sport
Local footy, tennis, and MLB: Here's the week that was on Cairns fields
From junior tennis at Wimbledon to the MLB draft and AFL finals talk, Cairns sports fans had plenty to follow this week.
How we reported this
Cairns sports fans turned their eyes to screens and local grounds this week as a mix of national and international events delivered drama, milestones, and a glimpse of what's ahead.
The biggest story carried a local name. Cruz Hewitt, the 17-year-old tennis talent from Cairns, saw his junior Wimbledon campaign end in the boys' singles final on Monday. He lost to Jordan Lee in three sets on Court 12 at the All England Club. Hewitt, the son of former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, had been the talk of the tournament, but the runner-up finish still marks the best junior major result by a Cairns-raised player in years.
Far from the grass courts of London, Cairns AFL fans had reason to watch the GWS Giants' thrashing of Geelong on the weekend. The Giants won by 38 points at Manuka Oval, a performance that led one analyst to declare they “saved their best for the best” and showed they are capable of a deep finals run. For the Cairns-based Giants supporters' group that meets at the RSL in Edge Hill, it was a satisfying watch after a patchy season.
MLB draft and a new Warriors assistant
Over in the United States, the 2026 MLB draft wrapped up its first two days. Day 1 saw the first round completed, with the usual mix of winners and losers emerging from the analysis. Day 2 continued Monday (U.S. time) with rounds 3 through 10. While no Cairns-born player was selected this year, the last local to be drafted was Brisbane-based pitcher Josh Tols in 2022, the draft remains a key scouting date for Cairns baseball families who stream the coverage from the Cairns Baseball League clubhouse at Holloways Beach.
In the NBA, the Golden State Warriors made a coaching move that resonated with local basketball fans. According to league sources, the Warriors plan to hire Frank Vogel as associate head coach. Vogel, a former NBA champion coach with the Lakers, will join Steve Kerr's staff. For Cairns basketball followers who packed the Early Settler Stadium for NBL1 North games, seeing a high-profile name take an assistant role signals the league's depth.
What's next on the local calendar
This weekend the Cairns AFL senior men's competition heads into the final round before finals. The ladder-leading North Cairns Tigers play Port Douglas at Tigerland in Manunda on Saturday afternoon. The women's grand final is set for August 8 at Cazaly's Stadium, with Southside Swans looking to defend their title.
The Cairns Taipans NBL side, meanwhile, is in pre-season training at the Phoenix Basketball Association courts in Manoora. Their first official trial match is scheduled for late August against the Brisbane Bullets.
For Cairns sports fans, there's no shortage of homegrown action to follow, and while the global headlines this week featured a local teenager's run at Wimbledon, the real stories are being written on the grounds here.