Players and family members celebrated the Narrandera Knights’ 2024 MIA Senior League and 2025 Western Junior League representative seasons at the Narrandera Ex-Servicemen’s Club last Sunday. With 120 players and families in attendance, there was lots of reminiscing about the past successful seasons and excitement for the process to start again soon for next 2025-26.

This year’s event included celebration of Best and Fairest winners from the Knights 2024 MIA Senior League intertown season between Narrandera, Leeton, Griffith and West Wyalong. Matt Dillon was back-to-back winner of the Martin Hiscox B&F Medal, dominating the votes to finish on 34 points, with runner-up Darcy Mimmo 12.

In the women’s competition, Caren Hugo made a triumphant return to Knights representative duties, taking out the Toni Kerr B&F Medal on 33 points and edging out junior Bellah Longford 27.

The Kerry Vaughan Niven Memorial Medal, awarded annually to a junior representative player who best exemplifies the attributes of teamwork and leadership, integrity, hard work and sportsmanship, was presented by Julie Newman to Jye Winnell.

Jye, a very worthy recipient, has been a Knights representative player over eight WJL seasons. During 2025, Jye played his final junior season with the U18B side, being named their joint Rep Player of the Year. As a senior player, Jye was a regular member of the Knights MIA League side in 2024 and also player in local competitions. As well as being a valued WJL and local competition referee, Jye regularly assists at skills days and development sessions for Narrandera juniors.

This Knight of the Year award recognises outstanding commitment of an individual who has performed above and beyond the normal call of duty in a voluntary capacity for the benefit of the Association and members. Three respected members were nominated this year – experienced coach Peter O’Leary, rising athlete Samantha Kerr, and Toni Kerr, with President Lee Longford presenting the well-deserved award to Toni with much applause from the crowd.

Toni, a four-time Western Junior League championship winning coach, also referees at WJL and local senior competitions, is a repeat coach for the Knights MIA League women, an organiser of the local junior girls’ competitions, and actively participates in local women’s competitions.

Toni’s basketball undertakings extend outside Narrandera, with involvement in Basketball NSW and Southern Sports Academy coaching, where those skills are transferred back to our community through local basketball and school-based programs. Narrandera schools benefit from Toni’s program development at Riverina and PSSA level.

As Referee Coordinator, Lee thanked the Narrandera referees who officiated throughout the WJL season. With every association required to nominate a qualified referee for each team, these members are vital to the Knights’ participation. Referees during the 2025 were Matthew Dillon, Toni Kerr, Bellah Longford, Colin Longford, Lee Longford, Neal Tait and Jye Winnell.

Junior team awards were presented by their coaches who provided a summary of the season, before announcing their Representative Player of the Year and Coaches Awards recipients.

• U12 Boys – Representative Player of the Year Jaxon Richens; Coaches Award Luca Quinn.

• U14 Girls – Representative Player of the Year Sasha Quinn; Coaches Award Gwen Durnan and Anneliese Hutchison.

• U14 Boys – Representative Player of the Year Kabe Flanagan; Coaches Awards Tom Pendergast and Cohen Moran.

• U16 Boys – Representative Players of the Year Judd Powell; Coaches Awards Oliver Mohr, Jed Scott, Liam Tait.

• U16 Girls – Representative Player of the Year Samantha Kerr; Coaches Award Elsie Pendergast.

• U18 Boys – Representative Player of the Year Jye Winnell and Noah Tait; Coaches Awards Felix Warren Porteous.