Seventh NSW Blues player to miss Ashes tour with Australia
Liam Martin, who would have been one of the first picked for the end-of-season tour with the Kangaroos, has confirmed he is expecting his first child with fiancée Chelsea, and is ready to stay at home for the birth.
Martin had to miss last year's Pacific Championships because of a shoulder injury, but was one of the back-rowers for Australia in 2023, and also a member of the World Cup-winning squad in 2022.
Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton, Brian To'o, Spencer Leniu and most likely Payne Haas will commit to playing for Samoa at the end of the year, while Stefano Utoikamanu, who has also played for Samoa, said he was keen to honour his father's heritage and represent Tonga.
Brad Fittler this week pulled out of the race to replace Mal Meninga as Kangaroos coach, saying he wanted to focus on his media commitments with Channel Nine. There has been a push from senior Maroons for Cameron Smith to take over from Meninga, who relinquished the post once he took over as head coach of the new Perth Bears franchise.
Kevin Walters and even Wayne Bennett, who have both worked as representative coaches, remain in the mix.
Martin said he never wanted to pass up an opportunity to play Test football, but did not want to be stranded on the other side of the world when his first child was born.
'We're due in October – I'm pretty excited – but it means I'll probably have to pull out of the Ashes,' Martin said.
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Professor Eddie Cubillo is a Larrakia, Wadjigan, and Central Arrernte man from the Northern Territory and a leading advocate for Indigenous justice. He has served in key roles including Anti-Discrimination Commissioner of the NT, Executive Officer of NATSILS, and Director of Community Engagement for the NT Royal Commission. A PhD holder, he was Associate Dean (Indigenous Programs) at Melbourne Law School and Director of its Indigenous Law and Justice Hub. Now Director of the Mabo Centre, he continues to champion legal reform and self-determination. Eddie is also a proud father and grandfather, grounded in community and culture. "I've been a lawyer and I've been anti-discrimination commissioner, but you just sit there and you do it for your people, right?" an emotional Prof Cubillo told NITV. "And that's how tough it is ... you just walk along on that journey. "And then when you get to awards like this, it means so much." Innovation Award: Blak Brews Blak Brews is a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned Australian tea and coffee company founded by husband-and-wife duo Troy and Cerisa Benjamin. Based in Geelong, they are flipping the script on what tea can be, sourcing the highest quality organic native ingredients to craft blends that are vibrant, wild, medicinal, and seriously good for you. Since winning Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars, Blak Brews has exploded into the spotlight globally, while receiving the mentorship of celebrity British chef Gordon Ramsay himself. They're fast becoming one of the most sought-after tea brands in the food and beverage space, proudly breaking old stereotypes and sparking a movement. "We're only a few years into business and we've had a really strong start, probably something that a lot of businesses would love to have," Troy said. "And we've just had some great success early and it's given us so much encouragement. "But just to be recognised by your peers and your friends and, and your mob and your community, then to be doing it in front of a public setting like tonight and be able to share it is just incredible." Cerisa said the business started during COVID, when she was researching essential oils, then the couple were intrigued by the tea world. "I found out that there's amazing properties with native ingredients," she said. "And it just kind of spiralled into a tea and coffee business." Troy said their motivation is about capturing the connection that all of Australia has with the humble cup of tea. "Our ancient people, we weren't brewing tea as such, we were boiling the plants for medicinal reasons," he said. "Everyone's got the kettle on their bench in the 80s and 90s and, and coming over for a cup of tea. "So to be able to use those two really historically rich pathways that a lot of people are familiar with and to combine them into this product is, I think, something really powerful."
