ONE of Warrnambool's strengths is proving one of Cobden's downfalls.
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The Blues' height and power was instrumental in their 18.12 (120) to 10.7 (67) win against the Bombers on Saturday.
Forward line spearheads Sam Cowling and Jason Rowan kicked 10 goals between them while Jed Turland also chimed in with five goals.
Cobden coach Dan Casey said the Bombers' willingness to compete was evident but so was the size differential.
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"They were super strong. It was the same as Koroit last week, they were too strong around the footy. It gives us something to focus on recruiting-wise for next year."
Warrnambool coach Ben Parkinson believes Cobden is "on the right track".
"They probably just need a few bigger boys," he said.
"Their midfield was really good but maybe a little bit undersized."
Casey said Josh Worboys' absence from the Bombers' back half meant moving the magnets.
"Josh was a massive out for us because Tarj Anderson had to play on Sam Cowling and Tarj is only 70 kilos," he said.
"We had to move Christian (Koroneos) off Sam to play on Jase Rowan. I could never ever question them trying. They did battle hard."
Casey - a prolific goal-kicker during his playing days at Camperdown - said Warrnambool was in the enviable position of having twin targets in attack.
"I would've thought Sam Cowling and Jason Rowan would've tapered off a bit since I played them but they seem to have gotten better," he laughed.
"It would be handy having 400 games' experience in your key forwards."
Parkinson was rapt with Cowling's contribution.
"Sam was outstanding. He probably had a good match-up for him size-wise and was able to make the most of it," he said. "He dominated in the air. He may have taken 20 marks."
Cobden had its own spark in attack with co-captain Jack Hutt kicking three goals in his first match of the season - despite playing with a dodgy ACL.
"It can't get any worse. He's been training flat out. He can't turn but he's really dangerous around goal," Casey said.
"He won't play every week. It's just when he feels right."
Parkinson said Hutt's efforts were inspirational.
"He's come out and played with no surgery or no medical intervention, just a heap of tape on his knee," he said.
"He was just leading from full-forward in straight lines and they hit him lace-out a couple of times.
"I think he might have kicked three which was a huge effort and ultra inspiring for their team."
Warrnambool broke the game open after half-time.
"The third quarter was really, really good - 12 inside 50s, 8.1, and they had 13 inside 50s for 2.1, so both aspects of attack and defence that quarter were exactly what we are striving for," Parkinson said.
"They outscored us by one point in the last quarter and that is to do with our goal-kicking again - we had 19 inside 50s in the last quarter and kicked 4.6.
"When we're up by 50 points at three-quarter-time, we'd like to go on with it and win by a bigger margin and be a bit ruthless."
Warrnambool's Tim O'Keeffe is expected to miss matches with a tight hamstring. "We'll be pretty careful and I wouldn't imagine he'd play the next fortnight at least," Parkinson said.
Cobden got through unscathed and has players returning from long-term injuries. Zac Green (shoulder) played his first game of the season in the reserves and Lachie Davis (osteitis pubis) returned via the twos after "not playing for two or three years".
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