Katherine MC wins top gong, Alison Reidy medals at championships
A national medallist, Big Bash heartbreak, Australia Day honours an a 20-goal performance headline this edition of sports shorts of 2025. Check out the wrap here.
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 athletics, football, footy, cricket and more.
January 28 2025
PARA CHAMP
Two Territory para athletes impressed on the national stage in Canberra at the Capital Athletics Championships for International Classification.
Alison Reidy and Romone Lewin battled it out against current and former Australian Paralympians and Australian record holders across the meet.
Reidy placed third in the 200m, second in the 400m and got bronze in shot put. Romone didn’t medal but did make the final for both the 100m and 200m, and he also competed in long jump and javelin.
HELLENIC MVPS
Over the Australia Day long weekend a cohort of Darwin Olympic FC juniors travelled to Brisbane to play in the 2025 Hellenic Cup. The under-14 boys side went two from two defeating their Olympic FC opponents, with Yianni Vavlas and Francisco Godinho being crowned joint MVPs for their efforts.
AUSTRALIA DAY HONOURS
Katherine Multisports Club took home top honours at the 2025 Australia Day Awards, winning the ‘Community Event of the Year’. The Katherine Ultra Challenge is an event for the fittest of the fit – 2km swim, 4.2km canoe, 8km trail run, 40km road bike, 18kn mountain bike, 10kn 4WD road run. KMC posted to its Facebook page to celebrate the win saying the following: “As a small community club we are extremely proud of this recognition and would like to thank all previous committees as well as the numerous people who have supported the Ultra over the years.”
BBL FINAL HEARTBREAK
Darwin product Tom Andrews’ Sydney Thunder was unable to claim its second Big Bash title, blown off the park by a rampaging Hobart Hurricanes. Andrews didn’t get a chance to bat and had a tough night with the ball but did manage to take the prized wicket of Mitch Owen (108 runs) to end the match with figures of 1/30 off three overs.
20 GOAL PERFORMANCE
St Mary’s small forward Beau Tedcastle had a performance for the history books as he went ballistic in front of the uprights. Playing in the Saints’ premier reserves side against a depleted Darwin Buffaloes Tedcastle kicked 20 majors in the 38.9 (237) to 1.0 (6) demolition.
January 21 2025
400 GAMES FOR LEGENDARY UMPIRE
NTFL umpire Kathryn Flynn reached a mammoth milestone at the weekend, officiating her 400th MPL match. Picking up the whistle in 2000 and making her MPL debut in 2003, Flynn has earned the reputation as one of the most respected umpires in the competition. Despite still being an active official she’s already been inducted into the NTFL Umpires Association (NTFLUA) Hall of Fame and has Life Memberships from both AFL Northern Territory and the NTFLUA.
SALTIES NAMED IN AUSSIE SQUAD
Six Darwin Salties have been named in the official 2025 Australian Wheelchair Basketball Rollers squad. Local heroes Clarence ‘CJ’ McCarthy Grogan and Tom O’Neill Thorne (captain) have been named alongside their national championship winning teammates Sam White, Jontee Brown, Jaylen Brown and Jannik Blair.
TOP END FOOTBALL DOWN SOUTH
Football commentator and FNT personality Georgios Skoufezis recently plyed his trade in Victoria. On the mic for the second edition of The Greek Herald Cup, more than 2000 supporters filled Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium to watch South Melbourne FC and Sydney Olympic FC battle it out. Skoufezis posted the following on his Facebook page: “What an incredible honour it was to have my voice heard at the The Greek Herald Cup, where South Melbourne FC triumphed over Sydney Olympic FC 2-1. The atmosphere was electric, the crowd was absolutely amazing, and the facilities were second to none – a true celebration of football and community.”
