Round 3 wrap: Breakers claim local derby
At Leisure Park, the Coffs Breakers club ensured that their first home game of the season was a memorable affair with a touching tribute to the ANZACs adding to what was a highly anticipated showdown between the League’s two unbeaten teams and a replay of last year’s Grand Final.
When the game got underway it was the Breakers young guns that impressed early, with Jack Mapleson, Jacob Sincock, and Luke Symons winning the centre clearances and providing quality delivery into the forward line where Shaydan Close capitalised with three first quarter goals. Matt Flynn returned from injury to lead the Sawtell defence but they struggled to come up with any answers in the first term and found themselves down by 6 goals at the first break.
Whatever was said at quarter time did the trick as Sawtell had the better of play in the second stanza, but couldn’t exert scoreboard pressure. Jed Ellis-Cluff got his hands on the ball on a regular basis, providing good supply into the forward 50, where Daniel Pritchard take a number of strong marks. The closeness of the quarter was highlighted by the scoring in this time, with Sawtell posting 5 behinds to the Breakers 2.
Breakers blew the game wide open in the third quarter, landing 9 majors against just the 1 for Sawtell. Jack Mapleson and Ben Gibbeson each added 2 goals, while five other players also hit the scoreboard in this quarter. Sawtell won the last quarter by a goal, but the damage was already done and there was no way back into the match for the reigning Premier.
Breakers coach Nic von Schill was really pleased with his team’s performance. “The club placed a lot of focus on this match with the ANZAC celebrations and it was important that the team rose to the challenge of the big stage. Any concerns were removed with the first quarter performance and from that point on it was important that we continued with the same level of effort and intensity.”
In the Sawtell camp there was no sign of panic after the match. Coach Jim Angel said, “Last season we only won one of the first four matches, so we’re already better placed this season. We know where we need to improve and will work hard on the training track this week to make sure we give a better account of ourselves next Saturday.”
Coffs Breakers 19.7.121 defeated Sawtell Toormina Saints 6.12.48
Next week sees the first round in the C.ex Cross Conference format where North Coast teams take on their rivals from the Northern Rivers League. Grafton are at home to the Byron Magpies, Breakers head up the highway to take on the Ballina Bombers, Sawtell are away to the Lismore Swans, whilst the Tweed Coast Tigers make the long, long trip to Port.
