Clinton Phillips has again shown enormous value in the front lines for the Tathra Sea Eagles as the club sailed to their maiden first grade win of the season.
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Phillips nailed four goals for the Sea Eagles against the Merimbula Diggers at Lawrence Park on Saturday, aiding in the club's strong 10-7-67 to 5-6-36 finish.
Troy O'Loghlin was another massive performer with three majors, while Shane Gartside, Lachlan Rettke and Jack Hukins again showed an enormous work rate through the middle to restrain Merimbula's time with the ball.
The Diggers had some strong passages of play and had an affinity for high-flying marks, but at every challenge the Sea Eagles just appeared to lift their energy and take the Merimbula club head-on.
The Diggers couldn't get any consistent shots in front of goals and the club's five majors each came from individual goal kickers.
Caleb Higgins and Finley Cooke had standout performances for the Diggers with some great passages of play through the middle, but the Sea Eagles had an answer to every advance the visiting club made on the weekend.
The host club welcomed the return of Luke Taylor, alongside Scott Hay and bolter Louis Coulton who were pretty mobile throughout play.
It was the second quarter where the damage was done as Tathra fired home four goals, while containing the Diggers to just one major to take a 25 point lead heading into the main break.
A goalless third quarter by Merimbula, who found just a handful of behinds allowed the margin to grow further and the Sea Eagles were buoyed by a commanding lead heading to the final period.
The Diggers provided a strong finish with a flurry of three goals, but the Sea Eagles posted two of their own and the earlier deficit in scoring provided more than enough buffer for the home side to secure their first victory in the shortened season.
Earlier, the Eaglettes had posted a commanding result over the Bega Bombers in the women's game with Tathra running out winners 14-14-98 to 1-0-6.
While the Bombers were overwhelmed early in the piece with the host club peppering the goals, the visitors did muster a strong passage of defensive play in the final quarter to run off beaming from their performance.
Kaela Barnes kicked the Bombers' goal, lining up neatly through the posts after taking a clean mark just outside the Tathra square.
From the Eaglettes, Sam Crowley led the charge with four goals to her name, while Sarah McMahon piled on three and Annaliese Hughes and Peta Warden snagged two apiece.
After round three, the Sea Eagles find themselves in third place in division one men's ahead of Pambula on for and against, while in women's the side are in a three-way tie for first with Eden and Bermagui. Tathra's reserves are second.