Mob’s sporting stars set to shine

Our Mob have produced some of the best athletes across all sports ever. Household names like Evonne Goolagong-Cawley and Ash Barty in tennis, Lionel Rose and Tony Mundine in boxing, Cathy Freeman in athletics, Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin in AFL and Arthur Beetson and Johnathan Thurston in NRL to name just a few legends in a few sports.

At the famed Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, November 7, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards will be held, hosted by Dean Widders and Bo de la Cruz. The 2000 Sydney Olympics hero and 400m gold medallist champion, Cathy Freeman, will also be a special guest speaker.

The nominees across 11 awards will recognise the achievements of both up-and-coming stars, coaches, volunteers, teams and grassroots sports. Two other awards will honour the National Trailblazer and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The finalists of the National Sportsperson of the Year are Calab Law (Athletics), Caitlyn Costello (Rugby Union) and Callum Peters (Boxing).

The National Junior Sportsperson of the Year will have Leilani Zurich (Surfing), Atticus Ware (American Football) and Bonnie Rose (Hockey).

The National Senior Elder Sportsperson of the Year has nominees with Julie Phillips (Endurance Running), Christopher Hume (Boxing) and Adrian Morgan (AFL).

The award for National Sporting Volunteer of the Year will honour those people who turn up every weekend on game days and during the week to help clubs or individuals. Without them, many sports people, young and old, may miss out on competing.

The three nominees in this category are Emma Thomas (Bunurong Sporting Club), Helen Archibald (Fitzroy Stars Football/Netball Club) and Arika Appleby (Lessgo Running Club).

The award for National Sports Media of the Year will go to either Michael Rennie (NITV), Bo de la Cruz (NITV) or Torres Strait Islander Media Association.

The finalists for National Coach of the Year are Chris Arnott (Brazilian JuJitsu), Troy Williamson (Hockey) and Luke Penrith (Basketball).

The National Sports Competition of the Year will be between 30th UniSport Indigenous Nationals 2026, 2026 WA NAIDOC Basketball Carnival and Kurrung Sports Carnival NT.

National Sports Team of the Year awards will be given out to one of these three contenders with Mob the Marathon (Marathon Running), Fitzroy Stars Women’s Football Team (AFL) and Clifton Hill (JuJitsu).

Referees and umpires, love them or hate them, we don’t have any sport without them. The National Sports Official of the Year finalists are Jordan Kiss (Netball), Joshua James (AFL umpire) and Baluun Simon (Rugby League).

The National Community Sporting Organisation of the Year will be decided from Fitzroy Stars Football/Netball Club (Netball), John Moriarty Football (Soccer) and Koorie Academy (Basketball).

One of the most inspirational awards to be handed out on the night will be the National Sportsperson With a Disability of the Year which will have three nominees with Layla Sharpe (Para Athletics), Briseis Brittain (Para Athletics) and Terrence Conway (Motorcycling).

Good luck to all nominees. It’s a cliche for sure, but you’re all winners, you are flying the flags for our people and inspiring the next generations and those who are already forging their sports career.