Blues overcome Breakers hoodoo

The Northern Beaches Blues celebrate their win over the Coffs Breakers. Photo: Green Shoots Marketing

TRY AS hard as they could in six previous meetings, Northern Beaches could never overcome the Coffs Breakers. That all changed on Saturday.

The Blues toppled the top of the ladder Breakers and proved they’re worthy premiership contenders with a six-point victory after a physical battle of attrition.

Northern Beaches coach Adrian Roberts said the ability this time to not only handle the physical pressure the Breakers apply to them on each occasion but to also apply a similar level of physical pressure in return was the key to the Blues’ victory.

“Normally in a game like that, I reckon nine times out of ten we’ve succumbed to that but this time we stood up, we matched them and I think that got under their skin a little bit,” Roberts said.

“I was really proud that the girls put in four quarters of hard footy. Really good to watch.”

Gina Cardillo won plenty of possessions in the midfield for the Blues with Jess Midivaine not far behind her when it came to influencing the result.

Roberts said he thinks his midfield doesn’t get the plaudits it deserves.

“We’ve got a strong midfield. There’s a lot of girls in there who go unnoticed or unrecognised but as a group they’re really starting to play well together and that’s what is impressing me,” he said.

For the Breakers the result was their first loss after a run of 15 consecutive victories which included an undefeated run through all of 2020.

Their coach Brad Giri took the loss in his stride and saw the Breakers’ jar as half full.

“It was disappointing to lose but it might not be the worst thing to happen,” Giri said.

“There are still some players to come back for us and it’s just one loss.”

The Blues have made no secrets this year their aim is to win the premiership to overcome the disappointment of the loss to the Breakers in last year’s grand final. Roberts said this victory just might’ve unlocked the secret on how they can achieve that.

“They (the Breakers) are a physical side and if we want to win this cup, we’ve got to match them,” he said.

“So that was in our mindset the whole game, match them with the physicality and don’t be scared to put your head over the ball. I’m really proud that they did that all day.”

COFFS BREAKERS 1.0 2.2 3.2 4.3 (27)
NORTHERN BEACHES 1.3 1.3 3.3 5.3 (33)
Goals – N.Bch: A.Farrell, S.Bower, R.Frost. Break: A.Devine 2, R.Goodenough, A.Johanson.

PLAYING their first match in four weeks, the Lismore Swans took some time to hit their stride in the clash at Port Macquarie.

At half time the Swans may have held a two-point lead but it was the Magpies who’d done the bulk of the attacking.

Port Macquarie had four scoring shots to one before the main break but failed to convert any of those opportunities into goals. A statistic that would eventually prove costly.

In the third term Lismore gained an advantage with straight kicking again proving the difference. The Swans goaled twice through Georgia Morris and Sam Whiston while Port Macquarie kicked two behinds. It made the margin at the last change 12-points and it was one the home side, try as they might, couldn’t overcome.

Lismore coach Ken McPherson said it was a hard-earned victory thanks to Port Macquarie’s effort.

“I was pretty impressed with Port. They’ve learned a lot,” McPherson said.

“They tackled hard and put a lot of pressure on us.”

PORT MACQUARIE 0.1 0.4 0.6 0.6 (6)
LISMORE SWANS 1.0 1.0 3.0 3.1 (19)
Goals – Lis: S.Whiston, G.Morris, K.Schafer. Port: Nil.
Best – Lis: S.Whiston, A.Keen, G.Morris, S.Allen. Port: K.Stelzer, A.Kirkby, M.Robertson, F.Bagley, E.Heeney.

WOMEN’S LADDER

	P	W	D	L	WIN %	FOR	AGST	%
Coffs Breakers	7	6	0	1	85.71	398	81	491.36
Northern Beaches	6	5	0	1	83.33	297	126	235.71
Lismore Swans	6	4	0	2	66.67	215	123	174.80
Port Macquarie	6	2	0	4	33.33	96	172	55.81
Sawtell/Toormina	5	1	0	4	20.00	56	223	25.11
Grafton	6	0	0	6	0.00	43	381	11.29

ROUND 10 – SATURDAY, JULY 3

SAWTELL/TOORMINA vs NORTHERN BEACHES at Richardson Park, Sawtell
(10.50am – Women; 12.20pm – Reserves; 1.50pm – Seniors)
LISMORE SWANS vs GRAFTON at Oakes Oval, Lismore
(1.20pm – Women; 2.50pm – Seniors)
COFFS BREAKERS vs NAMBUCCA VALLEY at Fitzroy Oval/Old Camp, Coffs Harbour
(10am – Under-17s [Breakers vs Saints]; 1.00pm – Seniors)
PORT MACQUARIE vs CASINO LIONS at Wayne Richards Park, Port Macquarie
(2.50pm – Seniors)