Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLW NNSW action between Warners Bay and Broadmeadow at John Street Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Masson-Hubers
NPLW NNSW action between Warners Bay and Broadmeadow at John Street Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Masson-Hubers
NPLW NNSW action between Warners Bay and Broadmeadow at John Street Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Masson-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLM NNSW action between Broadmeadow and Charlestown at Magic Park on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLM NNSW action between Broadmeadow and Charlestown at Magic Park on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLM NNSW action between Broadmeadow and Charlestown at Magic Park on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Action in the Newcastle Rugby League match between Cessnock and Central at St John Oval on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLM NNSW action between Broadmeadow and Charlestown at Magic Park on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLM NNSW action between Broadmeadow and Charlestown at Magic Park on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLM NNSW action between Broadmeadow and Charlestown at Magic Park on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLM NNSW action between Broadmeadow and Charlestown at Magic Park on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NPLM NNSW action between Broadmeadow and Charlestown at Magic Park on Sunday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NBL1 East action between the Newcastle Falcons and the Bruins at Newcastle Basketball Stadium on Sunday. Picture: Peter Lorimer
NBL1 East action between the Newcastle Falcons and the Bruins at Newcastle Basketball Stadium on Sunday. Picture: Peter Lorimer
NBL1 East action between the Newcastle Falcons and the Bruins at Newcastle Basketball Stadium on Sunday. Picture: Peter Lorimer
NBL1 East action between the Newcastle Falcons and the Bruins at Newcastle Basketball Stadium on Sunday. Picture: Peter Lorimer
NBL1 East action between the Newcastle Falcons and the Bruins at Newcastle Basketball Stadium on Sunday. Picture: Peter Lorimer
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Hunter Rugby Union action between Wanderers and Hamilton at Passmore Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Hunter Rugby Union action between Wanderers and Hamilton at Passmore Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Hunter Rugby Union action between Wanderers and Hamilton at Passmore Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Hunter Rugby Union action between Wanderers and Hamilton at Passmore Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Hunter Rugby Union action between Wanderers and Hamilton at Passmore Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Hunter Rugby Union action between Wanderers and Hamilton at Passmore Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Hunter Rugby Union action between Wanderers and Hamilton at Passmore Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Black Diamond AFL women's action between Newcastle City and Cardiff at Pasterfield Oval on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
While the Newcastle Knights ended a week of turmoil by taming the West Tigers 14-10 at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday , plenty of other drama was unfolding around the grounds of Newcastle sport.
After a self-inflicted circus last week that resulted in enforcer David Klemmer being stood down for disciplinary reasons , and amid mounting concerns that they could wind up with the wooden spoon, Newcastle dug deep to find resolve and resilience that has been seen all too rarely this season.
It was a relieved Knights coach Adam O'Brien post-match, who summed up the result by saying: "It was ugly but [I] don't care, we got it done."
Unfortunately, the win could have come at a cost with half Jake Clifford sustaining a suspected broken arm .
NPLM NNSW sees red
Broadmeadow and Maitland were the big winners of a drama-packed Sunday in the NPLM NNSW which finished with four red cards and Charlestown dropping from first to fourth on the ladder.
It came after Valentine Phoenix had three players sent off in a midweek fixture that could prove costly to their finals aspirations.
There were no send-offs in a weekend of NPLW NNSW, but the much-anticipated top-of-the-table clash between Warners Bay and Broadmeadow at John Street Oval on Sunday proved somewhat anticlimactic .
The women's premiership is now Warners Bay's to lose after their five-goal rout of Magic with three games each to play before finals.
Medals for Novocastrians in Birmingham
Merewether diver Sam Fricker clinched a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in the men's synchronised 3m springboard and Hockeyroo Mariah Williams comes home with a silver medal after going down to England in the final.
The results came after Newcastle teenager Jesse Southwell was part of Australia's gold medal-winning women's sevens rugby union side .
Battle is on in Newcastle RL
Maitland are the minor premiers in waiting and Central won't drop any lower than second but Cessnock , Macquarie and Souths will now battle it out for the remaining three semi-final spots over the last week of the regular season in Newcastle Rugby League.
Barring any extraordinary scores this coming weekend, it looks like the Pickers will collect first spot regardless of how they fare against the Goannas at Cessnock Sportsground because of their superior for-and-against record.
Wildfires women headed for finals
The Hunter Wildfires women have booked an historic first appearance in the Jack Scott Cup top division finals series.
After several weeks without posting a win, the Wildfires were convincing winners over Warringah in their must-win, final-round hit-out at Pittwater Park to set up a semi-final showdown with the big guns of Sydney women's premier rugby union - Sydney Uni.
The Wildfires men however have failed to make the Shute Shield finals despite a huge win of their own over the weekend.
At a local level, Hamilton came from 17-12 down early in the second half to beat Wanderers 27-24 at a boggy Passmore Oval on Saturday.
The win moved the Hawks to 47 points and secured a top-two finish with two rounds remaining.
What else happened
Newcastle City all but wrapped up the minor premiership in women's Black Diamond Cup . Former AFLW player Sarah Halvorsen was among City's goal scorers while Lily Wilsher-Saa landed a double.
In round 16 of the men's Black Diamond AFL competition Terrigal Avoca, Cardiff and Maitland all tasted success on Saturday.
Nova Thunder continued their giant-killing run in Newcastle championship netball with a first ever win over University of Newcastle while Souths moved closer to the minor premiership. There is just one round remaining of the regular season before the top-four sides contest the finals series at National Park.
The Newcastle Falcons men sealed a berth in the NBL1 East play-offs with a confidence-boosting victory over last-placed Bankstown Bruins.
Souths handed Norths their first loss of the season in Hunter Coast Premier Hockey League while an injury-ravaged Wests prevailed 2-1 over University.
The Newcastle Northstars farewelled departing duo Dash Quartarolo and James Downie in style as they kept alive their hopes of securing the Australian Ice Hockey League minor premiership.