Round 13 – Terrigal Avoca Hit Back Hard, The Mark Dignam Show, Are the Bombers Big Enough for Finals, and the Barton Marlin kicks 5.

Round 13 – Terrigal Avoca Hit Back Hard,

The Mark Dignam Show, Are the Bombers Big Enough for Finals,

and the Barton Marlin kicks 5.

Written by Oliver Croft

 

Round 12 marked a weekend of domination from teams in the Top 4 promising exciting Finals campaigns. The Top 4 at the moment is arranged from Premier to promising. Newcastle City and Warners Bay round out first and second place, the two places to be if you’re looking for a second chance in Finals. In third place, Terrigal Avoca are prowling around with their only issue being consistent. Finally, the Marlins sit fourth. Their problem? Beating a Top 4 team this year. Terrigal, Warners Bay and Newcastle City have all defeated Nelson Bay. It’s a trend they’ll need to break, as the final 5 rounds of the season draw nearer.

 

Men’s Cup

Last weekend, Nelson Bay gave their percentage a healthy boost, securing a 42-point win on the road at Max McMahon Oval against the struggling Maitland Saints. The Saints, with just two wins this season – both over Bateau Bay – were hoping to cause an upset at home. But the Marlins proved too strong, with captain Billy Barton once again leading from the front, booting five goals.

Next up? Newcastle City. Their last encounter saw the reigning premiers claim a 54-point victory. Now, the Marlins will travel to No. 1 Sportsground – home of AFLHCC football – to face City once again. Can Nelson Bay finally notch a win against a Top 4 side in 2025, and do it away from home, against the premiers, all at once?

It’s a match-up for the ages. Meanwhile, Maitland head to Feighan Oval to take on the Warners Bay Bulldogs, who are hot on Newcastle City’s heels for top spot. The Bulldogs are flying this season, stringing together dominant performances that have them looking every bit like premiership contenders. Maitland, by contrast, continue to struggle for consistency, slipping further down the ladder.

Cardiff’s campaign has also taken a hit, suffering back-to-back heavy losses to the Bulldogs and dropping out of fifth place. With finals hopes fading, they face a tough road ahead. But this weekend, the maroon and gold faithful will be out in force as the Hawks host their annual HAWKS FEST – a celebration of club culture and the legacy that shaped it. The Hawks have been provided with a personalised game day RECORD, free at the ground. They’ll also mark the 20th anniversary of their 2005 Premiership.

On the field, Cardiff will host a Terrigal Avoca side that’s battled inconsistency all year, dropping winnable games. Of their three losses, only one came against a Top 4 team – Newcastle City. The other two were to Killarney Vale and Cardiff. The Hawks took the points last time – can they do it again and reignite their finals hopes?

Elsewhere, Killarney Vale will host Bateau Bay on the Central Coast from 2:30 PM. It’s red and black versus blue and yellow – a showcase of some of the most exciting Central Coast footy. Sitting fifth, Killarney Vale are eyeing a late surge, hoping to wedge themselves between the Marlins and Terrigal in the race for the top spots. Their mission? Hold off Cardiff and keep banking wins until the ladder tells the story – and maybe, just maybe, knock Nelson Bay out of the finals race.

With five rounds remaining, the Marlins (4th) face Killarney Vale (5th) next week in a must-win blockbuster that could shake up the ladder. Then come Bateau Bay (already out), followed by Terrigal and Warners Bay. The Marlins have struggled against Top 4 sides – can they push through, win, and gain ground? Or will they stumble and let Killarney Vale pounce?

Killarney Vale arguably have a slightly better run home, both in terms of draw and form. Being in the Top 4 now would be ideal – but if not, footy is all about muscle. Next week, they face Nelson Bay in a crucial clash, followed by Warners Bay, Maitland, and Bateau Bay to close the home-and-away season. Brutally? They can’t afford to drop any of them. But if they do – how costly will it be?

And Cardiff? They’ll need everything to go right. If Killarney Vale can’t hold off the Hawks, and Cardiff win big, and the Marlins falter – we could see Hawks in September: The Sequel. How realistic? Their run home: Bateau Bay, City, Bateau Bay again, then Maitland. Like Killarney Vale, they can’t afford to drop a single game.

So – who rises to the occasion to keep their Men’s Cup finals dream alive?

 

Women’s Cup

Round 12 Recap

Cardiff sent shockwaves through the league with a ruthless 157 to 1 demolition of Warners Bay – a statement win that has many suddenly whispering: premiers?

Meanwhile, Killarney Vale tore through a Terrigal Avoca side that’s been struggling to find their rhythm. Killarney Vale are back to their best.

Over at Bateau Bay, Newcastle City put on a clinic, smashing the home side 138 to nil in a ruthless display of dominance.

Right now, the talk is heating up – are we heading for a Cardiff vs City grand final? Killarney Vale still have weapons… unless Bateau Bay somehow flips the script. What a finish this season could bring.

So who’s being real? Let’s take a look at the weekend ahead.

Cardiff will take on Terrigal on ‘Hawks Fest’. Charlotte Day awaits the Sherrin eagerly in the forward line this week, after kicking nine to see Cardiff home by a mile against Warners Bay. Cardiff is playing with ruthless confidence, piling on huge scores week after week, while Terrigal look a shadow of their former selves, struggling to find consistency. A win here for Cardiff wouldn’t just cement their top-end credentials – it would also send an ominous warning to every other contender that they are coming for silverware, not just September action.

In other news, Singleton have forfeited their clash with Newcastle City. That means City will collect the four points, keeping them safely nestled near the top of the ladder for another week. It’s a frustrating outcome for fans who were hoping to see Newcastle City in full flight, but it also gives their squad a chance to freshen up as the run home gets shorter.

And then there’s the showdown between Killarney Vale and Bateau Bay – arguably the most high-stakes game of the round. It is an absolute must-win for Killarney Vale. Their season is hanging in the balance, and they simply cannot afford to stumble here. If they falter, the door swings wide open for Bateau Bay to launch a genuine push for their first ever Grand Final. The thought of Bateau Bay sneaking into the top bracket and pulling off some upsets would have seemed far-fetched early in the season, but they’ve shown flashes of improvement and belief.

For Killarney Vale, the equation is brutally simple: play their best footy, bank the points, and keep their finals hopes alive. For Bateau Bay, it’s the chance to make history and shake up the entire competition. With the race for September heating up, every possession and every goal this week could prove decisive in the weeks to come.

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