TOUGH TIME FOR TEAM NT
The NT’s under 17 boys side has had a tough time at the national championships down in Tasmania, yet to record a win. The side were defeated in their first game by 9 wickets against WA in a 97 (47.3) to 1/100 (15.5). The Territory’s second match against the ACT was a far more competitive affair with team NT putting up a good fight. But they ultimately went down by 36 runs in a run chase that saw Tye Beer impress with the ball taking 3/34 off 9 overs. The third game against Victoria Metro was another heavy defeat, this time losing by 8 wickets. Ralph Stevens stood tall with the bat at number six, hitting 43 runs off 94 deliveries. In round four team NT had its fourth loss, losing by 81 runs against South Australia. Cadell McMahon was exceptional at the top, scoring a brilliant 72 runs off 97 deliveries. The NT will face Victoria Country on Wednesday and Tasmania Thursday.
January 14th 2025
AUSTRALIAN OPEN HONOURS
While the NT might not have a local playing in the Australian Open, representation is still there with two ballkids on show. Territory junior player Hunter Watling took to the courts on Day 1 of the Open and has already shown off his skills with a slick one-handed catch off a 180km/h serve. Mya Priest is also down in Melbourne as one of the 428 ballkids working at the major.
TOM ANDREWS
The Darwin Eagles alum had a man of the match performance against the Perth Scorchers during Sydney Thunder’s Round 9 match. Andrews came in to bat at number 9 when his side was at 7/114, and in tandem with Chris Green put on a match defining partnership. He smacked 37* runs off 13 balls, hitting three sixes and three fours and followed it up in the field taking 1/20 off three overs. His efforts were a major catalyst in the Thunder recording a dominant 61 run victory, the side’s fourth win from its past five.
100 CAPS
Waratah Tarryn O’Hehir celebrated her 100th match for the club at the weekend in a resounding victory over the Southern Districts Crocs. Since making her debut for the club in 2018 she has kicked 30 goals, and received 11 best player votes. O’Hehir has played 95 matches of her of her Tah’s career in the WPL, one game in Reserves, three games in Division 1 and one in Division 2.
TEAM NT x2
The under 16 girls side recorded its first ever victory at a national championships. Up against Tasmania team NT pulled off a 7 wicket victory in a 3/131 (16.3) to 9/130 (20) result.
take place in Launceston, Tasmania, from January 16 to January 23.
Elsewhere, Cricket NT recently announced its under 17s boy’s side to play at the national championships in Launceston, January 16-23. A side comprising of old and new faces, seven players have been recalled to the side. Just one non-Territory player has been selected for the tournament, a NSW ring-in who was called into the squad as a replacement for Southern Districts’ Sam Barker who withdrew from the competition due to a torn meniscus he suffered at training.
Squad:
Tye Beer –Tracy Village
Harry Dixon – Darwin
Arlo Everett – Waratah
Charlie Harragon – Darwin
Noah MacDonald – PINT
Cadell McMahon – Palmerston
Mithuru Perera – Waratah
Sam Rumpff – Federal
Dhruv Shandilya – Tracy Village
Matthew St Clair – Southern Districts
Palph Stephens- Palmerston
Riley Suter – Nightcliff
Coach – Greg Turner
Match Schedule:
1) Thursday 16 vs. WA at 10am
2) Friday 17 vs. ACT at 10am
3) Sunday 19 vs. Victoria Metro at 10am
4) Monday 20 vs. South Australia at 10am
5) Wednesday 22 vs. TBC
6) Thursday 23 vs. TBC
January 8th 2025
MASTER PLAN
The NT Government is holding a community consultation next week to discuss the Marrara upgrades. The ‘Master Plan’ is set to improve infrastructure and in turn deliver health, social and economic benefits. The plan will include:
“Considerations for the entire Precinct addressing drainage, utilities, way-finding, public amenities, shade, landscaping, outdoor active recreation, pedestrian and vehicular access. “Incorporation of individual sporting venues and active recreation facilities into the broader Precinct, with considerations to existing facility masterplans.
“An assessment of existing infrastructure and building/asset conditions to inform planning and costing decisions.
