Kiama asserted their dominance over the Illawarra District Rugby Union competition last weekend, claiming emphatic wins in both grades against the Camden Rams.Played at Camden Rugby Park, Kiama’s first-grade side ran in five tries in each half to secure a thumping 64-17 victory.Centre Mick Taylor was the standout performer, crossing the line four times. Captain Jack Hobbs added a double, while flyhalf Cooper Hansen contributed 17 points with a try and six goals.Kiama forward Dante Patrick praised the team’s overall performance but acknowledged there were still areas to improve.“I thought our discipline and defence throughout the game were actually pretty sound, but there were just some unlucky reads. Camden threw a couple of moves at us that we weren't really ready for - hats off to them,” Patrick said.“But after those 17 points, we made it personal. From that point on, we didn’t want to let anything else through.”Kiama’s reserve grade team also put on a dominant display, winning 52-17.“Both grades went out there this week with the mindset of making a statement heading into the business end of the season,” said Patrick.“We just wanted to show we’re the team to beat in both grades. Camden put up an awesome fight, but we wanted to show that it’s going to be really tough for anyone to beat us in the run home - and I think we executed that pretty well.”With the two wins, it's all but confirmed that both Kiama teams will host a home major semi-final in two weeks - an achievement not seen in Kiama for many years.“It’s one for the history books, having both grades playing in a major semi at Kiama,” said Patrick. “It’s going to be massive, and we can’t wait to put on a big performance on such a big stage in front of a home crowd.”Both teams are currently sitting second on their respective ladders, with an outside chance of finishing first depending on next weekend’s results.As they prepare for finals rugby, Patrick said the focus now turns to opposition analysis.“We’re studying our likely opponents and looking at what we can do to get the job done,” he said.“For example, Campbelltown - who are in first place - are a very powerful, well-rounded team. They’ve got strength, pace, skill, and flair, just like us.“So we’ve been focusing on our own playing group - figuring out who we need to start the game strong and who can come off the bench and close it out.”Both grades will face Bowral at Kiama Showground on Saturday (23 August) in the final round of the regular season.

Round 16 proved a tough outing for all three local teams at a critical point in the Group 7 South Coast Rugby League season.The headline act was the Shellharbour Sharks finally breaking their hoodoo against the Gerringong Lions - the side that had beaten them in the last two grand finals.Played at Ron Costello Oval on Sunday, 17 August, the game started in familiar fashion, with Gerringong striking early. Toby Gumley Quine crossed in the 9th minute, followed by a try off the back of a sharp linebreak from Wes Pring in the 21st, giving the Lions a 12-0 lead.But Shellharbour responded calmly, notching two quick tries before the break to level the scores at 12-12.The second half opened with tight, physical footy before Kade Sampson bagged his second try of the afternoon, finishing off a slick backline move to put the Sharks ahead.Six minutes later, centre Ryan James powered through on a storming run to extend the lead, and a 70th-minute intercept try pushed the score to 24-12.Gerringong’s young winger James Kunkler stepped through the line in the 75th to give the Lions hope, but they couldn't capitalise on late possession, falling short 24-18.The Kiama Knights also suffered a costly loss. Sitting second on the ladder heading into their home clash with Albion Park Oak Flats, they’re now expected to drop to third.Albion Park struck first through halfback Kane Ball in the 5th minute, but Kiama fullback Brad Killmore replied with a near-identical try six minutes later.Both teams traded tries to lock the scores at 12-all. Momentum swung, however, when Kiama winger Matt Morris attempted a chip-and-chase that fell straight to Cooper Barnes, who ran the length of the field to make it 16-12.Albion Park took control from there, scoring back-to-back tries in the 56th and 60th minutes to stretch the lead to 26-12.A late combination from Sam Hooper, Killmore, and McDonald in the 78th minute gave Kiama a consolation try, but Albion Park held firm for a 26-18 win.“It was a tough loss,” said Killmore post-match. “They came out fast and out-enthused us for most of the game. It just proves anyone in the five can win it. We’ll regroup.”He also paid tribute to Kiama captain Kieran Poole, who marked his 250th first-grade appearance.“He’s been a leader and hero at our club for so many years now. He’s got this never-die attitude - you’ll never see him stop trying, no matter the score. And he’s also just a great bloke. I hope he never stops playing.”Kiama captain Kieran Poole played his 250th first grade game for the club. Photo: @SticksPix_Over at Kevin Walsh Oval, the Jamberoo Superoos were stunned by the 8th-placed Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs, who put on a second-half clinic.The game was evenly poised early, with both teams trading tries to sit at 16-all by the 43rd minute.Jamberoo’s Rhys Kennedy muscled over from dummy half in the 47th to give the home side the lead, but from the 52nd minute on, it was all Bulldogs - four unanswered tries sealing a commanding 40-22 win.With two rounds remaining, the top five looks set - Stingrays, Sharks, Knights, Lions, and Eagles - but the final order is still wide open.Kiama will play a catch-up game against the Berry Magpies at Berry on Wednesday before enjoying the bye this weekend. Gerringong host the Stingrays in what looms as a blockbuster, while Jamberoo travel to face Albion Park.

UNDER 16 SEMI-FINALKIAMA 31 d CAMPBELLTOWN 14

UNDER 18 RUGBY UNIONKIAMA VS RANDWICK

UNDER 14 RUGBY UNION SEMI-FINALAVONDALE 14 d KIAM 12

UNDER 12 RUGBY UNION SEMI-FINALCAMDEN 37 d KIAMA 7

UNDER 11 JUNIOR RUGBY SEMI-FIN ALKIAMA 21 d CAMDEN 20

UNDER 10 RUGBY UNION SEMI-FINAL CAMPBELLTOWN 14 d KIAMA BLACK 0

UNDER 10 SEMI-FINALKIAMA BLACK 41 d CAMDEN 0

PEMIER DIVISION MENKIAMA POWER 95 d BOMADERRY TIGERS 27

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.