Breakers beaten by Northern Beaches

Northern Beaches kicked 12 goals to 6 after quarter time to take control of the top of the ladder contest against the Coffs Breakers. Photo: Green Shoots Marketing

SEEING as Northern Beaches have a game in hand, theoretically the Blues’ win over the previously undefeated Coffs Breakers means the boys from Woolgoolga only trail the ladder leader by half a game.

It was a big step for a team that is in its first season back in the senior competition. But what Northern Beaches coach Rory Evans was most pleased about wasn’t the win, it was how his team earned the victory.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but I think it’s important,” Evans said.

“It’s just important for us to know that we can play that way of footy and it’s good to understand that we can win games of footy doing it.

“Not too focused on the opposition we were up against but it’s the way we wanted to play and it’s great that we executed that.”

That way of playing was not allowing the opposition time and space to produce its free flowing football according to the coach.

“The thing for me was just our relentless pressure and second, third, fourth efforts on the ball,” he said.

“Compliments to Coffs, they’re a really good spread, work rate football side so if you don’t put the pressure on in around the contest multiple times, they do get it out.

“So I was really, really happy with how we worked in and around the contest at all levels around the ground and just really worked hard for second and third efforts.”

The Blues leading goal kicker Fraser Duryea was absent from the line-up but Northern Beaches still managed to score 14 goals. Fraser’s brother Evan led the way with four goals including two in the vital third quarter when the Blues kicked four goals to one to grab a 17-point lead at the last break after scores were level at half time.

Being able to kick so many goals without their best marking forward was an aspect that pleased Evans.

“That’s a massive positive. We rolled the magnets around a little bit. Luckily we got a few back in which gave us the coverage to do it,” he explained.

“We tried some things early that didn’t work and after that I think we settled into a few different things that did.

“Again I think it just goes to show if you work hard in the other two-thirds of the ground you can create opportunities for anyone which is probably the result.”

Coffs Breakers coach Kevin Wilson said not playing with the maximum amount of intensity proved costly.

“Woopi turned up to play today and to their credit they put on a good show. I think our boys had probably a 10 per cent drop and weren’t up to it,” Wilson said.

“Allow the ball to hit the ground and then you open it up for things to go the other way. Once the ball bounces that football can go any way it likes and I think that’s what happened.”

COFFS BREAKERS 4.3  6.5  7.7  10.11 (71)
NORTHERN BEACHES 2.5  6.5  10.6  14.7 (91)
Goals – NB: E.Duryea 4, D.Johnson 2, L.Paige 2, M.Huthnance, M.Davey, M.Pearce, T.Dwyer, N.Webber, A.Allan. Break: J.Guthrie 5, Z.Dwyer 2, M.McMahon 2, B.Neary.

Magpies backs lay platform

IT wasn’t the 30 scoring shots for that pleased Port Macquarie coach Matt Clarke the most from the Magpies’ 65-point win over the Lismore Swans. It was the five scoring shots against.

“It all came together. We’ve really cemented our backline. Our back six were rock solid all day, it was almost a joke how well they played,” Clarke said.

“I know Lismore have a lot of injuries and didn’t travel with their best team but on the flip side we had three of our really good players out. But our young players came in and really stepped up. As a whole group we’re starting to understand playing along side each other and work well together.”

Inaccuracy in front of goal was the only downside for the Magpies.

Port had nine scoring to two in the opening term but led by just 12-points at the first break. The second term was an improved effort kicking five unanswered goals to lead by 41-points at half time.

Clarke said the third term was the most impressive for him as he was still uncomfortable about Lismore might still produce after the resumption.

“At half time we spoke about Lismore and the fact that they’re a quality side so it was a non-negotiable that we didn’t let them back into it,” he said.

“I feel like the third quarter was the quarter it really went our way. Although we didn’t capitalise on the scoreline, we were peppering the goals. It definitely didn’t feel like it was swinging back their way.”

