Sport

Blake Nikitaras has signed with the Sydney Thunder.

THE MASKED PANTHER

Crichton set to depart. See page 71.

Thunder win to start Big Bash season

TROY DODDS

The Big Bash League is back and western Sydney-based Sydney Thunder have added a key signing to their squad with Blake Nikitaras to wear the lime green over the summer.

Thunder coach Trevor Bayliss said the exciting 22-year-old left-hander, who has played five First Class matches for NSW, had been on his radar for a few seasons.

“From a batting point of view Blake looks like a big, strong kid who hits the ball hard,” he said.

“He’s a natural stroke player, but he’ll get only stronger, and he’ll only get better. I believe in a few years’ time – and with more strength – he could be devastating.

“While that’s a little way off, Blake is a young guy who doesn’t mind playing his shots – and I like that he strikes the ball nicely.”

Nikitaras, whose father Steve played for the NSW, Western Australia, and Greek national cricket teams, said he had a heartfelt reason to be “happy” about earning a contract with Sydney Thunder.

“I’m absolutely rapt to be with the Thunder and that joining Thunder makes my father and mother happy and proud,” he said.

“I rate this alongside being selected to play for NSW last year. Sydney Thunder is an elite team, and I am proud to be here. It means the world to me to be a part of a great club, and I’m pleased to have the opportunity to learn from the great players in the squad.”

The Thunder kicked off their campaign with a thrilling win over the Melbourne Stars on Tuesday night and will take on the Adelaide Strikers tonight, and the Renegades this Sunday.

Channel Seven and Foxtel are again broadcasting the Big Bash League this season. Seven is broadcasting 45 matches, including all marquee games and finals.

Led by the incomparable Ricky Ponting, Seven’s commentary team for BBL|12 is made up of Ian Bishop, Greg Blewett, James Brayshaw, Trent Copeland, Ryan Daniels, Holly Ferling, Damien Fleming, Brad Hodge, Erin Holland, Justin Langer, Andy Maher, Mel McLaughlin, Alister Nicholson, Will Pucovski, Jason Richardson, Lisa Sthalekar and Elyse Villani.

In a huge coup for cricket fans, current Big Bash League stars Sam Billings, Alex Carey, Alana King, Aaron Finch, Chris Green, Moises Henriques and Glenn Maxwell will be regulars on Seven’s coverage.

Brad Hodge and Lisa Sthalekar are part of Channel Seven’s BBL coverage.

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Inclusivity wins the day as new netball team shines

EMILY FESZCZUK

Afirst-year netball team is proving that the mixture of inclusivity and having fun playing sport can be a winning combination.

The TigerKats Mixed Junior Team from Penrith South Netball Club have been named the Minor Premiers of the 2022 Night Comp and were roaring with pride when they won the Grand Final last week.

Penrith South Netball Club Vice President and Coach Michelle Dawson said the team formed in August in a bid to encourage more young people to enjoy the sport.

“I am on the steering committee for more inclusion in netball for Penrith District Netball Association so we had six girls, three boys, and four of the players had never played before because we wanted to prove that anyone can play sport,” Dawson said.

“Some teams have had one boy play before, but this team had to follow the mixed comp rules as per Netball NSW such as the boys playing in certain positions.”

Playing every Tuesday night, the TigerKats quickly bonded and started doing well.

“The players ranged from nine to 12 and mixed well which was great to see, and they would get out there every week and just give it a go,” she said.

“They are incredibly humble and kind to each other and the other teams, and just focused on having fun and being active while working hard throughout the season which is what it is all about.”

The hard work culminated when they took on the Cambridge Park Netball Club Cygnets during the Grand Final at Jamison Netball Courts.

“There was so much support down there for this little team playing for the first time and they played well winning 34-3,” she said.

“Outcome aside, I was incredibly proud of the team’s sportsmanship and the club culture to enable that. They even helped pack away the kits at the end and thanked the people who keep score.”

Looking forward to the 2023 season, Dawson said the small club of around 60 members is always looking for new players.

“Our club already has enquiries for people to join a mix competition and there could even be an exclusive boy’s competition one day if the community and association get on board at a club level,” she said.

“This mixed team was an experiment which proved successful, and we always welcome new members who want to give netball a go.”

Anyone interested in joining, can email penrithsouthnc@gmail.com.

The TigerKats from Penrith South Netball Club have won their Grand Final. The TigerKats in action in the Grand Final.

