Interleague representatives Tully Allwood, Luke Duncan, Luke Moutray, Justin Wallace and Angus Chirnside all fronted up against South Rovers, playing a role in the Dogs’ rousing 49-point triumph.

Dogs coach Jake Rhodes flagged the importance of ticking off early victories as his side moved into third place.

“Going forward, we have to keep winning as many games as we can because that puts us in a good situation for finals,” Rhodes said.

“The competition this season is pretty even and I really think any side can beat another on their day. 

“It’s important to get those early wins to make sure you’re not putting pressure on yourself later on in the season.”

First-year South Rovers coach Adam Matheson was disappointed with his side’s performance.

He said his team was struggling to begin well and admitted they had to bridge the gap between their worst and best football.

“If you’re playing against teams who are competing for finals places, if you start slow, the game can be almost over in the first quarter,” Matheson said.

“We’ve identified what style of footy is our best – and that’s footy with pressure inside 50 and run and carry. We were miles off that on Saturday.

“Our good is good, but our bad is too far away from that at the moment.”