High stakes encounters for women
Gina Cardillo looks to get a handball away to a Northern Beaches teammate the last time the Blues played against the Lismore Swans.
Photo: Green Shoots Marketing
FOR the second time this season there will be three women’s matches played on the one day. And all of them have high stakes attached to them.
Lismore Swans coach Ken McPherson summed up his team’s meeting against Northern Beaches on Saturday as “cut-throat”.
If the Swans are going to be a chance of sneaking into second position at the end of the year, they need to overcome the Blues at Oakes Oval.
Last time the sides met the Swans were undermanned and the Blues were convincing winners.
McPherson said that won’t be the situation this weekend.
“At home and I think I’m going to have a very close to full strength side and we’re looking forward to that challenge,” he said.
There are four weekends left to play until the finals begin and the only team that will play on all four Saturdays in the run home is Sawtell/Toormina.
The Saints can sneak into fourth position tomorrow for the first time this season if they can record a comfortable win over Port Macquarie.
Meanwhile the Coffs Breakers, who AFL NSW/ACT revealed is the second best performed women’s team in the state so far in 2021, face the bottom of the ladder Grafton.
On paper it appears to be a one-sided contest but Breakers coach Brad Giri said last week’s result where Grafton won its first match of the year shows that local footy pundits shouldn’t look at each match on paper.
“It was only a matter of time before Grafton won. They’re such a good team,” Giri said.
“Obviously no one can take them lightly and we’ll see what they bring down here but we’re expecting a good tough game.”
Grafton will test their improved form against the Coffs Breakers.
Photo: Green Shoots Marketing
ROUND 12 – Saturday, July 17
LISMORE SWANS vs NORTHERN BEACHES at Oakes Oval, Lismore
(1.20pm – Women; 2.50pm – Seniors)
SAWTELL/TOORMINA vs PORT MACQUARIE at Richardson Park, Sawtell
(11.50am – Women; 1.20pm – Reserves; 2.50pm – Seniors)
COFFS BREAKERS vs GRAFTON at Fitzroy Oval/Old Camp, Coffs Harbour
(10am – Under-17s; 11.50am – Women; 1.20pm – Reserves; 2.50pm – Seniors)
NAMBUCCA VALLEY vs CASINO LIONS at EJ Biffin Oval, Nambucca Heads
(2.50pm – Seniors)
WOMEN’S LADDER
| P | W | D | L | WIN % | FOR | AGST | % | |
| Coffs Breakers | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 87.50 | 454 | 82 | 553.66 |
| Northern Beaches | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 85.71 | 325 | 135 | 240.74 |
| Lismore Swans | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 62.50 | 266 | 209 | 127.27 |
| Port Macquarie | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 28.57 | 115 | 202 | 56.93 |
| Sawtell/Toormina | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16.67 | 65 | 251 | 25.90 |
| Grafton | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 12.50 | 103 | 450 | 22.89 |
