NELSON Bay Marlins AFL men’s team have tasted immediate success in the Hunter Central Coast Black Diamond Cup competition.
In their first outing since being promoted to the top grade, the Marlins maintained their undefeated start to the 2025 season with a 14.11 (95) to 9.4 (58) victory over The Entrance Bateau Bay Blues at Bateau Bay Oval.
Tim Anderson, Mitchell Hall, Jayden Baldwin-Rymer, Zane Grant, Lachlan Blyth and Adam Grant produced stand out performances for the Marlins, who led at each quarter in a powerful team effort.
Nelson Bay booted five goals in the opening quarter to lead 32-7 and added another three to establish a 52-20 lead at the half time interval.
The Blues rallied in the third term with four goals to cut the deficit to fourteen points (60-46) before the Marlins finished strongly with five goals to chalk up their first win in the Diamond Cup.
Full forward Hall topped the goal scoring for Nelson Bay with six goals and was ably supported by skipper Billy Barton (three) and single goals from Mark Spencer, Austin Jones, Jake Voyzey, Louis Dews and Wayd Blackburne.
The Blues were best served by Kyle Robinson, Max Oteiwi, Harry Levi, Nick Arney, Eden Pearson and Ben Gibbons.
Arney and Daniel Britt each booted three goals for the home side.
Nelson Bay square off with the Cardiff Hawks this Saturday at Pasterfield Sports Complex at 2pm.
By Chris KARAS
