Newcastle City captain-coach Mitch Crawford has labelled Cardiff "the team to beat" this season after the Hawks handed the Blues their first loss of 2024.
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In a hard-fought contest at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Saturday, Cardiff 10.16 (76) overcame City 6.12 (48) to leapfrog them into second position on the men's Black Diamond Cup ladder and move level on points with surprise leaders Warners Bay.
Defending premiers City, coming off a bye, were at "pretty much full-strength" but the Hawks powered ahead in the third quarter after the scores had been tied at 26-all at half-time.
"That was pretty much the difference," Crawford said of Cardiff's third-quarter effort.
"They should be pretty happy with how they're going. They're a well-rounded squad and definitely weren't at full-strength, so it looks like they have a lot of depth.
"I'd say they're probably the team to beat this year from what I saw. It was a good hit-out ... they were just too good on the day."
City duo Josh Taylor (ankle) and Kaya Bremner (cork) suffered injuries but Crawford was hopeful they wouldn't miss next week's clash with Maitland.
In the earlier corresponding women's game, after a close first quarter that ended with City leading 13-7, the visitors streaked ahead to add another four goals, finishing 6.10 (46), while Cardiff 1.1 (7) failed to find another single point.
In the only other men's match, Warners Bay 13.14 (92) clinched their fourth consecutive victory, defeating The Entrance-Bateau Bay 5.6 (36) on the Central Coast.
Terrigal Avoca and Killarney Vale's men's and women's games at Hylton Moore Oval were abandoned.
In women's results, Singleton 4.6 (30) scored their first win of 2024, downing Maitland 0.4 (4) at Max McMahon Oval.
The Entrance-Bateau Bay 10.8 (68) fired past Warners Bay 4.3 (27) after the scores were tied at 21-all at the main break at Bateau Bay Oval.
The win, The Entrance's third this season, moved them into fourth place, equal on 12 competition points with third-placed Cardiff and a win behind Killarney Vale and two behind Newcastle.
