Senior comp: Breakers and Port march on

The return of local AFL to Centennial Oval, Woolgoolga was an unqualified success with a huge crowd turning out in the perfect conditions to watch all four matches.

The combination of the venue and the carnival atmosphere suited Coffs Harbour Breakers who completed a rare clean sweep of all four grades.

In the main match, the Breakers proved far too strong for the Grafton Tigers to maintain a firm grip on the top spot on the ladder. The tone for this match was set in the first quarter when the Breakers booted seven goals to none and opened a 53 point lead. Scoring was even more frenetic in the second quarter with Breakers kicking 10 goals to Grafton’s one and the result was beyond doubt by half time.

Shaydan Close had a field day for the Breakers, booting nine majors, with Josh Lansdowne adding five and Nick Stanlan-Velt four.

Grafton Tigers were undermanned and outgunned but battled manfully until the final siren, kicking a goal in each of the second, third, and final quarters. There can be no question of the effort of the players who are showing up each week, they just need more players to show their commitment and make a similar effort.

Coffs Harbour Breakers 31.20 (206) defeated Grafton Tigers 3.2 (20)

Port Macquarie Magpies ensure they remain within touching distance of the ladder leaders with a comfortable victory over Sawtell Toormina Saints.

The match was played under lights which proved to be very much to the Magpies liking as they started with an eight goal to two opening quarter. The real damage was done in the second term when Port added a further six goals but, most importantly, kept the Saints to just two behinds to extend to a 75 point lead at the half.

In similar style to the first encounter of the season between these two teams, Port dropped their intensity in the second half and missed the chance to land a killer blow. Whilst they did outscore Sawtell in the second half it was only by six goals to four and coach Tom Marmo would be disappointed that the Magpies didn’t run away with the match more strongly.

Marmo was his team’s leading scorer with four goals, Kaleb Crowhurst kicked three, and four other players kicked two. In all, Port had ten individual goal kickers on the day.

Sawtell were again led by their teen brigade with Hunter Perks, Jonah Horan, Angus Anderson, and Alex Pyke each kicking a goal.

Port Macquarie Magpies 20.8 (128) defeated Sawtell Toormina Saints 6.5 (41)

A report on the round 4 Women’s matches will appear online on Tuesday (14 May).

For full results click here.