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

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTS9-N KIAMA BLACK

Kiama Swim Club’s winter pointscore competition will begin this Friday, coinciding with the launch of the club’s new logo and refreshed brand identity.Unveiled on April 13, the new logo has been described by club member Jemma Haythorpe as a much-needed update for the club, which was first established in 1953. “The new branding both celebrates the club’s proud history while also looking to the future,” and reflects its “inclusive, energetic, and community-focused approach,” reinforcing its role as a key part of Kiama’s coastal lifestyle.Kiama Swim Club's new logo and rebrand. Source: Kiama Swim Club.In its 72-year history, the club has prided itself on supporting swimmers of all ages and abilities, even helping to develop future champions. “The club has played a role in the early careers of elite athletes like Sally Fitzgibbons and Ali Day, showing that big dreams can grow in small communities,” says Haythorpe.Today, the club continues to strengthen its place in the region’s swimming ecosystem through programs like the Friday Night Pointscore, competitive pathways, and training for surf lifesavers and triathletes.It is also launching a new community engagement campaign, working closely with local schools, surf clubs, and sporting organisations to welcome new members.Over the past six months, Kiama Swim Club has had swimmers compete at both regional and state levels, with standout athlete Trae Spencer qualifying for the national championships.The winter pointscore competition starts Friday, May 2 at 7pm. New swimmers are invited to join, with two free trial sessions available. To register your interest, email [email protected].

Created by a Bunny, poured by The Grumpy Bunny: South Sydney Rabbitohs player Jai Arrow visited Kiama during the week to launch his new coffee blend, The Arrow, at local café The Grumpy Bunny.Arrow has played 162 NRL games and represented Queensland in 12 State of Origin matches, but he is also a passionate coffee lover.“I love my coffee,” says Arrow. “I got involved with my mates’ coffee company and decided to make my own blend. I was lucky enough that The Grumpy Bunny was looking for a new coffee, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”The Arrow is the result of a collaboration between Arrow and longtime friend Jayson Matheou, founder of specialty coffee roaster Willy’s Beans.“Jai and I grew up together,” says Matheou. “He was always promoting my coffee, so I asked him - instead of just promoting it, would he like to have his own product?”The Grumpy Bunny is the first café to stock The Arrow blend - a fitting partnership for the Bunnies star. According to Matheou, the café will now be serving the highest-grade coffee in the region.“Willy’s Beans started when I invested in a coffee farm in Colombia,” says Matheou. “I wanted to showcase what real specialty coffee is - from a farmer’s perspective.“I travel to Colombia every three months, import the beans, and roast them on the Gold Coast. There’s no other café in this area serving a blend of this grade.”Matheou and Arrow ended up collaborating on the blend with other Rabbitohs players to craft the perfect blend.“Jai is very particular - not necessarily about the variety, but he wants a really smooth, rich coffee,” says Matheou. “He came up to the roastery and we tried different roast profiles and origins. He liked all of them, so we had the Souths boys at the club taste them - since they all drink his coffee now - and they helped pick the final blend. That’s how it all came together.”Willy’s Beans prides itself on full traceability and direct involvement in every step of the process - from farm to cup.Jai and Jayson enjoying their own brew.“If you can’t tell me who the farmer is, where the farm is, what kind of soil they use - to me, that’s not specialty coffee,” Matheou said. “With every coffee we roast, I can tell you where and when it was harvested, who grew it, how it was processed, how it arrived in Australia, and how it was roasted and brewed. That’s what real specialty coffee is.”The Arrow blend is available exclusively at The Grumpy Bunny. And if you’re wondering what the creators themselves drink - Jai Arrow’s go-to coffee order is a strong flat white, while Jayson Matheou prefers an espresso or a filter coffee.

