SOUTH Warrnambool ended a 17-game losing streak with a stunning win over premiership contender Portland today.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Roosters scored a 12-point win in muddy and wet conditions at the Friendly Societies' Park that warmed the hearts of their faithful supporters who raucously joined in the club song.
Teenager Kyden Jarvis was the talking point, kicking five goals on debut - almost half his side's number of goals.
Roosters coach Matthew Monk was delighted with the 11.13 (79) to 10.7 (67) result, telling the club's supporters "we're going somewhere".
The win was achieved without eight of the Roosters' best 21, including star midfielder Zacc Struth, who failed to overcome an ankle complaint, withdrawing before the game.
"I won't sit here and say I'm surprised," Monk said.
"We have always been about effort and probably to be honest the last couple of weeks we have brought it back to quarter by quarter, effort by effort, these are the areas of the game we need to improve and until we do we won't see it on the scoreboard.
"It was all about effort. Going into the game with eight changes, I was really confident with the eight coming in
"I am very, very proud, very proud of the boys to come in and show that."
Portland was without coach Jake Myles because of a calf complaint suffered at interleague training on Wednesday night.
"You just have to learn when you have a foot on the throat of a team you have to put the foot down," Myles said.
"We get two or three goals in front and we were in these conditions, which is a fair bit, and we go away from what we know. That's probably the most disappointing thing and then it turns into a scrap.
"Full credit to them."
North Warrnambool Eagles ended Cobden's unbeaten run, recording a 16.12 (108) to 13.9 (87) win in windy conditions at Bushfield Recreation Reserve.
Mark Murphy kicked five goals, using his explosive speed to advantage, while ruckman Jordan Dillon and onballer Matthew Wines, playing his 150th senior game, were important.
The wind was a telling factor in the result, with 23 of the 26 goals kicked to the Mortlake end.
Cobden kicked three goals without a centre bounce in the third term.
Bombers debutant Dominic Dare kicked a goal and Sam Harkin two after Thomas O'Leary gave away free kicks.
The passage quickly turned the Eagles' 10-point half time lead into a nine-point deficit.
Dare kicked another to put the Bombers 18 points clear before North Warrnambool Eagles settled with two goals against the wind to take confidence into the final change.
Eagle defender Darcy Keast hurt his quad in the win and onballer Nathan Murphy was a late withdrawal with a finger injury and could miss up to 10 weeks.
Warrnambool is the only undefeated team after four rounds, defeating Terang Mortlake 10.13 (73) to 5.9 (39).
Camperdown sits at the foot of the table as the only winless side after losing to Koroit, 11.10 (76) to 5.7 (47).
Sam Dobson kicked seven goals for the Saints.
Hamilton Kangaroos host Port Fairy in the final Hampden league round four fixture tomorrow.