Tigers hunting for first victory roar

Grafton will be chasing its first ever win in the AFL North Coast women's competition on Saturday. Photo: Green Shoots Marketing

THE combination of Grafton’s improved form and a home game where the Tigers will be able to field close to a full strength team could result in the team’s first win in AFL North Coast women’s ranks.

Last week the Tigers led the Lismore Swans early in the final term while kicking their highest score of the season before falling short of the mark only in the last 10 minutes. This week it will be Port Macquarie who is the target for Grafton to possibly make some club history.

Grafton coach Warren Bagnall said the Tigers women will be encouraged by the strong showing against the Swans.

“They all played well, it was definitely our best game that we played all year,” Bagnall said.

“We should have a full team too this week playing at home.”

Port Macquarie comes into this encounter almost as an unknown as the Magpies have played only once in the past four weeks. Their last match was a fortnight ago when Port had more scoring shots than the Lismore Swans but couldn’t quite get the win.

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Swans eye-off top two berth

THE importance of the next two rounds for the Lismore Swans women’s team 

The Swans trail the top two teams on the ladder, the Breakers and Northern Beaches, by just a game. If the Lismore women are going to finish in the top two and earn a coveted double chance at the end of the season, the Swans need to knock off one of the teams sitting above them.

The time to grab one of those big victories has arrived now. Over the next two Saturday’s the Lismore Swans first face Coffs Breakers away then it’s back at home the week after to meet Northern Beaches.

The situation isn’t lost on Swans coach Ken McPherson.

“If we can get a win a over the Breakers or Northern Beaches then we we’re a chance of finishing second,” McPherson said.

“We can still finish on top but realistically because of percentage it looks like second spot will be as high as we can finish.”

Taking one step at a time, the Swans first need to focus on the Breakers.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge with the Breakers. We’re hoping to down a strong squad. We might be missing three or four but it will be a strong team,” the coach said.

“We’d like to think knowing that last time we played the Breakers we outscored them in the last quarter, it gives us the belief that we can match them on the day.”

ROUND 11 – Saturday, July 10

GRAFTON vs PORT MACQUARIE at Ellem Oval, Grafton
(10am – Under-17s [Tigers vs Saints]; 11.50am – Women; 1.20pm – Reserves; 2.50pm – Seniors)
COFFS BREAKERS vs LISMORE SWANS at Fitzroy Oval/Old Camp, Coffs Harbour
(11am – Under-17s [Breakers vs Inverell]; 12.50pm – Reserves [Breakers vs Blues]; 2.20pm – Women; 3.50pm – Seniors)
NORTHERN BEACHES vs NAMBUCCA VALLEY at Centennial Oval, Woolgoolga
(2.50pm – Seniors)
CASINO LIONS vs SAWTELL/TOORMINA at Queen Elizabeth Park, Casino
(1.45pm – Seniors)

Final scores from around the grounds will be posted on Twitter soon after the siren sounds in the senior matches – Follow @AFLNorthCoast

WOMEN’S LADDER

	P	W	D	L	WIN %	FOR	AGST	%
Coffs Breakers	7	6	0	1	85.71	399	81	492.59
Northern Beaches	7	6	0	1	85.71	325	132	246.21
Lismore Swans	7	5	0	2	71.43	265	153	173.20
Port Macquarie	6	2	0	4	33.33	96	172	55.81
Sawtell/Toormina	6	1	0	5	16.67	65	251	25.90
Grafton	7	0	0	7	0.00	73	431	16.94