WOMEN'S PREMIER DIVISION AFLKIAMA POWER 26 d BOMADERRY TIGERS 10

MEN'S RESERVE GRADEKIAMA POWER 95 d BOMADERRY TIGERS 34

KIAMA JFC UNDER 11 GIRLS PURPLE VS BALGOWNIE

KIAMA JFC UNDER 10 GIRLSPURPLE VS WHITE

KIAMA JFC UNDER 10 GIRLSWHITE VS PURPLE

KIAMA JFC - UNDER 6BLUE VS PINK

KIAMA JFC - UNDER 6RED VS ORANGE

Kiama Knights junior Maria Paseka made her first NRLW appearance of the season last weekend, running out on the wing for the St George Illawarra Dragons in their clash against the Cronulla Sharks.Currently part of the Dragons’ development squad, Paseka has been working hard behind the scenes all season. She was given her opportunity after injuries hit the main squad - and she made the most of it.“I knew I had a big role to fill, especially with some of the girls out,” Paseka said. “I just had to stick to my game plan and really focus on doing my job on the field.”While nerves were there, she said they weren’t as intense as when she made her debut last year - also against the Sharks.“It was really exciting. The nerves were there, but surprisingly, not as much as last year. It felt pretty good to be out there with the girls again.”Despite the Dragons’ 20–6 loss, Paseka was a standout performer. She made 13 runs for 165 metres - the most of any player in her team - and scored the Dragons’ only try of the match.Her stunning solo effort began deep inside her own half, spotting a gap on her 20-metre line before sprinting nearly 80 metres to score.“It happened so quickly. I didn’t really have time to process it - I just knew I’d made a break, and then everything went really fast,” she said.“But scoring that try and seeing all the girls come around me - that’s what really made me happy. Seeing those big smiles, especially from the older girls I look up to - that meant everything. Win or lose, that moment was special.”Paseka’s confidence to back herself and take on the line was no accident - it’s something her teammates and coaches have been encouraging all season.“Lots of people I’ve played with have told me to back myself because they believe in me,” she said.“I never really saw that in myself - I tended to focus on the negatives. "But being around this group of amazing girls and coaches, it just clicked. I believed in myself in that moment.”With senior players returning, Paseka will rejoin the development squad and line up for the Illawarra Steelers in the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership.But if her performance is anything to go by, the 19-year-old has a bright future ahead.

The Kiama Power men’s premier division team’s finals hopes were dashed last weekend following a 56-37 loss to the Shellharbour City Suns.Played in difficult, muddy conditions at Croom Sporting Complex, the Power were looking to go two from two against Shellharbour this season. With a spot in the top four on the line, a win would have brought them within two points of a finals berth - and they started the game strong.Kiama held a narrow lead at half-time, up 24-18, but a third-quarter blowout ultimately sealed their fate for the 2025 season.“We were up by a goal at half-time, and then in the third quarter just didn’t really fire a shot,” said Power committee member Anthony Grady.“I think Shellharbour just played a bit smarter in the wet weather - definitely better than we did. They were more desperate, especially in that second half.”Tough conditions at Croome Road on Saturday. Photo: Kiama PowerShellharbour dominated the third term with 19 unanswered points, then repeated the effort with another 19 in the final quarter. Despite a stronger final term from the Power, it wasn’t enough to claw their way back.“It’s a disappointing loss,” said Grady. “It doesn’t help that we had a lot of our first team missing due to a mix of injuries and unfortunate unavailabilities.”Grady acknowledged that wet-weather footy is always tough but felt the team let themselves down.“You’ve really got to control the footy in those conditions, and we just didn’t do that well on Saturday,” he said.“We turned the ball over far too easily, especially in the second half - just kicking it straight to Shellharbour. We didn’t really give ourselves a chance to get our offence going. But it’s always tough playing in those conditions.“It’s so hard to move the footy when there’s that much mud. If you kick it and it hits the ground, it doesn’t really bounce. But yeah, disappointing - because it knocks us out of finals contention.”With two games left in the season, including a rematch against Shellharbour, Grady said the team’s focus is now on finishing strong.“We do play Shellharbour again next week, so hopefully we can get some redemption and give them a loss as they head into the semis,” he said.“But yeah, the focus is now just enjoying the next two weeks and building a bit of momentum for next year. Finishing off with two good wins would definitely help that.”Kiama will play Shellharbour this week for a chance of redemption. Photo: Kiama PowerMeanwhile, the women’s premier division game was postponed last weekend due to the weather, delaying Shellee Gibson’s 200th game celebration. That milestone match is now set for this weekend and will be part of a huge day at Bonaira Oval for Kiama Power.“It’ll be great because the whole club will be there,” said Grady. “Last week it was just the women’s team scheduled to play, so now it’ll be good to have everyone getting around Shellee for her 200th.”The day will also mark Old Boys Day and a celebration of First Nations culture - making it a special occasion on multiple fronts.Festivities begin at 10:30am on Saturday (16 August) at Bonaira Oval, starting with reserve grade. Shellee Gibson will run out with the women’s premier division at 12:20pm, followed by a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony at 2pm, ahead of the men’s premier division match.

