The Newcastle Knights cheerleaders are no strangers to the changing world of gender identity and sexual politics.
Last year, the cheerleading team changed its name and allowed males to join. No males tried out for what became known as the Newcastle Knights Dance Squad.
Tryouts for next season will be held on Tuesday at McDonald Jones Stadium. Males are invited again.
Newcastle Knights Dance Squad director Alex Tsambos said the squad still received comments about not having males.
"It's like, well, we want them," Alex said.
NRL cheerleading squads have faced a lot of criticism down the years over concerns about equality and feminism.
But in an interesting development last season, the Knights dance squad cheered on the Knights women's team.
"It was really good. We did the first game and a couple of performances for their half-time. We did a little bit of their player run-outs when we could," Alex said.
"We have spoken about incorporating the dance squad more regularly, which should be really good for us. They love it and we love it. The girls are great. They were stoked they got their own dance squad as well.
"They deserve it, they're on par."
Hang on, aren't they above the men now, given their success?
"Well they're premiers," Alex quipped.
It's ironic that cheerleaders have faced so much criticism, while music videos and social media show people in much skimpier outfits. Guess it's a horses for courses thing.
Alex said cheerleading had "never been about sexualisation".
"But I feel like we're way past that now. It's about us providing good quality gameday entertainment," she said.
Nevertheless, many NRL clubs dispensed with their cheerleaders in the purge.
"There's only about eight NRL teams left with dancers. They have a good, strong club culture, where they support the cheerleaders and dancers. That's why we haven't gone anywhere," she said.
Food Run
Retired farmer Alex Perkins was cut off from the outside world on his 141-hectare cattle property at Gungal in the Upper Hunter, when his access road became bogged in heavy rain.
Care worker Daniel Van Gelder came to the rescue, regularly bringing Alex his supermarket supplies from Muswellbrook.
Daniel, of Denman, drove as far as he could to the property, then carried the groceries by foot for two kilometres.
Alex, 80, was delighted that Daniel went to such lengths to provide him and his dog Jenna with food.
"I rely on him for a fair bit. I can't bend over. I can't get out of my chair much these days," said Alex, who recently broke his leg and ankle.
Daniel, of HammondCare At Home, picks up groceries, dog food and medications for Alex. He also does the vacuuming, washing and general tidying up.
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