Sawtell and Breakers happy to head to break

As the Senior competition heads into a break for the long weekend the teams that can be most happy with their current position are Sawtell Toormina Saints and Coffs Harbour Breakers based on their wins in round 7.

Saints extended their unbeaten start to the season to seven matches with a comfortable 100 point win over the Grafton Tigers at Ellem Oval. The Tigers only trailed by nine points at the first break and would have been closer but for an error in numbers on the field that cost them a goal. However Grafton couldn’t match Sawtell’s intensity after the first break as the Saints piled on six, five, and five goals in the remaining quarters against one apiece for the Tigers.

Jim Angel had a field day for Sawtell, kicking five goals. He received excellent support from Mitch Napier with four goals and Jordan Perks with three. Saints inaccuracy in front of goal was the only blemish on the day, with 20 behinds preventing the winning margin from being greater.

Lachie Glover continued his consistent season with two goals for Grafton, with Rhys McDonald and Ethan Olsen being the other players to enter the scorebook.

Sawtell Toormina Saints 18.20 (128) defeated Grafton Tigers 4.4 (28)

Poor kicking for goal by Coffs Harbour Breakers kept Port Macquarie Magpies in the contest until three quarter time of their match at Fitzroy Oval/The Old Camp.

To this stage of the match Breakers had 26 scoring shots to 12 but only held a four goal lead that saw the team looking over their shoulder, fearing a late surge from the Magpies. However a six goal to three final quarter by the Breakers saw them ease away to a comfortable 41 point margin and claim their first win of the season against an opponent other than Grafton.

Nick Stanlan-Velt led the line well, capitalising with six goals for the match. Luke Valdes turned in a strong all round performance to add two goals, whilst big Eli Gray was a stand out in the ruck.

Whilst Port will be disappointed to have lost, the effort was a marked improvement on the previous round. Fraser Carroll kicked 5 goals but the lack of additional multiple goal kickers cost the Magpies with none of the other five players to score being able to post more than one goal.

Coffs Harbour Breakers 15.21 (111) defeated Port Macquarie Magpies 10.10 (70)

In the Women’s match between Breakers and Port it was the Magpies that claimed the win but not before Breakers turned in their best effort of the season.

Ultimately the match was won in the second quarter where Port kicked two goals to none but Breakers were always within distance and didn’t allow Port to feel comfortable at any stage. Breakers only trailed by two points at the first break and managed to win the last quarter by a single point so will know that a first win of the season can’t be far away.

Ricki Pomroy played her second game of the season and kicked two goals for Port. In a different looking scorecard for the Magpies the other goals were kicked by Lauren Beasley, Katelyn Fuller, and Chanteille Mobbs, all of whom celebrated their first majors of the season.

Breakers scorers were Casey Miosge and Lisa Flick who also found their names on the scoresheet for the first time in 2018.

Port Macquarie Magpies 5.8 (38) defeated Coffs Harbour Breakers 2.5 (17)

For full results click here.