THE spectators were the big winners at Candelo on Saturday when Group 16 rugby league came to town.
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The day was held at the ground to coincide with 50 years since the Candelo-Bemboka United club winning the Group 16 Premiership in 1965.
A feature of the day was the Candelo-Bemboka Panthers wearing special heritage green and gold jerseys to show their Candelo heritage. Batemans Bay was gracious in wearing black and white striped jerseys to honour the Bemboka heritage.
The opening league-tag round saw sister clubs the Merimbula-Pambula Hot Doggies and Candelo-Bemboka Pink Panthers take each other on.
Things instantly looked positive for the Pink Panthers as the kick-off was regathered and centre Caitlin Johnson darted through the Hot Doggies' line to post the Panthers' first-ever try.
The Hot Doggies shot back with solid runs from Karli Toms and Lauren Kidd, while Karli Maher was working hard out of dummy-half.
Soon scores were levelled, but the Hot Doggies slipped through the gaps through their pace runners to score tries in the second half.
Accurate kicking from Toms added to a sound win for the Hot Doggies, but the Panthers got on the board and showed improvement through the middle of the ground and under the ball.
The reserve grade match provided a good spectacle for the big crowd as the massive Batemans Bay line-up went toe-to-toe with the Panthers' big men.
Big runs from Jason Heffernan, Ben O'Reilly and Grant Moon had the Panthers in good stead to secure the early points.
The Bay retaliated, but the Panthers came back at the line again to post a second try and lead 12-6 at the half-time break.
A number of errors, both ways, in the second half saw plenty of handovers and scrums, but it was the Panthers coming up with possession time and again to keep putting points on on the board.
A late fight back by the Bay got them close, but the day had been won by the Panthers 24-16.
The Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs also led the Bay at half-time in the first grade clash with a dominant showing.
Batemans Bay looked in control early and put the first points on the board, but the Bulldogs stayed in the thick of things and started making valuable metres.
Bailey Royle found himself with good ground on the wing to level the odds, before Trent Skeers backed it up with another try on the right wing.
Play steadied, but the Bulldogs continued to make good metres in hit ups with the Tigers' front line.
A break, and ensuing 80-metre solo run, by Tiger Mick Taditch was denied after a shoulder charge penalty and the Bay soon found themselves on the back foot.
A small gap on the left wing provided space for Jarrod Dewberry to cross in the corner and the Bulldogs were in control at the half-time siren.
The score at the break was 24-6.