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Around The Grounds

CRICKET: Penrith were narrowly defeated by Western Suburbs in Round 7 of the Belvidere Cup. Playing at Pratten Park, Western Suburbs won the toss and chose to bowl. In the one-day match, Penrith stepped up to the plate, clocking up an impressive 10/242 after 50 overs. However, Western Suburbs ended up on top on the final ball, resulting in a 5/243 win. Penrith will take on Manly Warringah at Howell Oval this Saturday.

CRICKET: Sunday saw Penrith take a strong win in Round 10 of the Women’s First Grade competition, playing in a one-day match against Bankstown. Playing at Grahame Thomas Oval, Penrith won the toss and elected to bat. Bankstown were left needing to chase 188 runs, falling short on 10/159. Penrith will face Senior Women Gordon in a T20 match at Beauchamp Oval this Sunday.

CRICKET: Panthers Cricket Club recorded another good first grade win, this time over Phoenix. Batting first Phoenix scored 9/161, and in reply Panthers were able to record a three wicket win to finish at 7/162. The Panthers seventh grade side made it two wins in a row with a four wicket win over Glenbrook-Blaxland. A hat-trick to Mark Dent stood out in an impressive bowling performance, as Glenbrook-Blaxland were dismissed for 10/86. Panthers had a mini collapse early on, but were able to finally score the winning runs to finish at 6/87.

BASEBALL: Despite putting up a good fight, Greater Western fell short in both of their games against Cronulla Sharks in Round 10 of the NSW State Basketball League. Wednesday’s game saw the local side go down 10-9, followed by a 7-6 loss on Sunday.

AFL: The full fixture for the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season was released earlier this week, with a suite of big games in front of home fans lined up in both Sydney and Canberra for the GWS GIANTS. GIANTS Stadium is set to host big Victorian clubs Carlton, St Kilda, Richmond, Hawthorn and Essendon and cross-town rivals the Swans, while Saturday night football will also be returning to Canberra in the new year.

FOOTBALL: Western Sydney Wanderers were out of luck in both the Women’s and Men’s competitions this week. In Sunday’s game of the Liberty A-League season, Adelaide United bounced back to winning form, grinding their way to a 1-0 win over the Western Sydney Wanderers – marking their third straight win over the Wanderers for the first time in their history. For the men’s side, a late equaliser from Western Sydney Wanderers’ Yeni Ngbakoto cancelled out Bozhidar Kraev’s opener and enabled his side to force a 1-1 draw with Wellington Phoenix at WIN Stadium. The men’s side takes on Western United this Sunday, December 18 at 3pm. The women’s side is up against Brisbane on Saturday, December 17 at 5pm.

GREYHOUND RACING: A 12 race card is due to be run at Richmond Greyhounds in Londonderry tonight, starting at 7.22pm.

To make a submission to Around The Grounds, email cassidy.pearce@westernweekender.com.au. You can also private message us on Facebook at www.facebook. com/westernweekender, or Tweet us @ wwpenrith.

US next stop for champs

Florida trip planned for 2023 after Reign Elite’s stunning results at Nationals

CASSIDY PEARCE

Athletes from Penrith’s Reign Elite have returned home as champions, having finished Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation (AASCF) Nationals with four bids to The Cheerleading World Championship in Florida next year.

Having competed primarily virtually in the past two years due to COVID, co-owners Kirsten Jude and Tyjana Domars said that being back at the gym was just the push their students needed to get on top of their game.

“In the beginning, the morale of the kids was probably a little bit low, because they were still deflated from COVID,” Ms Jude said.

“Once we got back into the swing of everything, and they got their new uniforms and training gear, then it just expedited into a whole new vibe.”

Over the course of the year, their teams went from strength to strength, beating out the competition at AASCF and CheerCon events all over the state, and earning themselves spots in both AASCF Nationals, and The Australasian Pinnacle.

Both events were held on the Gold Coast over a long weekend, and after not being able to travel with their teams for so long, Ms Domars said she was excited for the bonding opportunities, as well as competing.

“We hadn’t been to Nationals since 2019, so it was nice to go away on a trip and have that bonding time as well,” she said.

By the end of the weekend, the gym had clocked up 14 first place wins, eight seconds, Grand Champions for their brand-new Open Level 6 cheer team, Dance Royalty for their jazz team, who performed the second highest scoring jazz routine of the entire competition, and Worlds bids for O6NT, jazz and pom – making them the only gym in the region to attain bids in both cheer and dance.