PORT MACQUARIE 3.6  8.6  9.15  12.18 (90)
LISMORE SWANS 2.0  2.1  2.1  4.1 (25)
Goals – Port: A.Pratt 3, B.Saggers 3, J.Page 2, A.Noack, R.Close, M.Bylsma, K.Taylor. Lis: D.Bruce 2, M.Schafer, E.McNutt.
Best – Port: Z.Madden, R.Sonogan, M.Bylsma, D.Boulet, A.Noack. Lis: Z.McNabb, B.Fox, A.Legoe.

Saints sneak home over Lions

SAWTELL/Toormina managed to take the four points away from Nambucca Valley but it was hard work.

The Lions got the jump early in the second quarter and at one stage led by more than four goals and an upset victory was on the cards.

“Just before half time we kicked a couple of goals to be just one goal down. It was neck and neck after that,” Sawtell/Toormina playing coach Brandt Lee said.

The Saints kicked the last two goals of the match, the go ahead goal from Connor Perks who booted three majors for the day.

But Lee said there was still some nervous moments before the final siren.

“We could’ve kicked a couple more goals and wrapped it up but a couple of costly errors and turnovers late didn’t help but Nambucca, who’ve got some handy players, didn’t take advantage of them and we managed to get the win.”

NAMBUCCA VALLEY 3.2  7.3  9.3  10.6 (66)
SAWTELL/TOORMINA 2.4  6.5  9.6  10.11 (71)
Goals – Saw: C.Perks 3, M.Pettifer, L.Draper-Bell, H.Anderson, K.Upsall, T.Perks. NV: L.Stuart 5, K.Cohen 2, B.Toohey, A.Baldwin, J.McGregor.

Tigers roar late to stay in hunt for top four

GRAFTON is still in the battle to defend its title after gaining a percentage boost against Casino.

The Tigers recorded a 133-point victory but coach Adi Campbell wasn’t happy with the way his team performed in the first half even though Grafton had opened up a 50-point lead by the main break.

“We played some very bad football in the first half, some very selfish football,” Campbell said.

“In the second half we picked it up and hit the scoreboard.”

The Tigers finished the day sharing the ball better which resulted in 11 different players getting their name on the goal kickers list. Tim Churchin again led the way with nine goals to take his tally to take his tally to 32 from his past five matches.

While Campbell wasn’t totally thrilled with the Tigers’ performance, he was impressed with what he saw in his second viewing of the Casino Lions who kicked their equal-second most amount of goals this season.

“They’ve got some good players coming through. They played pretty well,” he said.

“Our lack of discipline helped them a bit as they got three or four goals from our 50-metre penalties but they’re improving every week and have some good players.”

GRAFTON 5.9  11.14  18.21  25.26 (176)
CASINO LIONS 2.0  5.0  6.1  7.1 (43)
Goals – Graf: T.Churchin 9, N.Wheaton 3, N.Swarski 2, J.Kelly 2, B.Nelson 2, C.O’Neill 2, M.Luxton, E.Whitty, C.O’Loughlin, C.Curthoys, A.Popko. Cas: M.Bentley 2, T.Myers, S.Fitzpatrick, J.Franks, A.Saunders, J.Jolley.
Best – Graf: M.Luxton, J.Cameron, T.Churchin, C.Curthoys. Cas: M.Bradshaw, L.Fitzpatrick, J.Jolley, C.Skinner, J.Franks, S.Formaggin.

SENIOR LADDER

	P	W	D	L	WIN %	FOR	AGST	%
Coffs Breakers	9	8	0	1	88.89	965	507	190.34
Northern Beaches	8	6	1	1	81.25	639	424	150.71
Lismore Swans	9	6	0	3	66.67	1115	502	222.11
Port Macquarie	9	5	0	4	55.56	766	622	123.15
Grafton	9	4	1	4	50.00	911	553	164.74
Sawtell/Toormina	8	4	0	4	50.00	589	591	99.66
Nambucca Valley	9	1	0	8	11.11	331	812	40.76
Casino Lions	9	0	0	9	0.00	228	1533	14.87

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]; 2.50pm – Seniors)
PORT MACQUARIE vs CASINO LIONS at Wayne Richards Park, Port Macquarie
(2.50pm – Seniors)