Sydney Swans’ AFLW squad take Community Camp to Newcastle

The Sydney Swans’ AFLW squad is heading to Newcastle as part of the first-ever league wide AFLW Community Camp program on 6-7 July.

With fewer than two months to go until its third NAB AFLW campaign, the Swans’ players will use the visit to inspire new fans and garner more support in NSW’s second most populated city. The Swans host Collingwood in a blockbuster Friday night clash at North Sydney Oval on Friday, 30 August to kick off the AFLW season.

Women and girls will be front and centre at the Swans’ Community Camp with two sessions specifically relating to girls keen to play footy. An All Girls Super Clinic will be followed by an U9 girls gala day, providing fantastic opportunities for participants to meet elite players and have a kick.

In an action-packed weekend, there will also be sessions for selected women and girls involved in youth and senior football including a leadership forum, an umpiring information session and a coaching masterclass featuring players and coaches from the Sydney Swans.

Participation and Programs Project Manager, AFL NSW/ACT, Simon Smyth, said of the Sydney Swans’ visit to Newcastle: “It’s a great time to be a girl playing footy and we’re grateful the Sydney Swans have chosen Newcastle for the team’s first official AFLW Community Camp.

“This area has a strong connection to footy with AFL Hunter Central Coast one of the country’s oldest-running sports leagues. We’ve seen many Australian rules football legends come out of this area and we hope the Community Camp will inspire some stars of the future.

“I encourage all girls to attend Saturday’s clinic and any under-nine girl with an interest in team sport to try the gala day on Sunday. The Community Camp is also a great time for youth girls and senior women coaches, umpires and players to mingle with elite players and receive a few tips.”

Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, said City of Newcastle’s ongoing investment in No.1 Sportsground continues to pay dividends for local athletes. “We’re delighted to welcome the Sydney Swans AFLW squad to Newcastle for this highly anticipated Community Camp,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Through City of Newcastle’s 10-year Strategic Sports Plan we’re providing facilities that support universal access and allow for greater female participation in sport. Our $8 million investment into improving and expanding the playing surface and installing new floodlights at No.1 Sportsground was just the beginning of upgrades that are designed to deliver a facility capable of hosting elite-level AFL and AFLW matches.”

All Girls Super Clinic
A great way to mingle with the Sydney Swans AFLW players and play footy-based games. No previous Australian rules football experience needed.

• Date: Saturday, 6 July
• Time: 1:30-2:30pm
• Location: No. 1 Sportsground, Newcastle
• Ages: 5-12
• Register: Here

U9 Girls Gala Day
An opportunity for girls under nine years to try Australian rules football in a fun environment with modified rules, including no tackle. Sydney Swans AFLW players will offer support and provide some basic coaching.

• Date: Sunday, 7 July
• Time: 11:30am-1:00pm
• Location: Pasterfield Sports Complex, Cameron Park
• Ages: 5-8 years
• Register: Here

Swans AFLW Coach Masterclass
Be a part of the Swans AFLW Coach Masterclass, exclusively available for women and girls looking to gain invaluable insights from the experts.

• Date: Saturday, 6 July
• Time: 2:30PM
• Location: No. 1 Sportsground, Newcastle
• Register: Coaches will be invited to register via email

U9 Girls competition 2025
For the first time, AFL Hunter Central Coast will offer an U9 Girls competition in season 2025. Girls currently play mixed teams in U9s, with standalone girls sides competing from U11.

NAB AFL Auskick Burst in Newcastle
Participants inspired by the Sydney Swans will have an opportunity to join the fun weekly, with NAB AFL Auskick re-opening in Newcastle from 21 July, offering participants half a season of the Auskick experience and the beloved Auskick pack.

We call it Auskick Burst, with participants bursting on the footy scene and having a great time. Auskick Burst will be offered at a greatly reduced price, which will be revealed before the Sydney Swans’ AFLW Community Camp.

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Rebels hit rock bottom

By Tim Howard

The South Grafton Rebels have slipped to the bottom of the Group 2 Rugby League table after a disappointing loss to the Coffs Harbour Comets.

The Rebels had fought back to lead the Comets 12-8 at half time, but fell away in the second half to succumb 26-12.

It’s the club’s seventh loss of the season, with the only win coming back in April against the Comets at McKittrick Park.

It was particularly disappointing for the Rebels who just a week earlier had been pipped at the post by competition leaders Nambucca 22-20.

The only good news for the struggling club is they play the rest of the season at their McKittrick Park fortress, beginning with Sunday’s clash against Macksville.

The 2024 season has been a tough one for the club, seemingly perpetually rebuilding even while enjoying success on the field.

