Local derby could decide minor premiership

Photo: Brad Greenshields/Green Shoots Marketing

The 2018 minor premiership goes on the line in this week’s battle between local rivals Sawtell Toormina Saints and Coffs Harbour Breakers.

The equation is simple – a Saints victory and they secure top billing, a win to the Breakers and the gap shortens to eight points with two rounds remaining. More important is that with Finals just around the corner, the winner takes a strong psychological advantage into the end of season matches.

Sawtell has lost only one match this season, but that was to the Breakers who are in the midst of their most consistent form of the season. The Breakers current run of four consecutive wins was directly preceded by a loss to the Saints but this was avenged in round 10 for Sawtell’s only blemish of the season.

This match will be a beauty with neither team prepared to take a backward step. Both sides should be close to full strength and with a near perfect forecast spectator’s are all but guaranteed of a hard, fast and skillful display.

In the Women’s match between these two clubs, Breakers are buoyed after last week’s maiden win and will be keen to give a good follow-up showing. Making this challenging will be the absence of a number of players due to prior commitments so troops could be a little light on the ground.

Sawtell were disappointed to be held to a draw by Port in their last outing and will be motivated to return to winning ways ahead of the Finals. The Saints haven’t lost to Breakers yet and will be keen to go through the home and away season without having dropped a local derby match.

Grafton Tigers play host to Port Macquarie Magpies at Ellem Oval but will have no intention of putting out the welcome mat. Whilst their 2018 season is effectively over with no chance of playing Finals the Tigers will be looking for a scalp as a highlight of this year’s endeavours and to set a marker for 2019.

The Tigers form had been good for the past month until last week when the club experienced a shortage of troops. In that time they had been competitive in all matches and went within an ace of beating Port in Port. That result will provide extra added motivation for the Tigers and will no doubt feature heavily in the coach’s pre-match address.

Surprisingly, Port have had less struggles on road trips to Grafton this season than they have in playing the Tigers at home. The last clash at Ellem Oval was in round eight and saw the Magpies claim a 115 point win that certainly improved the road trip home.

The Magpies have endured a lean season where the majority of performances have been good but haven’t been converted into positive results. They will be looking at this match as the start of their Finals Series and will be desperate to record the win that can start a premiership tilt.

Round 13 fixtures – Friday 27  & Saturday 28 July

Coffs Harbour Breakers v Sawtell Toormina Saints at Fitzroy Oval/The Old Camp (Under 17  at 5:30pm on Friday, Women at 11:50am, Reserves at 1:20pm, Seniors at 2:50pm on Saturday)

Grafton Tigers v Port Macquarie Magpies at Ellem Oval, Grafton (Under 17 at 12:30pm, Seniors at 2:20pm)

For full fixture details, click here.