A last man standing competition was run to provide a bit of entertainment for washed out residents in need of a sporting fix, or at least a walk outside.

Branxton was one of the few courses operating with many fairways and other sporting ­venues severely damaged or under water.

Also embracing the relentless downpour on Tuesday morning was East Maitland’s Kyle Branscombe, who invented a new game in ­driving rain.

Baseball coach Branscombe didn’t require any fielders as he struck a plastic ball off a tee with a bat and let the ankle-high floodwater bring it straight back to him – and in quick time. 

Sport has been the last thing on the minds of Maitland residents as many continue to deal with survival in the aftermath of the storm.

And getting around has proven difficult as well with the New England Highway among many roads still shut and people in Gillieston Heights, Hinton and Duckenfield remain ­isolated.

Boat has been the preferred option for SES crews and Tim Nichols, sporting his Maitland Rugby Club hoody, used a tinny to get to work the other day.

Newcastle Knights forward and NSW Country representative Robbie Rochow was caught in the eye of the super storm last week.

The Maitland junior was in Newcastle Private Hospital recovering from back surgery when the storm reached its peak on Tuesday morning.

The 24-year-old said the power blacked out overnight but the generators kicked in, which also prompted a full blast of airconditioning, before he returned home to Cooks Hill on Tuesday afternoon.

With confusion reaching fever pitch on Friday because of road closures, flood gate openings and the whisper of evacuations, many alternate arrangements had to be put in place.

One of those was for Maitland-based University cricketers Tim Prescott, and the Stewart brothers, Luke and Grant.

The trio needed to work out how to get to Newcastle Airport in time to catch a flight to the Gold Coast for their team’s end-of-season trip.

At one stage, Prescott considered travelling straight to the Raymond Terrace-based airport via the Hunter Expressway he was driving on to avoid traffic congestion despite not having ­collected his bag from home at Bolwarra.

Maitland Triathlon Club may have been forced to cancel their final race of the 2014-2015 season yesterday because of the ramifications of the super storm, but they still gathered last night to send off this weekend’s Australian ironman representatives off in style.

The Lavis brothers, including Maitland Blacks second grade captain Joe Lavis, were reunited on Anzac Day to perform music at the Baradine centenary service. 

Farley-raised Australian women’s rugby union representative Mollie Gray was one of the ambassadors at the Camp Gallipoli held in Sydney on Saturday as part of the Anzac ­centenary commemorations.

Rhali Dobson shared the top goal scorer honours with Tara Andrews for 2014-2015. The Newcastle Jets made the announcement at yesterday’s club presentation.

Teammate Emily van Egmond was named the Jets’ W-League player of the year and Andrew Hoole picked up the gong for the men’s A-League side after their season ended with the wooden spoon.

And finally, yesterday marked 500 days to go until the Rio Paralympics.

Numbers Game: 0 – the number of sporting events held in Maitland during the weekend following the devastating super storm last week.

Moment That Mattered: Community ­rallying together to support those in need across Maitland and the Hunter with SES, Ausgrid and other emergency crews at the frontline. Thanks!

Quote: “Lest we forget.”