Four of their teams also qualified for Pinnacle – a selective competition where teams compete only against the best of the best from the season – from which they took home two firsts and a third.

With an additional pom bid from Cheercon earlier in the year, Ms Jude and Ms Domars couldn’t be more excited to be sending their dance teams to Florida in April. Though one of their bids was a partial paid bid, they admit there’s still a lot of work to do before they can get there.

“The first team got their bid in September, so they’ve been doing some fundraising, but now we’re just going to have to brainstorm with the other teams and come up with some fundraisers,” Ms Domars said.

With the competing teams in the open-age division, Ms Jude couldn’t be more excited that many of her athletes will get to end their cheerleading careers on a high.

“They’re pumped, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and some of them are getting a little old for it and will be coming back to fulltime jobs next year, so it’s now or never,” she said.

“It’s really nice for them to get that and have that accomplishment, and then to be able to move on after achieving that goal they’ve had.”

Athletes from Reign Elite. Photo: Melinda Jane.

SCAN HERE BET NOW

Chance buy started a sporting journey

CASSIDY PEARCE

17-year-old Kyan Wallington is making his baseball dreams a reality, having recently travelled to the United States to compete against the best of the best in the U18 World Cup.

For Kyan, it was a trip to Amart Sport with his Mum at the age of nine that inspired him to first pick up the bat.

“I went into the baseball aisle, and I asked Mum, ‘Can I get that?’, and she said we could only get it if we went straight down to the field for a hit,” he said.

“I did it, and I was alright at it, so she said, ‘Okay, I’ll sign you up!’.”

From there, Kyan admits that baseball became somewhat of an addiction, having fallen in love with the game entirely.

Known best for his batting chops, Kyan has been training hard with his team, Blacktown Workers Club, to make the Australian Training Squad, with which he would travel to the US to compete in tournaments and exhibition games in the lead-up to the U18 World Cup.

Having trialled as a bottom age player, Kyan’s expectations were low – but this only made the shock greater when he was successful in making the team.

“I didn’t expect it at all – I thought we would just go to Canberra, go to the training camp for a bit of experience and then go home and expect nothing after that,” he said.

“I did say to myself though, ‘Why can’t I make it to the next stage? Why can’t I go all the way?’.”

The Training Squad was then cut in half to create the official World Cup squad, from which Kyan was one of only two New South Wales-based players selected.

Though Kyan admits one of his favourite things about America was the low price of Reese’s at Walmart, competing against a much tougher competition on professional fields made the trip one to remember.

“The competition was way harder – you’ve got left-handed pitchers throwing 96mph at not even the blink of an eye,” he said.

“In our first game against Mexico, we were getting smashed in the first couple of innings, and I brought it back pretty close. We still lost, but it was a cool moment, and I did that twice.”

As for what’s next for the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Senior Sports Star Award recipient, he’ll be heading to New Zealand this Saturday in an attempt to qualify for the World Cup again in Taiwan next year.

“Hopefully we’ll score a bit better in that, go for a bronze medal, silver medal or gold,” he said.

“We want to go for gold, but it would be good if we got any of those medals!”

Nominated by his mother Kelly, Kyan Wallington’s Senior Sports Star Award is all thanks to sponsor Penrith Panthers Leagues Club.

If you or someone you know has achieved in their chosen sport, send in your nomination to Penrith Valley Sports Foundation.

Nomination forms are available at www.pvsf.org.au.

Baseball player Kyan Wallington. Photo: Melinda Jane.

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GONE TO THE DOGS!

! Crichton set to depart: Two-time Penrith Premiership winner Stephen Crichton will almost certainly leave the club at the end of next season, with Canterbury set to officially table a mouth-watering offer that can’t be refused. But Penrith fans should actually be pretty happy with the way things will unfold. Keeping Crichton would have meant paying overs, something the club just doesn’t entertain any longer. It trusts its processes and development, more now than ever. ‘Critter’ also has a desire to play fullback, an opportunity that is likely to come quicker at Canterbury. Penrith are resigned to losing the 22-year-old and won’t enter a bidding war with Phil Gould to keep him at the foot of the Mountains.

! To’o secures future: One player going nowhere is winger Brian To’o, who officially signed on the dotted line last Friday and will be at the Panthers until the end of 2027. Final sticking points attached to the deal were ironed out last week. “I’m very grateful and blessed to call Panthers home for the next four years,” To’o said. “I’d like to thank everyone at the club for giving me the opportunity to do what I love. I can’t wait to play for our amazing members and fans, who have shown me nothing but love and support.” ! Wedding of the year: Apart from Jarome Luai’s best man speech, the rest of Brian To’o’s wedding to his beautiful bride Moesha was nothing short of spectacular. Forget any Royal wedding you may have seen over the years, this really did take the cake – and looked like it was a heap of fun.

