The Crocs led by just seven points at three-quarter time but kicked four goals to one in the final term to win 12.17.89 to 9.7.61.
Cameron Howlett and Kye Chapple both kicked trebles for the home side while Paul Smith was the only multiple goalscorer for the visitors, with two majors.
Chapple and Tim Oke were both among the Crocs’ best, while Lukas Ehlich was a standout for the Cutters.
“It was an arm-wrestle,” Crocs coach Brad Cooper admitted.
“Souths are always a very tough side to play.
“They got away from us in the second term, but we fought back in the third and fourth quarters to come away with the win.
“I was really pleased with our overall effort.
“It was only round one and there is definitely a lot of improvement left in both sides.”
Earlier the Crocs jumped to a 17-point first-quarter lead, keeping the Cutters to just two behinds for the term.
The Cutters had all the momentum in the second quarter, however, storming back into the contest with six majors to take a 6.4.40 to 4.10.34 half-time lead.
The Crocs wrestled the advantage back in the third quarter though, kicking 4.2-2.1 to set up their seven-point lead heading into the final term.
Meanwhile, a six-goals-to-one third quarter helped the Saints hold off a determined Cairns City Lions outfit to win their clash by 13 points on Saturday at Holloways Beach Sporting Complex.
Saints’ Matt Walsh kicked four goals and Brett Niewand and Riley McCall doubles in their side’s 13.13.91 to 11.12.78 win.
Charlie Haley and Adam Gross both booted trebles for the Lions.
The Lions kicked five goals to one in the opening term to establish a surprise 26-point lead.
However, Saints replied with five of their own in the second quarter to reduce the margin to just nine points at the main break.
The Saints then piled on six further majors in the third term and in the meantime restricted the Lions to a solitary goal to take a 23-point, 12.9.81 to 8.10.58 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Although the Lions kicked three goals to one in the final term, the Saints had built a strong enough buffer by three-quarter time to fend off their fast-finishing opposition.
“Saints were very good after half-time,” Lions coach John Tootell said.
“They jumped out of the blocks in the third quarter.’’
The final game of the round was all one-way traffic, with Centrals Trinity Beach thumping North Cairns by a comprehensive 143 points at Cazalys on Friday night.
Centrals slammed on 29 goals in their win, including nine in the second, eight in the third and six further in the fourth to run riot against their opposition in winning 29.15.189 to 6.10.46.
Joel Child (eight), Kaine Parsons (five) and Ethan Riddington with three were Centrals’ main goalkickers.
The game was an even contest in the opening quarter with Centrals only leading 6.4.40 to 4.1.25.
However, a nine-goal burst during the second term set up Centrals’ comprehensive victory.
Last Modified on 13/04/2015 12:24