Darwin Swimming Club’s James Smith wins gold at NSW Champs

A gold medal performance on the national stage, a Territorian topping the Sheffield Shield, an FNT recap and Darwin’s role in the NBL finals headline this week’s edition of Sports Shorts.

Matt Flinn, James Smith, Jake Weatherald.

The NT News sports team is continuing to highlight the achievements of the Territory’s unsung athletes and sports news you might have missed each week.

Check out this week’s edition with stories from Sheffield Shield, swimming championships, the Illawarra Hawks’ NBL championship victory, FNT and King of the Ring 2025.

March 25, 2025

JAMES SMITH’S GOLDEN PERFORMANCE

Darwin Swimming Club's James Smith proudly showing off his 2025 NSW Open Swimming Championship 1500m Men's Freestyle gold medal. Picture: Darwin Swimming Club Facebook

Darwin Swimming Club’s James Smith made waves at the recent 2025 NSW Open Swimming Championship in Sydney, returning home with some new bling around his neck. The 19-year-old placed first in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle swimming a personal best, club and NT record of 15:34.87.

Smith also recorded the following results:

– 6th in the Men’s 400m Free

– 87th in the Men’s 100m Free

– 30th in the Men’s 200m Free

– 4th in the Men’s 800m Free

BEST IN THE NATION

Jake Weatherald was the Sheffield Shield’s highest runs scorer for 2024-25. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Northern Territory cricketing ace Jake Weatherald has a season for the ages, topping the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield season as the highest runs scorer. The Tasmanian opener slogged a monster 906 runs in his 10 matches across 18 innings at an average of 50.33 runs; his high score of 186 runs the competition’s best. In addition, he made three 50s and three 100s hitting at a 68.27 strike rate.

FNT RECAP

Round 2 of the MPL competition saw a number of upsets across the board. Reigning champions Mindil narrowly defeated Casuarina 3-2 despite trailing for most of the match. Garuda won its battle with Darwin Hearts in a 3-1 result while Azzurri shocked Hellenic with a 3-2 victory, and Darwin Olympic bested Port Darwin in a 2-1 result in the final match of the round. Elsewhere, reigning WPL champions Mindil were humbled in their Round 1 clash with Hellenic, losing 6-3. Sophia Makrylos put on the performance of the round with a remarkable six goals for her side. In the other WPL match Darwin Olympic defeated Darwin Hearts 4-1, Pierre-Angelique Koulakis kicking a hat-trick.

DARWIN SALTIES’ NBL WINNERS

Former Darwin Salties player Wani Swaka Lo Buluk won his 4th NBL title, and his first with the Hawks. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Darwin Salties Men’s coach and current Illawarra Hawks assistant coach Matt Flinn (left) celebrating the Hawks’ victory with head coach Justin Tatum. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Three members of the Darwin Salties family triumphed at the weekend as the Illawarra Hawks men’s team brought its more than two decade long championship drought to an end. Salties men’s coach Matt Flinn was head coach Justin Tatum’s right-hand man this season in his role as assistant coach, while small forward and starting five Wani Swaka Lo Buluk won his fourth title at just 23-years-old. Salties women’s coach Rod Tremlett is another who was among the supporting staff this season, working behind the scenes as the side’s stats man.

KING OF THE RING

The 2025 edition of the King of the Ring was a night of hard-hitting entertainment at Marrara’s Sitzler Netball Stadium. Fighters from around the nation competed in the event with a number of NT locals also pulling on the gloves.

Results:

Bout 1 – Jade Hammellmann (Performance Gym)

Bout 2 – Tyler Tran (Northside Combat Conditioning)

Bout 3 – Kael Reid (Performance Gym)

Bout 4 – Dymitrius Manual (Addiction Kickboxing)

Bout 5 – Marcus Kovac (Northside Combat Conditioning)

Bout 6 – Oli Thornton (Addiction Kickboxing)

Bout 7 – Hamish Blake (Performance Gym)

Bout 8 – Andrew Castle

Bout 9 – Connor Chatterton

Bout 10 – Corey Mays (Spain’s Gym)

Bout 11 – Gary Poland (Full Force Blacktown)

Bout 12 – Jesse Jones (Boars Martial Arts)

Bout 13 – Jamie Saitz (Performance Gym)

MARCH 18, 2025

NT’S ROLE IN SUNS’ BIGGEST VICTORY

Daniel Rioli of the Suns in action during the round one AFL match between West Coast Eagles. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Three Territory footy guns played very well at the weekend, all major contributors in Gold Coat’s largest ever winning margin – 20.16 (136) to 7.7 (49) against West Coast. Three time Richmond premiership player Daniel Rioli had a memorable debut for the Queensland outfit, as did Ben Long and Joel Jeffrey. The trio recorded the following stat lines:

Daniel Rioli – 2 goals, 21 disposals, 5 marks, 1 clearance

Ben Long – 4 goals, 1 behind, 12 disposals, 5 marks, 1 goal assist

Joel Jeffrey – 20 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 1 goal assist

FNT RECAP

Men’s Premier League season 2025 action started at the weekend, smack bang in the middle of AFL NT’s grand finals, with the women’s competition kicking off Saturday 22. Garuda made light work of Azzurri winning in a 5-1 scoreline with David Gonzalez scoring a hat-trick for the orange and black. Olympic and Casuarina played out the first draw of the season in a 1-1 result. A feisty clash, Olympic were dealt one red and a yellow to Casuarina’s three yellow cards. Hearts kept Port scoreless in a 4-0 victory, Angel Giri the star of the round with a four-goal first half. Elsewhere 2024 champions Mindil finished the round with a 1-1 draw against rivals Hellenic.

CARBONE CAPTAINS COLLINGWOOD

Dom Carbone (left) playing for the Darwin Buffaloes against the Tiwi Bombers in Round 4 of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Reigning VFLW B & F winner and Darwin Buffaloes alum Dominique Carbone has taken on the prestigious role as Collingwood VFLW captain for 2025. After captaining the Bulldogs to a grand final last season and spending part of her off-season with the Double Blue in the NTFL, the small forward will take to the field for the first time in her new colours March 19 against Geelong for Round 1.

POWELL’S SYDNEY KNOCKOUT

Bronson Powell won his first bout after a hiatus from the sport. Picture: Facebook

Territory fighter Bronson Powell completed a stellar outing down in Sydney with a terrific second round TKO. Fighting out of Lukphinong Muaythai the 22-year-old’s victory puts him in good stead with his Australian debut mere months away.

BAILEY BRILLIANCE

Zac Bailey (right) post match vs. Sydney Swans Rd 1. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Southern Districts junior Zac Bailey was another Territory boy who had a massive first hitout at the weekend. The Lions premiership centre was immense in his side’s four-point victory over the Swans kicking four goals and a behind. He finished the match with 4 goals, 1 behind, 17 disposals, a mark and a clearance.

Originally published as Darwin Swimming Club’s James Smith wins gold at NSW Champs