Nightliff stamps its premiership favouritism tag on Waratah with a big 23-goal win

WE ARE the champions was the message Nightcliff hammered out at TIO Stadium last night when they thrashed beachside rivals Waratah by 138 points

Nightcliff's Ryan Mu booted three goals in a fine display around goals. Picture: Felicity Elliott

WE ARE the champions was the message Nightcliff hammered out at TIO Stadium last night when they thrashed beachside rivals Waratah by 138 points last night.

Ten Tigers kicked goals in a 25.11 (161) to 3.5 (23) win that would have sent some echoes through the rest of the competition.

Good players were easy to find, Ryan Mu’s work as a small forward was first class, defenders Brad Arnold, Kaine Riley and Nathan Brown did as they liked and big spearhead John Butcher booted six goals.

Nightcliff meant business from the first bounce when they spent the majority of the first quarter in their forward line.

A brace of goals by the returning Butcher shot them to a 22-point lead at the first change before the floodgates opened against a Tahs side short on manpower and experience.

Butcher’s work will fellow tall forward Trent Melville (four goals) continues to prosper at Tigerland and looms as a major weapon in their quest for back-to-back flags.

A nine-goal to nothing second quarter showed all the elements of the Nightcliff side that won its first flag in 54 years only 10 months ago.

The pacy breakaway, ability to bring teammates into play and clean use of the football were all on show as they ran away from a dispirited opposition.

Tahs missed the skill and hardness of Abe Ankers, Steven Stroobants and Justin Buegelaar and were never in the hunt against a committed and desperate Nightcliff side.

NIGHTCLIFF 4.4 13.5 19.7 25.11 (161)

WARATAH 1.0 1.2 1.5 3.5 (23)

GOALS — Night: J Butcher 6 T Melville 4 R Mu 3 M Hagan 2 M Bricknell 2 L Holt-Fitz 2 C Ilett 2 J Budarick 2 N Brown S Wilson. War: K Kantilla 2 D Simpson.

BEST — Night: K Riley J Butcher R Mu C Ilett T Melville. War: N Gooch B Zobel D Simpson,