After its successful revival in 2024, the Kiama Triathlon is back for the second consecutive year, landing in the middle of a jam-packed schedule for local athletes.The event will take place on May 10, following the same popular course as last year: a swim in the Minnamurra River, a bike leg to Jamberoo via Swamp Road, and a run through Minnamurra to the finish line.Kiama Triathlon Club vice-president Geoff Besnard says the event’s return could mark the beginning of a long-standing tradition.A competitor in the 2024 Kiama Triathlon - the first one in over a decade. Photo: Brian Scott“After the success of last October’s race, we’re hopeful it becomes a staple on the calendar,” says Besnard.“All the feedback from last year’s event was positive, so the council had no issues with approving it again. Locals were happy, competitors were happy with the course - it all just worked.”Originally scheduled for October again this year, the triathlon was shifted to May to avoid clashing with the World Triathlon Championship Finals, which will be held in Wollongong on October 15. The new date, however, presents a challenge for local participation.“A lot of our athletes are doing Ironman Port Macquarie on May 4, and then the NSW Club Championships in Forster on May 17. So it’s not ideal timing - there’ll be fewer Kiama competitors this time,” Besnard says.Despite the tight schedule, Besnard is confident the race will still be a success. “The triathlon will still be a sellout - I assure you there won’t be any empty spots.”The Kiama Triathlon Club has a strong competitive record, having won five of the last seven NSW Club Championships, and hopes to continue that streak in 2025.“About a third of our club will head to Forster. It’s our biggest event each year,” says Besnard. “We’ve got around 26 or 27 athletes competing, and we’re confident we’ll do well.”In addition to the Club Championships, Kiama athletes will also compete at Ironman Port Macquarie, the Ultraman event in Noosa (also on May 10), and aim to qualify for the World Championships in Wollongong.With a packed 2025 ahead, Kiama Triathlon Club continues to punch above its weight - proving once again that this small coastal town produces some of the state’s most committed and capable triathletes.

Three things in life are certain: death, taxes - and Gerringong juniors making it into the NRL.After making his NRL debut late last year, Kyle McCarthy officially became the sixth Gerringong Lion to don an NRL jersey in 2025 when he was given a run on the wing by Newcastle.McCarthy got his first taste of the top grade for Newcastle in Round 24 last season against the Cronulla Sharks before earning his second NRL game on April 13 this year, taking on the Wests Tigers.Despite the Knights’ loss, McCarthy delivered an impressive performance - racking up 151 running metres, three tackle breaks and a line break. Since then, he has been named 18th player for the team but has not got on the field over the past couple of weeks.McCarthy joined the Gerringong Lions in his first year of under 18s and was coached by John Ford, who recalls his talent was obvious from the start.“He was always one of the top players,” Ford says. “He had a lot of skill, and once he got his mind on the job, he couldn’t be stopped.”Kyle McCarthy playing for the Gerringong Lions. Photo: Game Face PhotographyFord says watching former players achieve their dreams is one of the most rewarding parts of coaching.“Because I coached him, I saw the hard work he put in - the time, the effort. Seeing him get the rewards now just makes me so happy,” he says.Together, Kyle and John never lost a game during their time with the Lions in 2021 and 2022. After the 2021 season was abandoned, they went on to win the under 18s competition the following year.McCarthy now joins a growing list of Gerringong juniors who’ve cracked the NRL, including St George Illawarra duo Hamish Stewart and Dylan Egan, Storm utility Tyran Wishart, Warriors forward Jackson Ford and Manly centre Reuben Garrick.And the pipeline doesn’t stop there. More Gerringong products are knocking on the NRL’s door, including John’s son, Taj Ford, who is playing in the Jersey Flegg Cup for the Cronulla Sharks, as well as Nick Quinn and Ashton Ward, who are playing in the NSW Cup for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.Ford credits the club’s culture for its consistent success.“I think they’re just brought up the right way and taught from an early age that hard work gets results,” he says. “They’ve all bought into that, and now they’re seeing the rewards.”

