Joining with others and working as a team to achieve common aspirations has marked the Manly Warringah Junior Rugby League 2026 Season.
Grand Finals in the Manly Warringah Junior Rugby League were played at Brookvale Oval over the weekend of August 29-30, with Family of League volunteers greeting fans at the gate. Family of League exists to ensure those most in need in the rugby league community can access financial, social and emotional support. The foundation is the charitable heart of rugby league, proudly caring for the everyday heroes who keep the game thriving at the grassroots.
After 15 rounds of games and 3 of finals across the Season and the support of a host of club volunteers, referees, groundstaff, coaches, trainers, managers, the players and their families across the four and a half months of training and games at home grounds and elsewhere, footy Season in the MWJRLF clubs has come to the awards and presentation part of the year.
Mona Vale Raiders ran their first A Grade side for decades in 2025, finishing 6th in the points ladder before making the Grand Final this year under coach David Heath, who explained earlier in the Season Under 21's Raiders players have also been competing in the A Grade side this year. The Raiders and their A-Grade coach are focussed on succession planning and developing skills. After this year's results they will be the ones to watch next season.sm.jpg?timestamp=1788607134913)
Brian Friend OAM and Bob Butcher - MWJRLFC Legends
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Mona Vale Raiders GF A-Grade Team members - clearly stoked with a brilliant Raiders Season
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Dogs can fly!
Report: Surfing Australia, Photos: Surfing Australia / Jay Macguire
The 2026 Australian Shortboard Titles, with Australia’s best shortboard surfers, converged on Wollongong from August 24–30. Shortboard surfing is the high-performance core of the sport, and the Australian Titles showcase the explosive turns, seamless carves and aerial progression that continue to push Australian surfing forward.
With surfers from all six states competing across multiple age divisions, the event brought together generations of Australian shortboard talent, with national titles on the line and the opportunity to qualify for the Australian National Surfing Team, The Irukandjis, through the Over 40s, Over 50s and Over 60s Masters divisions, at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Masters Surfing Championships.
On Friday August 28 the 2026 Australian Shortboard Titles wrapped up the Masters competition in Wollongong, with champions crowned across the age divisions following four days of excellent conditions along the iconic Illawarra coastline..
The first final of the day delivered a standout result, with Pam Burridge (Mollymook, NSW) claiming the Over 60 Women’s Australian Championship after entering this year’s Australian Shortboard Titles as a wildcard.
The victory sees Burridge earn her place on The Irukandjis, Australia’s national Masters team, and the opportunity to represent Australia on the international stage.
A pioneer of Australian women’s professional surfing and former World Champion, and former resident of Pittwater, Burridge said returning to competition and pulling the Australian jersey back on was a special opportunity.
“I definitely won’t knock it because I think you often find people don’t come back to these events if they’ve had a great career because they’ve got a lot to lose. Someone might beat them on the day, and it can be a hit to the ego. But for me, even if I came last, I was totally willing to have a go. When you’re a certain age in the sport, sometimes you’re going to suck, sometimes you’re going to go OK, but you’ve just got to have a go. I decided to have a go and I was really rewarded with some nice waves.”
Burridge said the opportunity to compete alongside friends and put the Australian jersey back on made the experience even more meaningful.
“It is prestigious. I definitely wouldn’t knock it. To put the Australian jersey back on and be out there surfing with your mates, it’s pretty special. I was just really happy to have a go and see what happened.”
Pam Burridge, Over 60 Women's Champion at the 2026 Australian Shortboard Titles. Credits: Surfing Australia / Jay Macguire
Profile of the Week Avalon Bulldogs Win Back-To-Back PremiershipsDoggies supporters swarmed the field at full-time last Sunday, August 30, as the Avalon A Grade crew took back-to-back Premierships after holding off the Mona Vale Raiders for an 18-14 win at Brookvale Oval.
Those north of the Bilgola Bends have been grinning all week.
Chandler Walton, Jake Crutch and Taine Allen took tries for the Bulldogs, with Chandler's successful conversions stats at 2 out of 3 and he kicked a penalty goal.
The utter determination by the whole squad didn't let up for a moment.
Avalon Bulldogs also won historic back-to-back A Grade Premierships across the 2016 and 2017 Seasons, with athletes who played in those premierships, Will Kelly, Kurt Stevenson - who played his 350th game in June 2025 - Max Barry et al, alongside a group of new and upcoming players, some of whom have excelled with other clubs across Sydney, the Central Coast and even the Northern Rovers region prior to joining the Bulldogs.
