Terang Mortlake's Jake Meade (left) and North Warrnambool Eagles' Xavier Mills scrap over the ball in soggy conditions during Saturday s clash. 120714LP31 Picture: LEANNE PICKETT
ONE win doesn't make a season but North Warrnambool Eagles coach David Haynes says Saturday's 68-point win over Terang Mortlake is a good launching pad.
The Eagles capitalised with a strong southerly wind in the final term kicking 8.9 to nil as they turned an 11-point three-quarter-time lead into a 17.17 (119) to 8.3 (51) victory.
After their second win in five games, Haynes said the Eagles were heading in the right direction for Sunday's blockbuster against second-placed Warrnambool at Bushfield.
"We know our best footy is good enough to beat anyone," he said.
"It's a matter of if we apply ourselves.
"We were having a bit of fun out there. It had gone out of our game the last six to eight weeks. It was just a matter of getting up and about."
Haynes said the Eagles' victory was underpinned by a best-on-ground performance by ruckman Jordan Dillon, midfielder Andy McMeel and another youngster Aidan Long, who tagged Terang Mortlake dangerman Joel Moloney.
The Eagles got a quick start, opened a 13-point lead at the first break and extended that to 33 points at half-time before the Bloods kicked 4.1 to 0.3 in the third term to close within 11 points at the last change.
But with heavy rain and the wind favouring the Eagles, they overpowered the Bloods in the final quarter.
Terang Mortlake coach Shane Threlfall said North, despite being sixth, appeared to take its game to a new level.
"Based on what I saw they are as good as anyone we've played," Threlfall said.
"They handled the ball really well."
The result means the Bloods are a game and a huge amount of percentage behind the Eagles in seventh place.
"The reality of it now is all we can do is win games and we are relying on other sides to lose. It's become very tough (to make the finals) but by no means are we putting the cue in the rack.
"One side has to stumble big time for us and we have to win."
He said teenager Damian Moloney, who had been taken to hospital by ambulance at half-time with a suspected neck injury, had been discharged on Saturday night.
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