NELSON Bay Marlins continued their dominant start to the 2025 AFL Hunter Central Coast Senior Men’s Black Diamond Plate competition after blitzing Singleton Roosters at Dick Burwell Oval.
The classy Marlins showed their skill and power to crush the Roosters 23.15 (153) to 1.1 (7) in a one-sided contest and serve notice that they are the team to beat for this year’s title.
Superboot Billy Barton chalked up seven of the Marlins’ 23 goals to boost his personal tally to an impressive 22 after two fixtures.
The Nelson Bay skipper was supported by Adam Grant, Jayden Baldwin-Rymer, Mitchell Hall, Alec Clark, Matthew Blyth, Rowan Connick and Louis Dews in yet another slick performance from the premiership pacesetters.
Hall (four goals) and Clark (three) also booted maximums along with Baldwin-Rymer (two), Mark Spencer (two), Jake Voyzey (two), Blyth, Andrew Fowler and Ben Eddy.
Jacob Rogers was Singleton’s lone goal scorer in the demoralising defeat.
Nelson Bay’s undefeated senior women’s outfit slammed The Entrance Bateau Bay Blues 94-0 at Bateau Bay Oval to grab a share of the competition lead with Port Stephens Power after two rounds.
The Marlins booted thirteen six pointers from 29 shots at goal and opened up a 35-0 lead at the end of the first quarter before adding eight goals in the final three terms to chalk up a resounding victory.
Catalina Labraknox, Tara Maguire, Tori Borg, Amy Steele, Liana Sostarko and Mackenzie Roche were best on ground for the Marlins with Borg and Keely Costello sharing the goal scoring honours with four apiece.
Maguire (two), Roche, Sostarko and Steele also potted six-pointers for the powerful Nelson Bay team.
The Marlins women’s and men’s squads have third round byes.
Nelson Bay hosts Maitland Saints in a Black Diamond Plate senior men’s fixture on Saturday, 3 May at Dick Burwell Oval at 2pm after the women face Lake Macquarie Dockers from 12 noon.
By Chris KARAS
