NEWCASTLE City will arrive back at No.1 Sportsground with a victory under their belts, having accounted for Warners Bay by 22 points in Saturday's season opener.
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A game-high three goals to Max Quinlan helped the Blues start their men's Black Diamond Cup campaign on a successful note, ahead of hosting an April 15 clash with defending premiers and fellow first-round winners Killarney Vale.
Returning to the renovated venue for the first time since the 2019 decider, City (10.9-69) gained early confidence for the long-awaited homecoming despite a third-quarter lapse to beat the Bulldogs (6.11-47) at Feighan Oval.
"It's been a long-time coming and everyone is really excited about getting back on No.1," City coach Mitch Knight told the Newcastle Herald.
The visiting Blues posted 5.3 in the term prior to half-time and set-up a 35-point advantage at the main break, before keeping a resurgent Warners Bay scoreless in the last quarter.
The Bulldogs came within seven points by the end of the third, kicking 5.4 to give themselves a chance.
"It was just good to get the win. We had a few guys out so we were pleased to get it done," Knight said.
"We pretty well controlled the game outside a third-quarter lapse, but dominated the last in what were pretty slippery and gusty conditions by that stage."
City lost Josh Taylor (ankle) and Cody Easton (concussion) during the afternoon but were already without a host of regulars such as: Hamish Thomson (overseas), Harry Keast (ankle), Liam Tutty (injured), Oscar Anderson (away), Jacob Findlay (water polo), Maca O'Malley (away) and Aidan Watling (shoulder).
Knight hopes to have a few of those troops back on deck following the Easter break.
Taylor and Jack Woodhams kicked two majors each while Joseph O'Donoghue and Mark Morrow also made the list.
Archer Harkness booted half of Warners Bay's six goals.
"We made a meal of the first quarter with seven behinds, it was hard to watch," Bulldogs coach Nathan Harkness said.
"But after an average second quarter we turned it on in the third and stayed in the game right up until a few minutes to go."
Last year's AFL Hunter Central Coast grand finalists, Killarney Vale and Terrigal Avoca, both flexed their muscles in Saturday's opening round.
Killarney Vale (8.3-61) overpowered Cardiff (2.2-14) at Adelaide Street Oval while Terrigal Avoca (13.15-93) eased past Singleton (3.5-23) at Rose Point Oval.
Maitland (13.5-83) proved too strong for newcomers Entrance-Bateau Bay (4.9-33) at Max McMahon Oval. Nelson Bay had the bye.
In the women's Black Diamond Cup competition it was City, Killarney Vale and Terrigal Avoca getting the job done against Warners Bay, Cardiff and Singleton respectively. Lake Macquarie had the bye.
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