Newcomb has beaten Torquay for the first time since mid-2007 after surviving a late charge from the two-time reigning premier to claim a stirring 18-point win at Grinter Reserve.
The Power led by as much as 41 points but had to hold their nerve in the final term after the Tigers banged on four goals in five minutes to get within 16 points approaching time-on.
A goal at the 27-minute mark further cut the margin to 12 points before reigning league-leading goalkicker Jack Duke iced the contest with his fifth major, with Newcomb hanging on 14.15 (99) to 11.15 (81).
“We finally lived up to what we believed in, in terms of what we could produce for a whole game,” coach Tony Mirabella said.
“I said before the start of the season to a couple of people that I know we’ll be thereabouts against good sides, but it’s whether we can finish games off.
“I think we showed last year that we could put ourselves in a position to win, but we didn’t have the grit to finish games.
“And today it was nice to put ourselves in a position to win in the third quarter and then to actually, aside from a bit of a scare in the last when they kicked four in a row, it was nice to finish the game off.”
Corey Ogle, Josh Saltalamacchia, Thewin Robertson and big man Jarrod Stafford were standouts for Newcomb.
However, it was Duke that Mirabella singled out for praise.
“The old Rolls-Royce rolled in again,” Mirabella said.
“I’m not exactly sure how many scoring shots he had, but he finished with five, and he stood up when it counted and put a score on the board again.”
Newcomb will turn its attention to a mouthwatering Easter Saturday match-up with Portarlington at Ron Evans Oval as it looks to start a season 3-0 for the first time since 2007, the year it last played finals when winning a second premiership in three years.
“They’ve got such a good list, and from what I’ve heard, their game in the first half against Barwon Heads was really high quality, and they probably had a few guys that weren’t able to see the game out and that probably cost them,” Mirabella said.
“And then today, from all reports, they’ve put another performance in.
“So we go down there knowing that they’re going to bring the heat, and they are going to want to go 2-1.
“And we take some confidence out of today knowing that if we can put four quarters of work together again, that we’ll put ourselves in a position to be 3-0.”
Torquay, which has started a season 0-2 for the first time since 2016, faces a crucial meeting with the unbeaten Barwon Heads at McCartney Oval on Good Friday.
Elsewhere, A Connor Menadue-inspired Portarlington defeated Ocean Grove for the second time in three meetings following a 19-point win at Ray Menzies Oval,
The former Richmond and North Melbourne player kicked a game-high six goals in the 11.10 (76) to 7.15 (57) victory.
Having not beaten the Grubbers for 30 years until Round 2 last year, the Demons took a 12-point lead at quarter time, before extending that margin to 20 at half-time and 38 at three-quarter time.
Ocean Grove kicked the first four goals of the final term to cut the margin to 11 points.
However, the visitors found a late goal to steady and open their 2025 account.
Ruck Scott Greenough also impressed again and finished with two goals.
Recruit Gus Bourke and Joe Pierce each kicked two goals for the Grubbers, who lost Geelong VFL big man Kye Annand (rotator cuff) and Tatura recruit Jhdara Jones (shoulder) to injuries.
The wins by Portarlington and Newcomb marked the first time both clubs had won on the same day since the final round of the 2007 season.
Barwon Heads overcame inaccuracy and a dogged Queenscliff to snatch a six-point win at the Couta Bowl.
The Seagulls kicked two goals to one in the final term to hold off the Coutas, 9.17 (71) to 9.11 (65).
Jack Henderson was the lone multiple goal kicker for Barwon Heads with two majors, while Will Baker and recruit Izaac Grant kicked two for Queenscliff.
Rival spearheads Mitch Day and Ayden Gras have kicked five goals apiece, as Geelong Amateur outlasted Anglesea for a 25-point win at Queens Park.
After a slow start, trailing by 11 points at quarter time, the Pegs outscored the visitors 15.7 to 9.7 to claim a 17.10 (112) to 13.9 (87) victory.
Drysdale has blown Modewarre off the park after half-time to register a comprehensive 75-point result at Drysdale Recreation Reserve.
The Hawks led by a lone point at half-time but used an eight-goal-to-one third quarter to put the four points in their keeping.
Drysdale kicked five goals in the final term while restricting the Warriors to one behind to leave the visitors languishing at the bottom of the ladder.
Veteran Tom Ruggles kicked four goals for the Hawks, with Scott Morter among Modewarre’s best with five goals.
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