IT’S rare a team can win five of its opening six matches of the year yet somehow seem to be flying beneath the radar.
Sawtell/Toormina has been alomost perfect so far in 2014 with a narrow seven-point loss to the Coffs Swans the only speed bump so far on an otherwise smooth road.
Such a start to the year should have a team who has played in the past two grand finals spoken of as premiership favourites but not the Saints.
Most AFL North Coast pundits want to talk about the resurgent Coffs Swans when thoughts move to grand final day on August 23.
“That’s fine with us,” Saints’ coach Jim Angel said.
Angel said the Saints “did what they had to do” in overcoming North Coffs by 109 points.
As far as having the club’s name added to the spotlight, it’s an issue Angel isn’t too fussed about.
“We’ll just let it go,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Rob Wright / Coffs Coast Advocate
SAWTELL/TOORMINA 19.12 (126)
NORTH COFFS 2.5 (17)
Goals - Saw: T Mitchell 5, A Clarke 3, M Couzens 3, E Schmitt 2, D Linares, J Alty, M Cole, J Drage, B Matthews, A Baldwin. N.Coffs: S Wiffen, B Vella.
Under-18s: Sawtell/Toormina 32.20 (212) def North Coffs 2.4 (16)
DESPITE losing by almost 10 goals, Port Macquarie coach Scott Abercrombie found a positive the Magpies can build on for the rest of the season.
Abercrombie said he was pleased more than anything he could see his players having a dip even though the team could’ve dropped his bundle when it found itself 40 points down at the main break.
“The effort was exceptional,” Abercrombie said.
“For the first two weeks, the effort wasn’t there.”
Port Macquarie managed to win the final quarter keeping the Tigers goalless in the final stanza but the damage was done earlier.
Mark Blundell was close to unstoppable in front of goal booting nine goals to set up the vital win.
Grafton now finds itself in third spot while the Magpies are inside the top four for the first time this season.
GRAFTON
4.6 11.8 17.10 17.11 (113)
PORT MACQUARIE
3.0 5.4 6.5 8.9 (57)
Goals - Graf: M Blundell 9, A Lollback 3, J Lollback 2, G Connolly , M Cowland, I Rosser. Port: S Abercrombie 2, C Dobos 2, J Whelan, K Lynch, S Todd, T Kelly.
Best - Graf: M Blundell, G Connolly, A Lollback, J Lollback, D Zacek, W Bagnall. Port: I Brambley, S Abercrombie, R Irwin, K Lynch, J Schmidt, S Todd.
MOST good teams have two or three good players the opposition need to keep a close eye on.
The best thing about the Coffs Swans so far is there isn’t a stand out group of players that has come to the fore.
Proof of this can be found in the Swans even spread of goalkickers.
During Saturday’s 129 point victory over Camden Haven to remain unbeaten, the Swans had 12 individual goalkickers. The week before that it was 10.
The sizable loss means Camden Haven is now outside the top four on percentage.
“I know everybody looks at the scoreboard but I can safely say that this performance was one of our best this year,” Bombers coaching panel member Jason Swain said.
“It seems that travel really decimates all clubs in this league but the Bombers that did travel competed right until the final siren and there were plenty of individual positives as we prepare for North Coffs .”
COFFS SWANS
5.2 10.5 15.10 23.17 (155)
CAMDEN HAVEN
2.0 2.0 4.1 4.2 (26)
Goals - Swans: N Von Schill 5, K Bellemore 3, S Hardes 2, J Guthrie 2, R. Clayton 2, D. Bear 2, T Clayton 2, T McMullen, S Turner, N Biggs, M Cannan, J Lyon. C.Hav: B Smith 2, H Taylor, J Wilson.
Best - Swans: T Clayton, D Bear, K Bellemore, M Papley, J Lyon, J Guthrie. C.Hav: R Close, T Wiegold, J Wilson, C Wright, M Gallagher, B Smith.
Under-18s: Macleay Valley 18.12 (120) def Coffs Swans 13.12 (90)
Last Modified on 20/05/2014 10:40