Second half of the season is underway

Photo: Brad Greenshields/Green Shoots Marketing

The second half of the season picked up where the first half left off, with Port Macquarie Magpies and Coffs Breakers setting the pace, but there were also positive signs that the Grafton Tigers and Sawtell Toormina Saints can have an impact before season’s end.

At Centennial Oval, Woolgoolga, the Magpies proved too strong for Grafton as was expected. An opening quarter of ten goals to none meant that a Port win was all but confirmed early in the piece, however the Tigers fought back strongly in the second to win the quarter by four goals to two and record a rare positive in their season to date.

Port regained their focus after the long break and won both of the remaining quarters by small margins to ease their way to a 77 point win.

Tom Marmo and Ryan Barnett each kicked three goals for Port, while Dylan Cameron, Kyle Lynch, and Hugo Henderson kicked two each.

For Grafton, Sam Burge kicked two goals playing against his former teammates.

Port Macquarie Magpies 17.12 (114) defeated Grafton Tigers 5.7 (37)

The local derby between Sawtell Toormina Saints and Coffs Harbour Breakers had more twists and turns than a crime novel before Breakers eventually came away with the chocolates.

The first quarter was a close tussle with just one goal separating the teams at the first break. The Breakers were quick out of the blocks in the second term and it looked as though the damage was done as they went to the half time break with a comfortable 26 point lead but the Saints staged an impressive fight back in the third term. Sawtell kicked three goals for the quarter but, more importantly, held the potent Coffs forward line goalless to roar back into the match and trail by just nine points heading into the final term.

Momentum shifted completely after the last break with Breakers able to re-discover their rhythm to respond with five goals and keep the Saints from scoring to ease away to a seven goal win.

Ben Gibbeson and Nick Stanlan-Velt each kicked four goals for the Breakers. Shaydan Close had a rare quiet day but was still good enough to manage two goals.

For the Saints, Curtis Smith was the leading goal kicker with three. Hamish Bird’s influence is starting to grow as he regains fitness and this was evident from his two goals.

Coffs Harbour Breakers 13.12 (90) defeated Sawtell Toormina Saints 7.6 (48)

A report on the Women’s competition will appear online on Tuesday (18 June).

For full results click here.