NELSON Bay Marlins are proving a force to be reckoned with in the Hunter Central Coast AFL Women’s Black Diamond Plate competition.
Just like their male counterparts, the Marlins women have consolidated a top three spot with four victories and two losses from their opening six fixtures in the 2025 series.
Nelson Bay had too many big guns in a resounding 109-1 win over the Terrigal-Avoca Panthers at Hylton Moore Oval, with talented forwards Liana Sostarko (eight) and Sophie Elliott (five) booting 13 of the Marlins’ 16 goals.
The Nelson Bay duo produced standout performances against the Panthers, as did skipper Olivia Feldman, Catalina Labra Knox, Evangeline Hol and Aimee Dove.
Tori Borg (two) and Feldman were the other goal scorers.
Nelson Bay potted eight goals and two behinds to lead 50-0 at the end of the first quarter and added another two goals to open up an imposing 64-0 lead at the half-time break.
The Marlins extended their lead to 76-0 after three quarters before finishing strongly with a five goal spree to ice a comprehensive victory.
It followed the team’s mammoth 155-6 triumph over the Muswellbrook Cats at Weeramen Fields with Elliott (four) and Feldman, Mikaela Burrows and Tara Maguire (two) leading the way in the goal-scoring stakes.
Other Marlins goal scorers against the Cats were the skilful Hol, Dove, Borg, Labra Knox, Mackenzie Roche, Hayley O’Brien, Scarlett Lack, Amelia Glen, Eiligh Farmer, Charlotte Connick and Ellie Duffy.
The Nelson Bay women posted earlier wins over Cardiff Hawks (40-14) and The Entrance Bateau Bay (94-0) before losses against Lake Macquarie Dockers (50-29) and second ranked Newcastle City Blues (48-25) at Dick Burwell Oval.
Meanwhile, the Nelson Bay men’s team continued its winning ways in the Black Diamond Cup with a thrilling 83-76 triumph over Cardiff Hawks at the Pasterfield Sports Complex.
Wayd Blackburne, Harrison Lack, Adam Grant, Tim Anderson, Louis Dews and Rowan Connick shone for the Marlins with the Hawks best served by Oscar Smyth, Lachlan Manning, Fintan Trickey, James Fennamore, Ryan Bonham and Pat Delaney.
Nelson Bay booted three goals to lead 20-15 at quarter time and held a 10x point advantage (37-27) at the half time interval.
The Marlins defended stoutly to keep Cardiff at bay in the third and fourth periods to maintain third spot behind the undefeated Newcastle City Blues and Terrigal Avoca Panthers.
By Chris KARAS
