Some accurate early kicking put the Bermagui Breakers ahead of the Pambula Panthers, but the reigning premiers reined them back in quickly.
The Breakers opened the scoring in Saturday’s senior grade game with two quick goals in the first quarter, but it wasn’t long before the Pambula line-up was controlling play and pressuring the Bermagui goals.
After the wobbly start, the senior side settled comfortably to win well 168-85.
The Breakers’ veteran Luke Moresi provided the early points for the visiting Bermagui outfit with some remarkably agile kicking.
However, the Panthers began to dominate centre clearances and worked the ball forward up the fringes and forward pockets.
Scott Proctor was solid out of centre clearances, regularly evading his man to get away a long range kick or hand-balling under pressure.
Mitch Cameron and Josh Hammond were also on the ball, pushing play up through the midfield.
Mitch Bucholtz offered up plenty of support from the back line and Jake Taylor used his size to secure some heavily contested marks to give the Panthers advantage.
By the end of the first quarter the Panthers had pushed to the front and steadily extended their lead over the remaining three stanzas to win by an 80-point buffer.
The Panthers women’s team had earlier come from behind to score a narrow win over Bermagui 4-8-32 to 4-3-27.
Two goals each went to gun midfielder Madi Whatman and forward attacker Mel Leach, while some early kicks drifted wayward from the big sticks.
Whatman outran several defenders and took some well-contested marks to plant her shots on goal in a woman-of-the-match display.
Bermagui was offered less shots on goal, but was able to make them stick to take the early lead.
It was in the final quarter the Panthers broke to the front and put motions in place to stay there.
Co-captain of the women’s team Jo Furniss said the team blocked Bermagui’s efforts to hold the lead.
“We all dug deep at the end of the last qaurter to protect our win by flooding the back-line,” Furniss said.
Fellow co-captain Mallory Hammond said the women’s side was eager to back up the good showing against the Whalers.
“We're on a winning streak with no intention of breaking that this week,” Hammond said.
This weekend sees the Panthers heading to Eden to take on the Whalers on Saturday.
Women’s starts at 1.15pm and seniors will play at 2.30pm.
