Manuka massacre
ESSENDON flogged the GWS Giants in their final NAB Cup pre-season outing in Canberra on Saturday.
The Bombers bombed them 1.16.14 (119) to 0.4.4 (28), but the result wasn't a surprise.
The Giants' tall forward pair Jonathon Patton and Jeremy Cameron didn't play, and first-choice players Dom Tyson, Chad Cornes, Jonathan Giles, Matt Buntine, Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Gilham, Devon Smith and Will Hoskin-Elliott were also missing.
There were few highlights for the Giants.
Dylan Shiel sped away from a few packs and Sam Frost kicked two goals, but it was a much different side to the one which will take on the Sydney Swans in the opening AFL round on March 30.
Players with disabilities
Western Sydney people can now regularly play goalball, boccia and table tennis, thanks to a new program delivered by the PCYC Penrith and the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC).
Penrith PCYC now runs weekly programs for all three sports, with participants already reaping the benefits of having a dedicated training hub.
The deeper move into community sport comes as the APC works to establish better opportunities for people with a disability to play sport at school and in their local area, while also assisting the state and national bodies to further develop goalball, boccia and table tennis at a grassroots level.
People of all abilities are welcome to attend these events at PCYC:
Goalball: Each Saturday, 11am-1pm.
Cost: $3 a week
Boccia: Every second Saturday starting from February 23, 9am-11am. Cost: $3
Table tennis: Program runs each Saturday, 1pm-3pm. Cost: $3.
Details: Kara Retford at kara.retford@paralympic.org.au or 9704 0500.
Van Leeuwen backs academy
Young athletes from the Western Sydney Academy of Sport have received a boost from a partnership with Van Leeuwen, St Marys.
Van Leeuwen, a major distributor of steel products, has been in western Sydney for 25 years.
"It is with great pleasure what we have become involved with the Western Sydney Academy of Sport," Van Leeuwen commercial manager Greg Walker said.
The academy provides top training programs for young athletes to prepare them for the elite levels of sport.
Kids sign up for rugby union
Blue Mountains Junior Rugby Club recently finished its Come and Try Rugby program aimed at primary pupils.
The event event has been running for two years. It attracted nearly 50 new registrations.
The club has nominated eight junior teams for 2013, the most in its six-year history.
Anyone interested in joining should contact coach Matt Poulter on 0419 263 376.
The junior teams start their trial games on Sunday for places in the Penrith Emus Junior sides for the state championship on Queen's Birthday weekend. Visit the club's website at bluemountains.rugbynet.com.au for training information and coach contact details.
Friday night Minis numbers have also improved, and more teams have been nominated to compete in March Mini Madness to be run over the next four weeks at Nepean Rugby Park, Andrews Road, Cranebrook, 6pm-8pm.
Blue Mountains is a family club based a short drive from Penrith.
Inquiries: Owen Sargeant, 0425 667 768.