While the Eagles swooped for a 36-point win over the Moree Suns at Leitch Oval and the Tamworth Kangaroos spreadeagled the Tamworth Swans in a second-half plunder to reap a 108-point win at No 1 Oval, the Saints were scoring a 51-point win over Gunnedah District Bulldogs at Wolseley Park in Gunnedah.

“We were expecting a lot closer game than that,” absent Saints coach Dick Gleeson said.

He was in Sydney where he watched his Western Bulldogs beat the Sydney Swans in front of more than 30,000 and interested by reports of a win that has the side preparing for Saturday’s home ground showdown with the Nomads.

“I was surprised by the score  but we kicked a bit straighter than normal too.”

Ironically, his Saints kicked six goals straight in a first quarter where the Bulldogs also kicked four goals in a 36-24 scoreline heading into the second quarter.

The Saints booted clear from there, with four goals in the second and five more in the third before winning 18.11 119 to 10.8 68.

Justin Pay, Sam Kimmince, Thomas McGregor, Anthony Pages, Damon Harrison and Andrew Schneider all starred for the Saints and they will have to be at their best when they tackle the Nomads at Varley Oval this Saturday.

 Gleeson knows it’s going to be a challenge.

“We know they are better than us at this stage of the season,” he said.

“The last game we were pretty confident but they thumped us by a hundred.”

This time the Saints will be better prepared and know how hard they will have to work.

In other games this weekend, the Kangaroos host the Eagles and Tamworth Swans will travel across to Wolseley Park, Gunnedah to take on the Bulldogs.