Hampden restored its standing as a country football power with a 97-point thumping of Murray on Saturday, 12 months after it suffered its worst defeat in interleague history — a 125-point loss to Ovens and Murray.

Hampden had 12 individual goal scorers as it dominated the country championships seventh-versus-eighth clash at Warrnambool’s Reid Oval.

The Bottle Greens’ 22.10 (142) to 6.9 (45) triumph lifted them back to number six in the rankings, setting up another showdown with Ovens and Murray, which was defeated by Peninsula in the third-versus-fourth contest.

“Today was a day we had to get back on the bike a bit,” Hampden coach Chris McLaren said.

“Last year wasn’t good enough, O&M really set themselves for that game 12 months ago. It would be nice to get them here or somewhere neutral. 

“I reckon we had eight or nine frontline players who didn’t play today. Our best side in good shape, I think we would give them a good run. 

“I would hope the players are keen. They are a powerhouse side, but I think we are closer to them than what most people think.”

While Hampden’s win was celebrated by McLaren and arguably one of the league’s youngest sides, the result adds more fuel to the debate a gulf exists between the top six competitions and the rest.

Hampden has now won three of its past five interleague matches by an average of 87 points. 

It defeated Murray by 69 points in 2011, Sunraysia by 94 in 2013 and then Murray again on Saturday by 97. 

Those victories were punctuated by 58 and then 125-point losses to Ovens and Murray.

The Bottle Greens, without a plethora of injured stars, fielded a side containing nine players aged 20 or under with 17 of the 22 aged 25 or under.

But McLaren said the absences provided a motivating factor for his team that included nine debutants.

“Sometimes the blokes who do play go ‘we’re good players too’ and I want to prove a point and show what I can do,” he said.

And that’s what they did.

After a slow start, they demolished Murray, conceding just 45 points for the game — the best defensive effort by a Bottle Greens side in the past 22 years. 

Hampden has only conceded less than that four times since interleague matches began in 1963.

Warrnambool’s Tim O’Keeffe had the key match-up on former AFL player Damian Cupido at full-forward. Cupido kicked his side’s first goal two minutes into the match but aside from a classy snap in the second, O’Keeffe had his measure. 

The Bottle Greens’ defence that included vice-captain Tom Batten, Koroit’s Ben Dobson, Terang Mortlake’s Chris Baxter, Camperdown’s Jack Williams and Port Fairy’s Dylan Gunning was superb. 

They zoned off their opponent to outnumber Murray in the air and on the rebound were creatively attacking, repeatedly taking risks by hand and foot to create scoring opportunities.

Hampden’s midfield was critical. It had winners everywhere with Warrnambool’s Damien McCorkell pivotal at the stoppages alongside his Blues teammate Jackson Bell and North Warrnambool Eagles’ Matthew Wines and Sam McLachlan.

But it was up forward that Hampden was unstoppable. 

Marking targets Terang Mortlake’s Stephen Staunton (6.1), Warrnambool’s Travis Graham (1.3) and Sam Cowling (1.1) kicked eight goals between them. But they took a staggering 20 marks combined inside the forward 50-metre arc, as well as more across half-forward.

What they didn’t mark was cleaned up by small forwards including Portland’s Luke Crane and Koroit’s James Gow.

Murray had few winners but midfielder Justin Terlich was their most prolific ball winner alongside former Camperdown player Tim McKenzie, who was also good on a wing.