SAPPHIRE Coast AFL (SCAFL) reigning premier Pambula secured a solid win over Tathra on Saturday 29.16(190) to 11.7(73). 

However, Sea Eagles veteran Luke Taylor is taking the positives away from the match. 

“It was a great opportunity to give the younger guys a bit of a chance against the best in the league and they stood up well,” Taylor said. 

“We can’t question their effort: it was great.”

The Sea Eagles had kept in touch with Pambula’s scoring until the final quarter. 

The visiting Panthers kicked 12 goals and six behinds in the last break. 

“We had stuck with them all the way and then they piled on points in the last quarter,” Taylor said. 

“You have to give credit to Pambula, they were at full strength and obviously wanted the points down there – it was their first win at Lawrence Park in 10 years.”

In the front lines, Kiah Beruldsen and Reggie O’Loghlin were displaying plenty of resolve in their marks, but Taylor said he was most impressed by some of the club’s younger charges. 

“Tyler Rose was in his third game of AFL and played on the league’s best and fairest in Aaron Proctor,” he said. 

“Meanwhile, Scott Orr was on Pambula captain Sean Smith.

“Smithy still scored a few goals, but Scotty did a good job on him.”

For Pambula, the Hammond brothers excelled with Josh pushing play through the midfield, while Tom topped the scoring with nine goals. 

At Tathra’s attacking end, scoring honours were shared between O’Loghlin and Brad McBain with four each. 

Taylor said taking on the Bermagui Breakers this weekend will be a challenge for the club, but hoped to have a fuller roster. 

“It’s a big game this week, they’re looking strong and have a new coach, but we’ll look to have a few of our guys back and we would rather be two and two than one for three,” he said. 

However, developing the young ranks will be a boon for the club come later in the season. 

“The development of those guys is really building our depth for when we do have a full strength side,” Taylor said. 

“Tathra is renowned for getting the team right for the right time of year.”