Darwin Buffaloes begin to focus on the Premier League finals after beating Palmerston

THE Darwin Buffaloes grabbed a piece of forward momentum last night when they beat the Palmerston Magpies by 28 points

Palmerston's Kyle Emery booted two goals and produced some long kicks in his side’s loss to the Darwin Buffaloes. Picture: Glenn Campbell

THE Darwin Buffaloes grabbed a piece of forward momentum last night when they beat a feisty Palmerston Magpies by 28 points.

The 9.17 (71) to 6.7 (43) win was their eighth for the season with finals football the next assignment for Matt Campbell’s side.

The Buffaloes were made to pay for some sloppy finishing in front of goals when they trailed at quarter time.

The Magpies booted three goals from limited opportunities to grab the lead at the first change.

Kyle Emery was prominent with a long goal and occasional forays into defence and Tennant Creek recruit Dane Nichols was a go-to target for Magpie players running through the middle.

The goalkicking yips continued to dog the Buffaloes in the second term, a return of 2.6 from several forward entries was not a good result.

But it did give the blue jumpers the lead at the main break, Chris Williams up forward, Patrick Boles around the ground and Joe Anderson, Cameron Stokes and Ryan Pendlebury down back prominent for the Buffaloes.

Term three developed into a battle of defences with both sides solid in the last line.

Darren Shillabeer’s twin strikes early in the third quarter opened up a 26-point lead as the small crowd at Marrara settled back to watch a Buffalo stampede.

But late goals to the long kicking Emery and an Alwyn Davey special from a tight angle got the Magpies back to 15 points at the last change.

Palmerston ran into injury problems as the match progressed, the worst of them Keidan Holt-Tubbs, one his side’s in a ruckman role.

Holt-Tubbs was stretchered from the ground in the last quarter with what looked like a long-term knee injury.

BUFFALOES 2.4 4.10 6.15 9.17 (71)

PALMERSTON 3.1 3.5 5.6 6.7 (43)

GOALS — Buffs: I Palmer 3 D Shillabeer 2 M Campbell C Williams I Seden-Kurnoth B Foster. Palm: K Emery 2 A Davey 2 D Nichols A Lonergan.

BEST — Buffs: J Anderson P Boles C Williams C Stokes R Pendlebury. Palm: K Emery K Holt-Tubbs S Bock M McMasters W Shadforth.