Breakers surge into Men’s top spot

Coffs Harbour Breakers stand alone at the top of the Senior Competition ladder following victory over the competition’s other front runners Port Macquarie Magpies.

What was expected to be the most even contest of the season was balanced out even further by the wet and greasy conditions at Fitzroy Oval. This was perfectly highlighted in the first quarter with Port holding a slender four point lead at the first break.

Breakers started to get a grip on both the conditions and the match in the second quarter to hit the front and go to the main break with a 10 point advantage. Breakers stepped up again in the third term and extended the lead to four goals but Port were still in the contest at three quarter time.

A five goal to one last quarter blitz from the Breakers sealed an impressive win as they ran out the match the stronger compared to a visibly tiring Magpies outfit.

Brent Russo, Shaydan and Royce Close were the standout performers for the Coffs team. Brodee Hood and Shaydan Close kicked four goals apiece, with Nick Stanlan-Velt adding two. The sour note for the victors is the anticipated long term loss of Chris Frangos to a serious knee injury.

Kye Taylor and Jesse Schmidt each kicked two goals for Port on a day when the team contribution was down on the opening two rounds.

Coffs Harbour Breakers 14.10 (94) defeated Port Macquarie Magpies 7.6 (48)

Reigning premiers Sawtell Toormina Saints claimed a badly needed first win of the season with an improved performance against the struggling Grafton Tigers.

Sawtell started slowly to hold a 20 point lead at the first break, but accelerated away with five, eight, and five goals in the remaining three quarters against a solitary response from the Tigers.

Saints will be pleased with the 130 point win but, considering that the Breakers and Port both won by more than 200 points, it shows that Sawtell has some way to go to close the gap to the top two teams.

The Tigers were light on numbers and will be expecting a better turn out next week for their nominal home match at Woolgoolga.

Sawtell Toormina Saints 21.12 (138) defeated Grafton Tigers 1.2 (8)

A report on the round 3 Women’s matches will appear online on Tuesday (6 May).

For full results click here.