Premiers in 2022 and grand finalists last season, each year the club has dealt with an exodus of players but with shrewd recruiting and a steady supply of talented juniors coming through the ranks South Grafton has been able to get results.

While the results have not come so far this season, the team remains competitive, with a number of close losses, by 2, 4, 6 and 8 points the difference between a poor season and a good one.

Club officials privately have said the draw, which has allowed them only two home games so far this season, has not done them any favours.

At half time on Sunday Rebels supporters were waiting for their team to kick away as they did in the game against the Comets in round 2.

Richard Roberts and Nick McGrady had scored tries, which McGrady converted.

Instead the game plan went out the window in attack and defence with dropped passes and missed tackles gifting the Comets points.

They capitalised scoring three converted tries and shut the Rebels out for 40 minutes to run away with the game.

Comets halfback Jett McCarthy had a whale of a game, scoring two tries as well as kicking three goals.

The Rebels face another tough afternoon on Sunday against a tough, uncompromising Macksville outfit who love to get on top through their forward pack.

Macksville came out on top on a bitterly cold and wet afternoon at Macksville in April, but Rebels fans will look to make it hot and uncomfortable for the visitors at home this weekend.

The Grafton Ghost had the bye at the weekend after putting together their best game of the season against Macksville the week before.

On Saturday the Ghosts host Sawtell in a crucial game for both teams.

When they two clubs last met in April the result was a 12-12 draw.

The Panthers have been impressive for most of the season, sitting in second spot on the ladder two points ahead of the Ghosts.

A win on Saturday for the Ghosts could see some changes in the top four, depending on other results.

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Whooping Cough and Pneumonia Cases Surge in NSW, Posing Significant Risk to Children

Whooping cough rates have surged to their highest levels in nearly a decade in New South Wales (NSW), and the number of young children hospitalised with pneumonia has more than doubled compared to the same period last year, according to state health data.

Pertussis Cases Reach Alarming Levels

The latest NSW Health respiratory surveillance report reveals that there have been 103.1 notifications of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, per 100,000 people in the state so far this year. The last time figures were this high was in 2016, with a rate of 139.6 per 100,000.

Professor Robert Booy, an infectious diseases paediatrician at the University of Sydney, attributes the rise to several viruses and bacteria, including pertussis and mycoplasma, actively spreading, particularly among primary school-aged children.

“Both [pertussis and mycoplasma] are causing pneumonia, leading to hospital admissions, emergency department presentations, and the need for antibiotic treatment,” said Professor Booy.

Public Health Advisory

NSW Health advises individuals to stay home if unwell and to wear a mask if going out is necessary, in an effort to reduce the spread of these respiratory illnesses.

Young People Particularly at Risk

Health data indicates that pneumonia rates among children aged zero to 16 are “unseasonably high” and exceed levels recorded in the past five years. In early June this year, nearly 140 children under the age of four presented to emergency departments with pneumonia, compared to fewer than 60 at the same time last year. For children aged five to 16, the number was 400, up from fewer than 50 last year.

The increase is attributed to a specific strain of pneumonia, commonly referred to as “walking pneumonia.” The report states that Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a frequent cause of pneumonia in school-aged children, with epidemics occurring every three to five years. The last epidemic in NSW occurred before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Expert Insights

Dr. Rebekah Hoffman, chair of the NSW and ACT branch of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, noted that while most individuals contracting Mycoplasma pneumoniae would remain “quite well,” they might suffer from a persistent cough for several weeks or months. “For some kids, especially if they are immunocompromised or have other respiratory problems, they might get really sick and need hospitalization,” Dr. Hoffman said.

Both Dr. Hoffman and Professor Booy highlighted that social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in 2020 and 2021, resulted in children not being exposed to other respiratory illnesses, such as whooping cough and pneumonia. Professor Booy explained that the absence of exposure created a group of susceptible young children who are now developing and spreading whooping cough in school and other settings.

Resurgence Patterns

Whooping cough typically surges every three to six years, but due to the pandemic, this interval has now stretched to six to eight years. Dr. Hoffman noted that the spike in respiratory illnesses reflects young people “catching up” on infections they missed in previous years. She expressed surprise at the significant increase in whooping cough rates.

Professor Booy emphasized the seriousness of whooping cough for certain groups, particularly newborn babies. “The children at most risk are the very young… they need protection from their mother being vaccinated during pregnancy to develop antibodies which pass to the baby before it’s even born,” he said.

The health department data also indicated that COVID-19 cases remain “high” in the state.

Conclusion

The surge in whooping cough and pneumonia cases in NSW is a significant public health concern, particularly for young children. Continued vigilance, vaccination, and adherence to public health guidelines are essential to manage and mitigate the spread of these illnesses.

For more health news, click here.