Using YouTube clips as part of her training, 11-year-old Archie Lyall has just won the NSW State Championships in javelin for the second year in a row in her age-group.In 2024, when she was 10, Archie was allowed to use a real javelin and she surprised even herself by throwing it the furthest in the state.“I started last year and just picked it up,” Archie says. “I threw a record, then went to zone and won it, then regionals - and somehow I won state with no training. Then I did the same thing this year.”Archie at the state carnival. Source: Cathryn Lyall.In 2025, Archie took things one step further, competing at the National Championships in Perth from April 4-8.“There was a guy watching at the state championships who asked if I’d like to train with him. So I had two sessions with him before Nationals - and I threw my personal best there,” she says.Archie placed fourth at Nationals, competing against athletes who have had professional coaching and years of training. But next year, things will be different, says her mum, Cathryn.“We’re changing that this year,” Cathryn says. “A coach in Port Hacking, Sydney - Ray Russell - has offered to train her in javelin. He’s had several athletes compete at Nationals in different age groups.”Archie has been part of Kiama Little Athletics since the Under-9s. It’s a small club with only four athletes in her age group, run by president Craig Scott and a dedicated team of parent volunteers.“With such a small club, we really rely on parents putting their hands up to help,” says Cathryn. “I’ve kind of become the manager of Archie’s age group because I’m there every week - but I didn’t know anything about athletics at first. "I just Googled everything because there wasn’t anyone to teach us.”Cathryn hopes that with the Brisbane Olympics on the horizon in 2032, more attention and funding will go into developing grassroots athletics programs.“We’ve got some incredibly talented kids, but many end up in sports like Oztag or footy, where there’s more structure, funding, and coaching support,” she says.“I’m really hoping that when the funding comes through to upgrade Kiama Sporting Complex, we see improvements not just for footy but also for athletics - because the Olympics are coming, and there’s so much talent in our area.”Imagine what Archie can achieve with a full year of training behind her. And if you’re interested in signing your kids up for Little Athletics Kiama, you can contact them via Facebook.

After a week off, Jamberoo and Kiama returned in strong form in Group Seven's Anzac Round, both securing impressive wins despite the wet and windy conditions.At Kiama Showground on Sunday, the Kiama Knights faced last year’s runners-up, the Shellharbour Sharks, who were sitting atop the ladder before the match.With rain and wind creating challenging conditions, both sides went into half-time locked in a scoreless 0-0 draw.Kiama finally broke the deadlock in the 54th minute when centre Callan Thistlethwaite capitalised on a loose ball, toeing it ahead and diving on it over the line.Six minutes later, second-rower Tom Angel powered through a gap and muscled his way past the fullback to score, extending the lead to 10-0 - a scoreline that held until the final whistle.Knights coach Matt O’Brien said it was a satisfying return to form after a close loss to Nowra-Bomaderry Jets prior to the Easter break.“It was good to win after losing a close one to Nowra before Easter - particularly pleasing to play well again at home,” O’Brien said.“It was heavy going after the rain we had during the ladies league tag matches, but we defended really well in the second half. "Our back row was tremendous - Ryan Hodgson, Tom Angel, and Kieren Poole really stood out.”Nowra-Bomaderry and Jamberoo standing for an Anzac Day ceremony. Photo: Jamberoo SuperoosOver at Kevin Walsh Oval on Saturday, the Jamberoo Superoos enjoyed a dominant day, with all four grades recording victories against the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets.In first grade, the Superoos got on the board early in the sixth minute and never looked back, running in multiple tries to complete a commanding 36-0 win.First grade coach Jono Dallas says he is so glad to see the club coming together in 2025.“It was a really nice day for the club to see all four teams winning at home. I feel as though everyone has bought into the club so these kinds of afternoons generally come about when the club is happy and together,” he says.In terms of first grade, we are still trying to figure a few things out, but the way they are competing and supporting each other is what's getting us results right now. I'm big on positivity while you’re in games, and even though we probably aren’t playing as well as we would like, we’re able to move past adversity pretty quickly.”Both Kiama and Jamberoo now sit on two wins and one loss. Jamberoo will have the bye next week, while Kiama travels to face Berry.Gerringong Lions had the weekend off but will return this weekend after a two-week break, eager to make a statement at home against Milton-Ulladulla.In other local sport, Kiama Rugby Club’s first grade team were narrowly defeated by Campbelltown 15–14, with a try in the final five minutes deciding the match.First grade captain Dante Patrick said the weather played a big part in what turned out to be a disjointed game.“It was a very scrappy game - the surface was slippery and there were a lot of mistakes from both sides. But ultimately, it was neck and neck the whole way through, and they pulled out an amazing try at the end,” Patrick says.Four young players debuted for first grade over the weekend, and with it being the side’s first game of the season, the team was still finding its rhythm.“We were very fortunate to be able to debut four new young boys who did exceptionally well. Given it was our first game of the season for first grade, it just took us a little while to get into it,” Patrick says.“Trying to balance brushing off the cobwebs, helping guide the debutants, and taking the full force of the Harlequins side was always going to be a hard task. We thought we did the best we could at all of those, but just fell short. So we’ll be back to the drawing board this week and put our full focus on the Shamrocks this weekend.”In Other Local Sport:Kiama Power's first-grade AFL side was defeated by the Northern District Tigers, though their Ladies Premier League team dominated in a huge 92-6 win.Gerringong Breakers men’s first-grade football team earned a convincing 6-1 win over Thirroul.

