NPL: Broadmeadow face up to formidable Lambton Jaffas challenge

Jaffas are on a 27-game unbeaten run in the league and sit top on 43 points, four clear of second-placed Magic with a game in hand.

Lambton have beaten Magic in their past seven encounters across the NPL and Australia Cup. Broadmeadow's only joy was a 3-1 win in the Charity Shield before this season. Their most recent success before that was early in the 2022 finals, which ended with Jaffas eliminating them then winning the decider against Maitland.

Magic's young line-up, though, have regularly tested the experienced Jaffas side, creating an intense rivalry.

"Obviously they are favourites to win the title," Cresnar said.

"They haven't lost a game for nearly two years, and are running at only 70 per cent capacity, so they are obviously an impressive team.

"We just hope we don't get bowled over again, and we can make a game of it."

Magic are backing up from a 1-0 loss to Edgeworth on Wednesday night but Cresnar believed they had come through it unscathed and ready to respond.

"It was a very tactical game," he said. "It was a game of minimal chances and obviously Edgeworth took it ... but I thought the energy was there."

Jaffas are still without Nikolai Topor-Stanley (ankle), while keeper Ben Kennedy could be missing. His wife, former national league netballer Sam Poolman, is due to give birth.

The Edgeworth (29 points) v New Lambton (14) match at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday was declared a washout, and others may follow. One game that will get on is Lake Macquarie (4) v Maitland (21) on Saturday at 4pm, after it was moved from Macquarie Field to a synthetic pitch at LMRFF.

The remaining match on Saturday is Cooks Hill (19) v Adamstown (9) at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field from 4.30pm.

On Sunday, the Bears (16) host Valentine (23) at Weston Park and Charlestown (28) welcome Olympic (23) to Lisle Carr Oval at 2.30pm.