After their win in the 2025 competition, Bulldogs Coach Haig Sare had a large cohort of players alongside those 2025 backbone team members and kept the focus on developing their skills, working as a team to achieve their common goal, and working to lessen the impacts of injuries on the individual athletes and team - no one played all 18 games this year.
History Avalon Public School's 75th Celebrations: Fete on Sunday September 20 - A few Insights into the History of A great school for its Diamond Jubilee
Turimetta Beach at very low tide.
Oystercatcher and White Faced Heron
Newport Rugby Club have taken out 3 of the 5 Grades in Division Two of Suburban Rugby (Subbies) and won all three of the Grand Finals Games they played in on Saturday August 29.
Newport Rugby Club won the 2026 Richardson Cup on the bell in a thriller against St Patricks, 22-20 in the Grand Final at Concord Oval.
2026 Richardson Cup winners
Soon after Newport was happy again, for taking out the Blunt Cup in a 20-19 victory over Forest.
2026 Blunt Cup winners
After an extraordinary game of footy, running in excess of 100 minutes, Newport snatched the First Grade Barraclough Cup from UNSW in the last seconds of extra time with a final score of 46-44. If we hadn’t seen it, we wouldn’t have believed it! Suggest you watch the replay on NSW Rugby TV. Congratulations Newport. You’ll be talking about this one for a while.
2026 Barraclough Cup winners
Newport Rugby Club (The Breakers) played in Division Two in the 2026 Season with clubs competing for the Barraclough, Stockdale, Robertson (U21 Colts), Blunt and Richardson Cups.
Newport Rugby Club remains among the 'best of the best' in suburban rugby union, having won the Barraclough Cup and Blunt Cup in 2024, and were also Division 2 Club Champions for 2024. The year before, Newport were Robertson Cup winners in 2023.
Suburban Rugby Cups: "What are you playing for?"
Barraclough: Presented 1969. John Barraclough (Colleagues) Union Patron, John Barraclough, AM (1926 - 2005) and his father, H.H Barraclough, presented this cup to the MSDRU in 1969 for a new one team competition that arose with the rapid increase of clubs at the time. In 1971, following a restructuring of sub-district rugby competitions, the Barraclough Cup headed the new sub-district second division, and continues to this day.
Stockdale: Presented 1971. Ted Stockdale (Briars). Presented to the MSDRU by Ted Stockdale, a previous Secretary of the Union, in 1971, this cup was first won by AMP.
Blunt: Presented 1971. Charles Blunt (ARU President) Donated in 1971 by ARU President Charles Blunt, who was patron of the MSDRU from 1965 to 1989. The cup was first won by Manly.
Richardson: Presented 1971. Eric Richardson (Newington Old Boys) Also introduced in 1971 by Eric Richardson of Newington Old Boys. Eric had a long involvement with Newington Old Boys, particularly as a coach. At the time this cup provided an extra competition for those second division clubs with extra teams, with the remainder of teams in the comp being one team clubs. By 1981, the Richardson Cup and second division was only available to four team sub-district clubs.
Robertson: Presented 1981. Brian Robertson (Hunters Hill). Named after former Suburban Chairman (1978-80), Brian Robertson, this cup was first won by Port Hacking. After not being contested between 1988-93, the Robertson Cup was revived to become the Colts trophy for second division.
Reliance Shield: Presented 1983. Reliance Club. "The Reliance Club Shield" was presented to the the SSDRU in 1983 for the Division Two Club Champions, by surviving members of the Reliance Club of Ashfield.
*Cup histories courtesy of "The Game for the Game Itself - The History of Sub-District Rugby in Sydney".
Photos: NSW Suburban Rugby Union (Subbies)
NOOSA, Queensland, Australia (Wednesday August 26, 2026)
Today, Milla Coco Brown (Bungan Boardriders- Pittwater/AUS) and Willem Watson (Victoria, AUS) won the inaugural Murf Electric Bikes Noosa Pro Junior Presented by Surfboard Empire World Surf League (WSL) event. The pair overcame a massive field of Australia and Oceania’s best 20-and-under surfers in small but fun waves at Noosa’s Sunshine Beach.
Milla Coco Brown (Bungan Boardriders - AUS) chaired to victory at the 2026 Murf Electric Bikes Noosa Pro Junior, presented by Surfboard Empire. Credit: WSL / SQ
Today’s win was Milla Coco Brown’s second event win for the season and enough to catapult her into the top spot on the WSL Australia / Oceania Rankings to not only win the regional series but also book a spot at this year's WSL World Junior Championships to be held in El Salvador this November.
