The Roosters confirmed their status as genuine heavyweights in the race for the 2017 flag with a 16.18 (114) to 6.4 (40) thumping of the previously undefeated Bombers, who also have to contend with Dare’s report for striking Scott Maddern in the wash-up.

The Bombers have until lunchtime on Monday to decide whether they will appeal or accept his two-match set penalty.

It was another sour note in what was a less than spectacular day for the Bombers. The usually stingy defence leaked through a worrying 34 scoring shots, made all the worse by the fact the visitors could only scrounge together 10 of their own.

Dare said there were lessons to be learned for his side after they were outplayed on the road.

“They (the Roosters) were definitely prepared to work harder than we were, which is disappointing because what’s been winning us games is our work rate,” he said.

“They put a few question marks over a few of our guys by the way they went about it today. They definitely got in first to the ball and probably beat us at our strengths.

“We probably needed to be challenged like that because we haven’t had it so far. We’ll take a lot out of it and be a better side for it.”

Dare said on top of the Bombers’ existing injury list, a few players went into the game under injury clouds, while Jack Hammond reinjured the AC joint in his shoulder which interrupted his pre-season.

South Warrnambool coach Mathew Buck described the 74-point win as the “perfect” lead-in to this weekend’s clash with flag fancy Port Fairy.

“We really focused on what we wanted to do well. We wanted to defend well again and we wanted our ball use to be really good and we probably put both those things together,” he said.

“Pressure around the ball is really helpful with how we want to defend, so our midfield group has to make sure they’re working hard in tight so our backs can look to defend really well. We were really happy with the way we did that today.”

Both sides struggled to get meaningful disposals into their forward early in the contest, but the Roosters muscled their way into control as the game went on.

They led by four points at the first break and blew the lead out to 32 by half-time. They booted four goals to one in the third term before piling on five to two in the last.

Shannon Beks led the way with four goals, straightening up his earlier wayward kicking in the second half.