The Jamberoo Ravens over 40s women’s division one team proved age is just a number last weekend when they defeated the Gerringong Breakers 4-1 to remain unbeaten for the 2025 regular season.In the inaugural over 40s division of the Football South Coast competition, the Ravens finished the regular season at the top of the table, playing 15 games and winning 13, with two draws.They clinched the top spot with a total of 41 competition points, leaving their closest competitors, Russell Vale, trailing behind with just 21 points.Jamberoo Football Club president Alan Smith was full of praise for the team’s historic achievement.“I’ve played football my whole life, since I was a kid. I’m 57 now, and I’ve never seen a community league team go through an entire season unbeaten. I’m sure it’s happened somewhere, but I’ve never personally witnessed it,” said Smith.“It’s an incredible achievement - especially when you consider all the things that usually make a perfect season impossible: injuries, changing lineups, inconsistency, and so on.”Smith, who also referees, had the privilege of witnessing the team’s remarkable performance firsthand.“Watching these ladies from the centre circle was phenomenal. Honestly, they’d put the men to shame. The quality, the goals, the teamwork - it was inspiring,” said Smith.Smith believes the secret to their success lies in their unparalleled camaraderie and the way they play for each other."Their camaraderie is unmatched." Photo: Brian Scott“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The team is that tight - they’re all working as one unit. It was just phenomenal. It really shows what can be achieved when people come together and perform at a high level. They're there for each other, not for themselves,” said Smith.Despite some players being in their 50s and 60s, Smith says the team’s unity makes age irrelevant.“We’ve got players in their 50s and 60s still going strong. It shows that football isn’t just about speed - it’s about brains, experience, and working together,” said Smith.As a referee primarily for men’s games, Smith says the standard of women’s football often exceeds that of their male counterparts.“I wish I had a video of their game because I would’ve shown it to the men and told them, ‘This is how you play football'.“The standard of women’s football is just fantastic. These ladies deserve to be celebrated. Their performance was as good, if not better, than many men’s games I’ve refereed over the years.”As the Ravens celebrate their finish on top, they now turn their focus to the finals, hoping to extend their success even further.“The Ravens have already made history with an undefeated season. But if they take out the cup, it’ll be the cherry on top of an already unforgettable year,” said Smith.The over 40s team will face second-placed Russell Vale this Sunday at Jamberoo. If they win, they’ll advance directly to the grand final.

Kiama are one step closer to making history following their gritty 27-17 win over the Wollongong Vikings on the weekend.Played in sloppy, wet conditions, the Vikings were desperate to keep their Illawarra rugby finals hopes alive with a win at home - and came out firing.They started strong, scoring two quick tries to take an early lead.“We were a little scared at the start. They came away with two tries off the back of some silly penalties from us - which has been the story all year,” said forward Dante Patrick.“But we held in there. We were patient and stuck to what we know. We knew that once we got the ball, points would follow. But credit to the Vikings - they were playing for their semi-final spot and put on a great display.”After last week's game was cancelled due to bad weather, there were fears this round could suffer the same fate. Patrick said he was thankful they got on the field, even if conditions were far from ideal.“It was like playing in a big mud puddle,” he said. “You couldn’t even make out who was on your team and who was on theirs.“We just tightened up, stuck to our structures, and tried not to force any long passes. It took us a while to adapt, but once we did, it became a much smoother game - although we probably had about 30 scrums due to dropped balls, so that didn’t help.”Patrick said the high number of stoppages from penalties and errors is proving costly, as the team performs best when the game flows.“We want to take the game out of the referee’s hands and let it flow a bit more. We thrive in flowing rugby, so if we can reduce the penalties - both ours and theirs - that’s when you’ll see the best of Kiama,” he said.Kiama’s first and second-grade sides sit second in their divisions on the Illawarra District Rugby Union ladder with two rounds to go.First grade trails ladder leaders Campbelltown by eight points, but has a game in hand. Second grade is just one point behind first-placed Shoalhaven.Both sides are hoping to leapfrog their rivals and secure a home major semi-final - something the club hasn't achieved in over 20 years.“That would be massive for the town - having two grades playing in a major semi at Kiama for the first time in well over 20 years,” said Patrick.“That’s what we’re striving for. But we’ve got to focus on ironing out those faults this week, win these next two matches, and hopefully everything will fall into place.”Both grades will face Camden away this weekend, looking to move one step closer to that coveted top spot.