After just sneaking through the Quarterfinals, Brown’s trademark progression and speed saw her claim dominant wins in the Semifinals and eventually the Final, where she overcame Siqi Yang (CHN), Willow Hardy (AUS) and Stella Green (AUS), who finished in second, third and fourth respectively.
“It’s been a big day for me,” Brown said.
“I had to win the Final to win the series, and now I get the big silver trophy, so I’m frothing. Finding out that I’m off to the World Junior Championships is amazing as well; I can’t wait for that. I knew it before the Final, which took a lot of the pressure off.”
Milla Coco Brown (AUS) in the Finals for the 2026 Murf Electric Bikes Noosa Pro Junior, presented by Surfboard Empire. Credit: WSL / SQ
An evening of reverence, reflection, and ultimately celebration of all that makes the movement special marked the evening for more than 650 volunteer lifesavers and their supporters at the 2026 Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence in Sydney on 22 August.
Held in Darling Harbour for the second straight year, award categories spanning youth, membership, education, lifesaving and surf sports were contested by members representing all 11 Branches along the NSW coastline.
The esteemed Rescue of the Year was also awarded to Charlie Verco (North Bondi SLSC), Ben Heenan (Coogee SLSC) and Kassandra McGregor (Tamarama SLSC) for their brave efforts in rescuing Leah Stewart, the lady involved in a shark incident at Coogee Beach on June 13 2026.
One historically significant category win is Newport SLSC competitor, Jemma Smith’s second straight Athlete of the Year crown.
No one has done it three times consecutively, a feat she will chase in 2027, and something she tackles with some pedigree to lean on – Jemma previously won the Youth Athlete of the Year category three times in a row between 2016 and 2018.
Announced: Friday August 28 2026
The NSW Government has commenced a rollout of targeted vaccinations for vulnerable species of birds to help protect them against H5 avian influenza (bird flu).
A combination of insurance populations in captivity and wild populations of birds will be vaccinated. This includes the Little Penguins in Manly and Barunguba Montague Island.
Taronga Conservation Society Australia vaccinated the first birds this week, with trial cohorts of Little Penguins, Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos and Red-tailed Black Cockatoos among the first species to receive the initial dose of the two-dose vaccine course.
The NSW Government is working with Taronga to vaccinate and monitor wild Little Penguins at Manly Point.
Other wildlife facilities across NSW will join the state’s vaccine program, ensuring as many species as possible can be covered.
The vaccine requires two doses, administered three-to-four weeks apart. Birds in trials must remain in a controlled environment while completing their primary vaccination course and for 14 days following the second dose so they can be closely monitored for any adverse effects.
The NSW Government is continuing to work with wildlife organisations and other relevant partners to assess potential vaccination sites and ensure appropriate infrastructure, safety measures, veterinary oversight and other requirements are in place before vaccination commences.
NSW is continuing to learn about how the vaccine performs in native wildlife. The controlled vaccination program will provide an opportunity to closely monitor vaccinated animals and identify any potential adverse effects as further plans to vaccinate are progressed.
Complementing the broader rollout of vaccinations, Taronga is leading a vaccine trial that will provide valuable data on immune responses, vaccine effectiveness and future vaccination strategies in threatened and zoo-managed birds.
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Palm Beach Sailing Club launches from off-the-beach at Sand Point, Palm Beach
Profile of the Week Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment: August 2026 Forum Speakers + AGMWebsite: narrabeenlagoon.au
We are a group of concerned individuals who live either locally or within the Sydney northern region who wish to see the Narrabeen Lagoon catchment properly and sustainably protected for the benefit of current and future generations, as well as the rights and needs of the ecosystems within the catchment.
We have come together to encourage the State Government and to support Northern Beaches Council (formerly Warringah and Pittwater Councils) in the conservation of crown lands and the sustainable protection of the bushland, creeks, landform and flora and fauna within the catchment, whether it be on private or public lands.
Many of us have been involved in community actions to protect areas with natural and cultural significance. We have significant links within the local community and elsewhere and we aim to inform and educate others about the importance of properly protecting and managing the Catchment.
Speakers at the August Forum.
Angus Gordon – Former General Manager, Pittwater council and Chairman of the Industry Advisory Board to the University of NSW’s Water Research Centre. Topic: Siltation of Middle Creek due to disturbance in the upper catchment.
Ron Patton – Outgoing President, FoNLC. Topic: Changes to the Local Environment Plan (LEP) for the Northern Beaches local government area and their impact on the bushland of the Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment
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A path into Warriewood Wetlands extends a sunshine invitation. Photo: A J Guesdon/PON