“Recommendations for possible land governance models for assets and the Precinct
“Planning requirements for additional facilities to manage overlapping sporting activities and events.”
NATIONALS UPDATE
The under 16 NT cricket side got their campaign underway earlier in the week against Tasmania and the ACT. In a rain-affected match team NT lost in a DLS 4/127 (Tas) to 4/122 (NT) scoreline. The side then went down swinging against the ACT having been bowled out cheaply. In a 7/104 (ACT) to 10/103 (NT) result it was Ekham Dillion (Tracy Village) who top scored with the bat hitting 23 runs from 82 deliveries. Captain Skylah Henwood was the pick of the bowlers snagging 1/17 off six overs.
POACHED CAT
Gymnastics NT has welcomed a new staff member to the team, Eliza Burge. Formally working for the Geelong Cats Football Club, Burge has accepted the role of Remote and Schools Gymnastics Coach. Burge has the packed CV that boasts sport management and business degrees, nine years as a coach, and accreditation in GFA, WAG, Kindergym and GA Presenter/Assessor.
RUGBY’S BACK
Top End senior rugby is back this weekend following the extended holidays break. Round 10 of the DRU A-grade competition gets underway this Saturday, January 11, and will see the Crocs vs. Cougars (7pm) at Moulden, and the Rabbitohs vs. Darwin (7pm) at Warren Park.
January 2nd 2025
DARWIN EAGLE EARNS TEST CALL-UP
Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster has earned a call-up to the national side for the Pink Test in Sydney. The 2m tall batting-all-rounder spent some time in the Top End during the 2021 season, albeit brief. Webster played a total of three matches for the Eagles scoring 142 runs with the bat averaging 71. Webster’s first stint for the Eagles back in 2019 proved much more fruitful in which he recorded 402 runs at an average of 67 from seven matches as well as taking 28 wickets at a 19.54 average.
LONG-COURSE GUN
Teenage swimmer James Smith from the Darwin Buffaloes SC had the opportunity of a lifetime last month. The 19-year-old spent a week at the AIS in Canberra, one of eight swimmers from across the nation selected to join a Next Gen Middle and Long Distance Freestyle Training Camp. Having initially dipped his toes into the discipline of long distance as a ‘punishment’ for his lack of attention during swim classes as a kid, Smith quickly blossomed into a fully fledged distance gun who has his sights set on LA and Brisbane.
TOP TEENS HEAD TO BALLARAT
The inaugural team to represent the NT at the under-16s national championship, the Territory outfit, comprising of eight Territorians is headed to test its mettle in Ballarat, Victoria next week. Coached by Alice Springs’ Bronte Stray the teenagers will face-off against the country’s best in a week long tournament that will run from January 6-15, 2025.
Squad:
Skylah Henwood (c) – Federal
Naomi McMahon – Palmerston
Joanna Pickett – Tracy Village
Ekam Dhillon – Tracy Village
Jordi O’Toole – PINT
Eimi Smith – PINT
Abbey Warton – Waratah
Maisie Johnson – West
Bronte Stray – Coach
Match Schedule:
1) Monday 6 vs. TAS at 10am
2) Tuesday 7 vs. ACT at 10am
3) Thursday 9 vs. WA at 10am
4) Thursday 9 vs. Victoria Country at 2.30pm
5) Friday 10 vs. NSW Country at 10am
6) Friday 10 vs. Queensland at 2.30pm
7) Sunday 12 vs. SA at 10am
SWIM NT TURNS 50
Swimming Northern Territory turns half a century old this year and has a chocka-block schedule for season 2025 on the cards. The sporting body posted to its Facebook page January 1 saying: “2025 is going to be an awesome year for Swimming Northern Territory. We have some incredible activities in the works, with more development, more clinics, better events and activities and an exciting few visitors to coincide with our 50th Birthday Celebrations and what promises to be the best Country Championships yet. We are doing more for our swimmers than ever – so buckle up for an exciting, busy and incredible year.”
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