The Seahawks produced gritty wins against Keilor Thunder and Chelsea Gulls on the weekend to improve their ledger to an imposing 14-3.

Jacob, filling in for suspended coach Matt Alexander, said Warrnambool ground out a 91-86 road triumph against the Thunder on Saturday night before overcoming a slow start to down the Gulls 91-79 at the Arc on Sunday afternoon.

The Seahawks president said it was a different feeling pacing the sidelines as coach.

“It’s been interesting,” he said.

“It makes it so much easier when you’ve got the likes of those guys out there in Alex (Gynes), Nathan (Sobey), Tim and X (Xavier Johnson-Blount), just a great leadership group.”

Nathan responded from a quiet night by his lofty standards – he scored a season-low 12 points against Keilor – to drain a game-high 38 points to go with seven assists against Chelsea.

“He’s just got that basketball brain and vision to see what other people don’t and that’s why we’re pleased to have him as well because he not only creates scores for himself but for his teammates,” Jacob said of his NBL-listed older brother.

But Jacob said the Seahawks’ bench was the telling factor in both games.

“It’s probably not been our best week from an individual effort (point of view),” he said.

“It goes to show how much depth we have throughout the team and the guys coming off the bench, how they can step up in those sort of times.

“Josh Dean was outstanding in the defensive side of things and he pretty much brought us back into the game last night with his intensity. Dion Smith today was absolutely fantastic and James Mitchell as well.”

Warrnambool is gunning for a top-four finish – a result which would net it a double chance come playoffs after the Big V scraped its conference system in favour of an AFL-style top eight.

“I think it is a lot better than the two conferences because last year we finished nearly on top and one game down and we were straight out,” Jacob said.

“I think this sort of structure allows for that second chance for those teams who put in the effort throughout the year and it gives them a bit of an advantage going into finals.”

Meanwhile, Warrnambool Seahawks’ youth league side dropped its double-header.

Adam Lawson and Mitchell O’Sullivan combined for 44 points in their 90-78 road loss to Melton, while Aiden Kennedy drained 22 points as they went down 96-61 Chelsea.