Kiama local Juan Castilla will compete at the 2025 Australian Bodyboarding Titles - but he won’t be lying on his board. He’ll be riding dropknee, a rare and technically demanding style of bodyboarding that’s kept his passion for the sport alive.Castilla qualified as a wildcard and will represent NSW in the dropknee division at the national titles, to be held August 21-22 at URBNSURF in Sydney.“Dropknee is very special because it's a mix between surfing and bodyboarding,” said Castilla, who’s been perfecting the style for the last five years.“Since I started doing it, I’ve enjoyed the ocean a lot more - you don’t need perfect conditions to have fun on it.”Dropknee riding involves kneeling on the back leg while keeping the front foot forward on the board. The stance is notoriously tricky to master and uncommon in modern bodyboarding.“I like it because nobody else does it - at least around here - so you have to figure everything out yourself. It’s super technical. To make it look good takes a lot of effort and time,” he said.Photo: Brian Scott“You have to be prepared to suck for a couple of years. But after 30 or 35 years of bodyboarding, I needed something different - and now I’m enjoying it all over again.”This year’s competition marks a first for the sport: it will take place in a wave pool, rather than in the ocean.“They’re removing the natural element, so it’s a bit strange to get used to,” said Castilla. “For this comp, you get a wave that has your number - you’re allocated a wave. It’s very different from the randomness of the ocean.”However, Castilla may have a unique advantage. Outside of surfing, he works as Principal Hydrological Modeler for the ACT Government, specialising in numerical modelling - that is, building computer simulations of how water moves through the environment.“It’s kind of my dream to get into designing wave pools in the future. I have the skills - I just haven’t had the time,” he said.“So I’ve spent a lot of time in wave pools, and when I go, I try to look at the machines and figure out what’s going on. Maybe that’ll be to my advantage in the competition.”When not studying water systems or travelling to wave pools around the world, Castilla trains at Surf Beach in Kiama, which he says is ideal for honing his dropknee skills.“Point breaks and wedges are best for dropknee. "The wedges here are challenging - the board is small, you don’t have fins, and you need really good balance,” he said.“But it’s been a great training ground.”This will be Castilla’s second appearance at the Australian Bodyboarding Titles. He first competed in 2023, where he placed fifth in the dropknee division.