KIAMA QUARRIERS O45 MENQUARRIERS 1 drew with COLEDALE WAVES 1

Kiama Sports Complex is one of the town’s most valued and widely used assets, hosting football, netball, cricket, and athletics serving residents as young as four as well as senior citizens.Despite its importance, the facility faces serious shortcomings - and locals are calling for urgent action.With the upcoming election on the horizon, the Kiama Sporting Complex Workers Group has written to Fiona Phillips and Andrew Constance, urging them to pledge their support for a long-overdue upgrade and modernisation of the site.In their letter, the group outlined several major concerns: a cramped 45-year-old clubhouse, dilapidated change rooms and toilets, limited disability access, poor lighting, inadequate field drainage, and unsafe netball courts.“These deficiencies not only hinder current sporting activities but also prevent us from attracting major sporting events, impacting our community both economically and reputationally,” said Ryan McBride, President of the Kiama Junior Football Club.Phillips and Constance have expressed support for the project.  Constance voiced concern that upgrades hadn’t already been carried out, being vocal about it via Facebook.“Have to wonder where Labor’s Phillips and the two Labor councillors have been on this for the past six years,” said Constance.“They haven’t been doing their job and now the new Council is having to fix it. What’s even more embarrassing is that both Labor Councillors are Labor staffers, one of whom works for Fiona Phillips.”Andrew Constance and Sussan Ley checking out the Kiama Sports Complex facilities. Source: Andrew ConstancePhillips reaffirmed her backing of the Kiama Sports Complex Master Plan, which is being developed by Kiama Council.“Federal funding, through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, was utilised by Kiama Council to support the development of the Kiama Sporting Complex Master Plan,” she said.“I understand that Kiama Council is to consider the Master Plan at their May meeting. Once the project is shovel ready, I will explore and advocate for further federal funding for this important community project.”The Kiama Sporting Complex Workers Group letter was also addressed to Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald, CEO Jane Stroud, MP Gareth Ward, Opposition Deputy Leader Sussan Ley, and Craig Scott, President of the Kiama District Sporting Association.A statement from Kiama Council said: “Kiama Council has been working for many months now on the preparation of draft masterplans to help guide grant applications and the future layout and design of two of our highly used sports facilities - the Kiama Sporting Complex at Havilah Place and Werri Reserve in Gerringong.”In their letter, the Kiama Sporting Complex Workers Group noted that the Master Plan has been in progress “since at least 2021.”Kiama Sporting Complex being used for football - one of the many sports played there. Source: Kiama Junior Football ClubCouncillor Stuart Larkins, a long-time advocate of the project, said he and Councillor Imogen Draisma requested the inclusion of the upgrades in council advocacy documents as early as 2022.“This is something that Councillor Draisma and I requested be included in an advocacy document as far back as early 2022, with the support of the former mayor, and we have continued to work towards upgrading these facilities,” said Mr Larkins.“Ensuring that we get the site shovel ready has been something I have always wanted to see happen, and thankfully we were able to obtain funding that has allowed Kiama Council to develop a draft masterplan - which I understand will be coming before council soon.”As for the delays, Larkins believes missed funding opportunities across multiple council terms have contributed.“The request for addressing the growing infrastructure needs at this site stretches a lot further than one or two terms of council. There has been an ongoing request by the community to address infrastructure needs at this site, and in conjunction with a need for improvements at the Kiama Leisure Centre,” he said.“There have also been multiple previous grant funding opportunities, which I'm not sure Council had applied or taken up, that may have assisted in obtaining earlier upgrades and improvements at the site. I always believe Council should be applying for as many grants as possible.”

KIAMA JUNIOR KNIGHTSUNDER 8 BLACK VS GERRINGONG LIONS

GERRINGONG UNDER 8NVS KIAMA BLACK

GERRINGONG JUNIOR LIONS UNDER 8 BT VS SHELLHARBOUR MAROON

GERRINGONG JUNIOR LIONS - UNDER 6 RED VS STINGRAYS GOLD

JAMBEROO JUNIOR SUPEROOSUNDER 6 BLUE VS GERRINGONG BLUE