Kiama DownsYouth Volunteer: Archie WeirSurf Sports Team: Red IRB Racing TeamSurf Lifesaver of the Year: Nicholas MulhollandPatrol Captain: Benjamin McAlisterSupport Operations Manager: Josh Douglas

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - CADETSBEACHETTES 5 26 d BERRY 2 14

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - CADETSBEACHETTES 5 26 d BERRY 2 14

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - CADETSBEACHETTES 4 22 d CENTRAL 8 14

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - CADETSBEACHETTES 4 22 d CENTRAL 8 14

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - JUNIOR AGAINSBOROUGH 4 23 d BEACHETTES 10 9

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - JUNIOR A GAINSBOROUGH 4 23 d BEACHETTES 10 9

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - INTERMEDIATE ACENTRAL 10 33 d CENTRAL 11 18

KIAMA JUNIOR NETBALL - INTERMEDIATE ACENTRAL 10 33 d CENTRAL 11 18

The Gerringong Lions shocked Group 7 competition leaders, the Stingrays of Shellharbour, on Sunday with a hard-fought 22-10 win at home.After more than 150mm of rain hit the Illawarra last week, Group 7 officials were forced to cancel all grades except first grade for Round 17.With just two rounds remaining and every top-five position still up for grabs, the clash between the first-placed Stingrays and fifth-placed Lions had the potential to either shake up the ladder or cement key positions - and it did not disappoint.The Stingrays opened the scoring in just the second minute when replacement fullback Josh Maude stepped off his left foot to break through the Gerringong defence.The score remained 4-0 until the 32nd minute when Gerringong centre Tyrell Taione responded with a similar right-foot step to level it at 4-4.Just before the break, a penalty in front of the posts gave the Stingrays a chance to edge ahead, with halfback Trey Barlow slotting the goal to make it 6-4 at halftime.Gerringong struck first after the restart when halfback Rixon Russell executed a show-and-go to slice through the defence and score in the 48th minute, giving the home side a 10-6 lead. Five minutes later, a slick flick pass from Kayne Brennan put Kye Deane over in the corner, again levelling the scores at 10-10.A tense passage of play followed, with both sides trading sets and defending strongly. Gerringong Lions will hope to leap from fifth to the top three after round 18. Photo: SticksPix_Eventually, Gerringong forward Wes Pring broke the line, putting the Stingrays on the back foot. A few tackles later, centre Beau Doosey finished off the movement to push Gerringong back in front.With time winding down, the Lions attempted a field goal to stretch their lead but it missed the mark. A few minutes later, however, they were handed a full set on the Stingrays' line after a penalty. Winger Liam Holland pounced on the opportunity, grubbering through and regathering to seal the win for Gerringong.Injured Stingrays fullback Jimmy Scott said: “We were pretty good in defence, but we just made far too many mistakes and gave away too many penalties. “Having the last two weeks off probably didn’t help as well. I think the loss might give the squad a much-needed wake-up call. Hopefully we can get a win against Kiama next week to build that confidence into finals.”Meanwhile, a depleted Jamberoo Superoos side were soundly beaten by Albion Park away from home. The hosts, sitting fourth on the ladder, opened their account in just the second minute and added three more tries to lead 22-0 at halftime - a deficit Jamberoo might have recovered from under better circumstances.However, Albion Park ran in two quick tries in the 48th and 51st minutes to put the game out of reach, before piling on four more before full-time to finish 54-0 winners. It marked Jamberoo’s ninth straight loss in a season plagued by injuries, and Albion Park’s third win on the trot as they build momentum for the finals.This Saturday, Jambero will face competition leaders Shellharbour Sharks, while Kiama, who had the bye in Round 17, return to action against the Stingrays. Gerringong take on the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets on Sunday. With only three points separating first and fifth on the Group 7 ladder, both Kiama (third) and Gerringong (fifth) will be desperate for wins in Round 18 to secure a double chance in the finals beginning on 6 September.

Local boxer Jarod Sainsbury claimed victory at the NSW Novice State Titles recently for his weight and division at the Hudson Hotel in Seven Hills.Sainsbury competed in the elite division for boxers aged over 19, in the 75kg weight class. He also fought in the C division, which is for fighters with less than four bouts.Originally scheduled to have three fights, Sainsbury's first opponent withdrew. In his second bout, he secured a win in the second round, and in the final, he clinched the title with a unanimous decision.His coach, Steven Anton - owner of Boost Boxing Gym in Albion Park Rail, where Sainsbury trains - said the title was a well-deserved achievement."He's been trying hard for a long time, and from the beginning, we set out with the goal to win this competition," said Anton."I had a lot of confidence in him based on how he trains. I knew he was going to be too strong for that category. His skill level is above the three-fight experience level."It was Sainsbury’s first appearance at the NSW titles. Despite boxing for seven years, he had only two judged fights prior to the competition - both wins - as well as a few exhibition bouts."That’s quite normal in amateur boxing. Jarod’s had a lot of opponents pull out over the years," said Anton. "His first official fight with Boost was almost two years ago, but he’d been trying to get matched up for two years before that as well."Anton explained that many boxers spend years building skills before entering regular competition."You start off training a couple of times a week, learn the fundamentals, and gradually develop into someone ready to fight. It's a natural progression."Sainsbury is also a highly regarded coach at Boost Boxing Gym."From the first day he walked in, Jarod’s been about the community. He helps everyone, he's a team player, and he works incredibly hard," said Anton. "He listens, he trains hard, and he's super encouraging to everyone around him. He’s not just an amazing athlete - he’s an amazing coach as well.""He's brilliant with the kids and juniors. He’s always inspiring others, always showing up, and just a massive asset to the gym. We all love him."Sainsbury trains several times a week, putting in an average of 6-8 hours of physically and mentally demanding work. Anton believes this dedication is laying the groundwork for a professional future.“Hopefully we can get him another 15 to 20 fights and turn him pro,” said Anton. “He’s ticking all the boxes. He’s doing everything we set out to do, and I’m so glad to be part of it.”"It means everything to me to see his hard work paying off. The training is intense, it takes a real toll on the body - especially when you're working full-time and supporting a family. To have someone from the Boost Boxing family achieving so much makes me incredibly proud."

This week's edition of The Bugle brings you all the latest news about the upcoming by-election for Kiama now that the campaigning is in full swing.There are seven names thus far on the ballot paper with candidates making plenty of promises about how they will revitalise the region if they get elected.Kiama will create history with the first female state member set to be voted in at the 13 September by-election.Check out The Bugle digital editionLabor’s Katelin McInerney is considered the early favourite to win the seat following the resignation of jailed former independent MP Gareth Ward.Liberal Party nominee Serena Copley has also been busy on the hustings after launching her campaign last week with independent Kate Dezarnaulds and Greens candidate Tonia Gray can also see a path to victory in an election where the vast majority of the primary vote will be split between this talented quartet.There is also a feature on the drama over Council's decision to cancel the New Year's Eve fireworks as well as the stoush between local businesses over the employment land strategy.Former Mayor Neil Reilly has also written a column about Gareth Ward's time as the state member.You can also read plenty of great community stories, including an update on the renewable energy transition, a local legend who is turning 105, a four-page liftout on the Folk by the Sea festival as well as plenty of sport, including a Kiama AFL player who has racked up the 200-game milestone.