On Saturday just gone the mighty Maitland Pickers blew South Newcastle Lions out of the park by 46 points to 10 to win the 2023 Denton Engineering Cup in the Newcastle Rugby League for the second consecutive time. They'll be trying to back up for another hat-trick as they have done in the past. It was only last weekend when the Maitland Blacks took out the premiership in the local rugby competition. We always say that the beautiful rich Maitland soil could grow babies; it certainly grows great footballers of all kinds of different codes. I want to acknowledge their coach, Matt Lantry, and his coaching staff. It's no mean feat to go back to back, but here the Maitland boys have done that. Now they've all got a well-deserved break.

I also want to pay my condolences to the family of Brett Christiansen. He recently passed away, in fact on Friday night. He was a great Picker; he was a rugby league champion. May he rest in peace. We'll deeply feel his loss in rugby league communities throughout Maitland.

On more positive news I just want to say: nine on the trot, Newcastle Knights! Go! Home elimination final this Sunday against the Canberra Raiders at McDonald Jones Stadium. Kick off at four o'clock. 'Ken Behrens' won't know what hit them!