Premiership race starting to heat up

Another intriguing round of AFL North Coast footy lies ahead as teams jostle for dominance on the field and on the ladder.

Following this round, each Senior team will have played every opponent once and pundits will be in the best position yet to gauge the relative merits of each club’s premiership chances.

To the winner of the match between Grafton Tigers and Sawtell Toormina Saints goes the honour of top spot on the ladder. In any other season this would see them crowned early season favourites, but in this condensed year we are already rapidly approaching the mid point of the season.

To date, the season looks like being one of the closest in memory with all club competing strongly and every win will be hard earned. This match will be no different – Grafton come in with a record of two wins, one narrow loss, while Saints are unbeaten after two matches (plus a bye).

Both teams are brimming with young talent that will be able to focus solely on this top flight encounter after the Under 17 fixture was postponed. Grafton’s youngsters are benefiting hugely from having a core group of experienced players to set the tone and win the hard balls which has been key to the team’s rejuvenation in 2020.

Back at home there will be key inclusions in players like Ben and Chris Holder and Evan Whitty and the team should be close to full strength.

The Saints are in a similar position, however their core group of experienced players are in their early to mid twenties. Overall, this gives Sawtell possibly the youngest average age of any of the teams in the competition. Matthew Zerna has been cleared from Tasmania and looks as though he’ll be a handy acquisition for the club.

The match between Coffs Harbour Breakers and Port Macquarie Magpies is equally as compelling. The first Grand Final re-match of the season features two teams whose fortunes to date haven’t gone quite to plan.

Reigning Premiers Breakers are winless from two games played in a start to the season that nobody predicted. Digging deeper, the club is yet to put a team on the park that’s close to full strength and will certainly welcome back Shaydan Close from a spell on the Gold Coast.

Breakers need to get runs on the board quickly and will have marked this home match as a must win clash. Expect to see the Breakers playing with real desperation to get their season properly underway.

Port claimed their first win last week with a nail-biting win over Grafton. The overwhelming feeling around the club was one of relief, not just because the match nearly slipped away, but also because the predominantly new playing group now has tangible proof that they can be competitive in 2020.

Next challenge for Port is to win away from home, and that won’t be easy against a determined Breakers at Fitzroy Oval.

In the Women’s competition, Coffs Harbour Breakers are at home to traditional rivals Sawtell Toormina Saints.

The Breakers have had two strong wins from two starts and have already marked themselves as a huge premiership threat. After the disappointment of last year’s Finals campaign the team will be looking to push on ruthlessly and make sure that this year is their time in the sun.

Breakers have the bye next round and will want to head into that mini-break with winning momentum.

Sawtell have to respond to a double challenge. Not only do they have to find a way to beat the dominant team in the season to date, they also have to back up from a tough game on Wednesday night. The club has picked up a number of players from Port Macquarie, with three of these unable to make the mid week trip, and the team will be looking to these players to lead the way with their fresh legs.

For full details of round four fixtures please click here.