The Round 15 local derby between the Gerringong Lions and the Kiama Knights is always a crowd-puller, no matter where the teams sit on the ladder.But this particular showdown had a few extra layers of intrigue.First, Kiama and Gerringong entered the match sitting second and third, respectively, on the Group 7 South Coast Rugby League ladder.Second, only three rounds remain in the regular season, so every game from here on out is crucial for finals contention.And third, after being postponed due to weather, the game was shifted from Michael Cronin Oval to Albion Park’s Centenary Field - a last-minute venue change that only heightened anticipation.The only other meeting between these two sides this season was back in Round 6, when Kiama emerged victorious 16-8 in similarly wet and muddy conditions at the Kiama Showground.So, expectations were high - and the game didn’t disappoint.The match remained scoreless for the first 32 minutes, with both sides threatening to cross the line but being denied by desperate last-ditch defence. The deadlock was finally broken after a Gerringong player gave a mouthful to the referee, resulting in a penalty. Brad Killmore slotted the goal to give Kiama a 2-0 lead.However, the lead was short-lived. Gerringong’s restart went dead in-goal, forcing a drop-out. A Gerringong player was then tackled without the ball, earning a penalty in front of the posts. Jake Taylor levelled the score at 2-2.Jake Taylor scored the only points for Gerringong over the weekend. Photo: Brian ScottJust before half-time, Kiama were awarded another penalty, and Killmore again made no mistake, nudging the Knights ahead 4-2 at the break.The second half mirrored the first: end-to-end play, tight defence, and few clear chances. But in the 66th minute, Kiama five-eighth Sam Hooper threw a perfect pass to put Kye Andrews through a hole. Andrews sprinted 40 metres and stepped around the fullback to score the first try of the match.With 14 minutes left, Kiama led 10-2. Gerringong launched a wave of attacks, but their efforts were in vain. In the 78th minute, Hooper broke the Lions’ hearts and sealed the win with a brilliant dummy and step, slicing through to score Kiama’s second try.The final score: Kiama 16, Gerringong 2. With the win, the Knights are now just two points behind ladder leaders Stingrays of Shellharbour.Sam Hooper scored the winning try for Kiama on the weekend. Photo: Brian Scott“It was a great win, especially the fact we only leaked two points against Gerringong, who have a lot of attacking threats,” said fullback Brad Killmore.“We’ve really prided ourselves on our defence and staying in the grind - and it paid off this week. It’s a good momentum builder heading into the finals.”Gerringong captain Nathan Ford also praised his team's defence, but said the team failed to execute in vital moments of the match.“Tough conditions again,” said Ford. “I thought we defended really well most of the game only letting in two late tries. Missed some opportunities in attack, which were really close and could have changed the game.”“We have three games left and we now look ahead to this week and start to build into the semi finals. We know what we need to do at the back end of the season - focus on all the little errors in our game.”In the round’s only other match, Shellharbour Sharks defeated the Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs 40-10.This Saturday, Kiama will take on Albion Park, while Jamberoo will play Milton-Ulladulla and Gerringong face Shellharbour Sharks in a grand final rematch at Ron Costello Oval on Sunday.

JAMBEROO SWIFTS 3 d ALBION PARK FC 0

GERRINGONG BREAKERS VS JAMBEROO FC

JAMBEROO FC O40 WOMEN 4 d GERRINGONG BREAKERS 1

Hayden Buchanan made a dream debut for the Dragons as he scored a try in their upset win over traditional rivals Cronulla at Kogarah on Saturday.After getting a late call-up to the team when Mat Feagai was ruled out with a groin injury, the Gerringong Lions junior made a strong start to his first-grade career at left centre.He scored a crucial try late in the first half and also set up co-captain Clint Gutherson's four-pointer early in the second term as St George Illawarra converted a 16-14 half-time lead into a 22-14 triumph.The win keeps the Dragons in the hunt for the playoffs and after other results went their way, they are just four points off eighth heading into the final four rounds.Buchanan matched up against experienced Sharks centre Jesse Ramien but more than held his own as he notched 110 run metres from 18 runs, more hit-ups than any other back in the red and white backline.The 19-year-old Steelers junior also made 18 tackles in an eye-catching first hit-out at the top level."A lot of stuff has happened behind the scenes this week, injuries and so on, and a boy making their debut, so outstanding club effort," Dragons coach Shane Flanagan said.Buchanan followed in the footsteps of Gerringong duo Dylan Egan and Hamish Stewart, who each made their debut earlier this season.Stewart also performed well against Cronulla with 12 hit-ups for 102 run metres on top of a game-high 42 tackles after being promoted to the starting side in the second row. playing the full 80 minutes for the first time in his 18-game career.It has been a bumper season for Gerringong with Ashton Ward recently making his NRL debut for South Sydney - he has been selected to play his third match for the Rabbitohs in Sunday's road game against Gold Coast.Buchanan's graduation to the NRL ranks means there are now eight players from Gerringong, including Tyran Wishart, Jackson Ford, Reuben Garrick, and Kyle McCarthy, who have played first grade in 2025.The Dragons travel to Auckland next Friday looking to continue their giant-killing run.In the NRLW, the Dragons side fell to the Sharks 20-6 on Saturday afternoon.Kiama junior Maria Paseka was called into the side on the wing for her first appearance of the season and just her second at NRLW level, scoring St George Illawarra's only try.They will look to end their five-game losing streak when they tackle the Tigers next Sunday at Allianz Stadium.

KIAMA KNIGHTS FIRST GRADE 16 d GERRINGONG LIONS 2

KIAMA KNIGHTS FIRST GRADE 16 d GERRINGONG LIONS 2