NORTH Coast’s best Indigenous rugby league sides were in action during the latest round of the East Coast Tribal League in Toormina.

The Gumbaynggirr Coffs Coast Raiders hosted their first home games of the season, with Round 5 matches played during a big day of rugby league at Rex Hardaker Oval.

It was a special day for the Raiders as the club played their first games in Coffs Harbour in over fifteen years.

The Coffs Coast Raidettes women’s side got the job done at home with a 24-16 win against the Dunghutti Connexions.

The Coffs Coast side dominated for much of the match with a clinical and dynamic attack up the middle of the park, leading to line breaks and the inevitable tries.

A try to Heather Duncan at the start of the second half gave the Raidettes a 20-4 lead, before they held off a spirited fightback from a tough Dunghutti Connexions side who won last year’s Koori Knockout.

Raidettes captain Larissa Bates praised her side’s no-nonsense attack.

“We were strong up the middle, and we took it up the guts, and that’s where our best performance was,” she said.

“Everyone worked well as a team, and our forwards got us going up the middle which opened it up for the backs.”

The Raidettes forward said it was a special day for the club to host the latest round of the East Coast Tribal League.

“My dad, brothers and uncles played in the first Raiders teams over 30 years ago,” she said.

“They all played together in the 90s, and we had a lot of elders who played for the Raiders here at the game today.

“It was a really special day, all the community came together, as rugby league is a big part of Aboriginal culture.”

By Aiden BURGESS