! Tough chat needed: It’s become clear that someone at Penrith needs to have a difficult conversation with Jarome Luai (pictured). Much of the criticism of Luai in the last few years is unfair, but that doesn’t make him a protected species. His best man speech at Brian To’o’s wedding last week was in poor taste, no question, and he’s since apologised. Luai is a tremendous footballer and a great character. Those who know him also know he’s a terrific person. But reputation can be everything in rugby league and Luai’s is not in a good place at present. ! Vegas bound: Penrith co-captain Nathan Cleary has seen plenty of airports in the last few months. He was only back in Sydney for a few days after the World Cup and a quick European holiday before he was back on a plane again, this time for a quick trip to Las Vegas to watch the UFC.

! Poor timing: Panthers members were given less than five minutes’ notice that tickets were on sale for the World Club Challenge. The pre-sale began at 10am last Thursday. Members started getting the pre-sale email at 9.55am.

! Christmas rush: The club is experiencing some unexpected delays in 2023 Members Packs arriving to those who signed up for next season. It’s now in a race against time to fulfil a promise to have them delivered before Christmas to those who secured their membership before the advertised deadline.

! What a bargain: Looking for a last minute Christmas gift for a Penrith fan, or perhaps yourself? League and Legends out at Windsor currently has 2022 Premiership tees on sale for just $25. That’s more than 60 per cent off the ‘trophy’ shirt (pictured) and 50 per cent off the ‘Back to Back’ shirt. You can shop in store or online at www.leagueandlegends.com.au.

! Spill the beans: Have you spotted a Panthers player out and about? Got some tea to spill? I don’t keep secrets but I do protect my sources. Email maskedpanther@ westernweekender. com.au.

Stephen Crichton will leave the Panthers. Photo: NRL Images.

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Sydney becomes home of football

TROY DODDS

The Western Sydney Wanderers may score a major advantage by hosting an A-League Grand Final, but their vocal active supporter group isn’t celebrating.

A major deal was announced on Monday that will see Sydney host the A-League Men’s and Women’s Grand Finals, as well as the E-League Grand Final, for the next three years. Venues haven’t been locked in but Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium, the Wanderers’ home ground, is certainly in the running and hosted Monday’s announcement.

APL CEO Danny Townsend said it was a positive announcement, moving on from Grand Finals being hosted in different cities depending on the teams participating.

“Football fans now get the best of both worlds – they can now look forward to a showpiece Grand Final event in a set location, as well as watching A-Leagues and national team stars week-in-week-out at their local A-Leagues team,” he said.

“This is a unique opportunity to build a tradition for football fans. When you think about a cup final in England, you think about the trip to Wembley, and we want fans in Australia to look forward to the A-Leagues finals in the same way.

“We have already broken the previous record for attendance this season in the Liberty A-League Women and have set an objective to make history again with Grand Final attendance in the year that we host the FIFA Women’s World Cup.” NSW Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said the addition of the A-Leagues Grand Finals to Sydney’s annual sporting events calendar would have significant benefits for NSW.

“As the nation’s home of football I am delighted to be partnering with the APL to bring the Men’s and Women’s A-Leagues Grand Finals to Sydney,” Mr Franklin said.

“Sydney is renowned for hosting world-class sporting events and we are going to create a new tradition for Australian football fans, making the Grand Finals a week-long extravaganza that showcases football and the best of the Harbour City.”

But not everyone is happy about the move, with Wanderers active supporter group the Red & Black Bloc (RBB) demanding the decision be reversed.

“We are completely against the decision for Sydney to host the next three Grand Finals,” it said in a statement.

“This once again demonstrates the lack of fan consultation. It was a decision to chase $$$ regardless of the integrity of the competition. A home Grand Final is the reward for the effort throughout the season. Earning the right to host the final was our tradition. We don’t need to copy the other codes. For this to be taken away with little consideration shows a lack of understanding.”

The A-League Women’s Grand Final is scheduled for April 30, while the E-League Grand Final is on May 27 and the Men’s Grand Final is on June 3.

Players, politicians and officials at Monday’s announcement at CommBank Stadium. Photo: Melinda Jane.