Round 15: Semi Final Dress Rehearsal

Photo: Brad Greenshields, Coffs Coast Advocate

Round 15 of the AFL North Coast Senior Competition doubles as a dress rehearsal for the Semi Finals with the same combatants set to face off in several weeks’ time at the business end of the season.

In the last local derby of the home and away season, top two Coffs Breakers and Sawtell Toormina Saints face off at Coffs Coast Sport and Leisure Park. There will be plenty of pride on the line as well as a potential psychological advantage ahead of the scheduled meeting on 19 August in the Qualifying Semi Final. Breakers are ahead by 2 victories to 1 in this season’s count and Sawtell will be desperate to even the ledger.

Breakers are on a four game winning streak, which includes a narrow 11 point victory in the previous derby. This win represented the first time that Breakers have beaten the Saints at the Richardson Park fortress, and the reigning premiers will be eager for revenge.

Sawtell only just snuck home last week with a nailbiting 5 point win over Port Macquarie Magpies. They will be looking for the return of key players from injury to bolster their ranks, and will also know that playing in Coffs Harbour will see more players available.

Breakers will start this match as favourites but know that the biggest risk is to take a wounded Sawtell lightly.

Grafton Tigers hit the highway on Saturday, making the road trip south to take on Port Magpies in Port.

The Tigers only win of the season came at home against Port back in round 3, but playing the Magpies at Wayne Richards Park poses a very different challenge. Grafton will be without Chris Curthoys who has transferred north and recent gun recruit Josh “The Package” Veness who was injured last weekend.

Although last week didn’t furnish the result they desperately wanted, Port will be buoyed by the fact they pushed Sawtell so hard and had more scoring shots than the Saints. The Magpies have their own major injury omission with Jesse Schmidt set to miss the next two matches due to concussion protocols.

These two teams meet again in a fortnight’s time in the Elimination Semi Final when both club’s season will be riding on the result. Saturday’s victor will set their sights on a positive run during the Finals, whereas the loser will have the best indication yet that their season is coming to a rapid close.

There is a slightly later start to the Port v Grafton fixture to make room in the schedule for the North Coast Women v Tamworth Kangaroos curtain-raiser. The first ever Women’s match in Port is at 1:30pm, with the first bounce in the main game at 2:55pm.

Round 15 Fixtures – Saturday 29 July 2017

Coffs Breakers v Sawtell Toormina Saints, Coffs Coast Sport and Leisure Park, Coffs Harbour at 2:20pm

Port Macquarie Magpies v Grafton Tigers, Wayne Richards Park, Port Macquarie at 2:55pm