Seasons could be shaped in round 6

Saturday brings top of the table clashes in both the Senior and Women’s grades when Coffs Harbour Breakers play host to Port Macquarie Magpies.

The men’s match presents the Breakers with the chance to extend their gap over Port to eight points and really establish them as the premiership favourites.

The Breakers already have a four point lead over their closest rival courtesy of victory over the Magpies in the first battle of the season. The Magpies were missing a number of key players when they faced off at Fitzroy Oval last time around and will be hoping to put a near full strength team on the park to give themselves the best chance of upsetting their hosts. One player who will be missing is James Moir who injured his knee in their last start and faces a three week lay-off.

Breakers led all the way in the last encounter and were only able to put some distance between themselves and Port on the scoreboard in the last term. Port will be conscious of this and will be looking to finish more strongly, whilst Breakers will be keen for a fast start as the Magpies have generally served up their best efforts in the first half of matches.

Breakers are starting to look like a well oiled machine and have the form player of the competition leading the line in Shaydan Close. He has received great service from Brent Russo and Kieren Bellemore and keeping this trio quiet will be key if the Magpies are to be in with a shout.

In the other fixture of the round Grafton Tigers host Sawtell Toormina Saints at Centennial Oval, Woolgoolga.

Grafton are enduring a tough season and are desperately trying to close the gap to the other three teams. They have a quality group of youngsters but are missing the experienced leaders to plug key positions and add starch to the line up. Despite a number of heavy defeats the Tigers haven’t given up in any match this season. This never say die attitude is the club’s greatest asset and can be a key foundation for the club to build upon.

Sawtell not only has a long injury list but their pride has also taken a battering. The reigning premiers have only won once from five starts and will be looking to the match against the Tigers as a must win encounter that they will hope can be a spring board for the rest of the season.

A preview of the round 6 Women’s matches will appear online on Thursday (23 May).

For full fixture details, click here.