TAMWORTH Kangaroos continued their long dominance of the Tamworth Swans with an emphatic 20.21 141 to 5.7 37 victory at No 1 Oval, Tamworth, on Saturday.
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The Roos started extremely well, booting two six-goal quarters to take a 76-point lead into the half-time break.
The Swans did fight back and made it a tougher second half. However, the Roos were too strong all over the park with Dean Hoy kicking six goals, Matt Hughes notching four, and Daniel Leon, Alex Hudson and Ryan Searl all scoring two majors.
Chris Oxford's two goals were best for a Swans best side served by Gavin Knee, Steve Fairless, Will Priest, Harrison Tibbles and Julian Jasper.
Swans president Josh McKenzie said the Swans were outclassed.
"There's no shying away from that," he said.
"But the effort was there, we never stopped trying. We made too many mistakes and can't do that against such a well structured side like them. Can't fault our effort but we were just second to the ball too often."
Kangaroos coach Tony Bishop was delighted with his side's first half performance.
"The first half was good. Hoy (Dean) was dangerous up front just a bit wayward and Ben Mitchell dominated in the ruck. Daniel Leon was outstanding. He just plays, he's an athlete," he said.
Daniel Johnson, Luke Robinson, Hughes and Searl also earned plaudits from the coach who was disappointed by a "very ordinary second half of football".
"Very scrappy," he said.
"Terrible game of football in the second half."
He thought Robinson did well, playing on and restricting Knee.
"That was a good contest ," he said of the two stalwarts.
"Matt Hughes played well, pleasing for him for him to kick four goals too. Ryan Searl is also going well, he could be an x-factor for us and Col Daye had a great game across half back."
He was interested to hear Gunnedah Bulldogs beat Inverell Saints in Inverell because his side goes to Inverell this Saturday.
That will make the Saints even more determined to bounce back, but as it stands the Saints appear likely to finish second to the unbeaten Nomads, and the Roos third, with Gunnedah fourth.
The Moree Suns, meanwhile, burned the Narrabri Eagles 19.23 137 to 6.6 42 with Luke O'Neill kicking seven and Daniel West six.
Playing his first game for the Suns, Josh Walker also kicked a goal and was named the players’ player.
The club is hopeful the win, which moves them from the bottom of the table, is a sign of changing times.
“They played really well as a team this weekend, they passed the ball, their kicking was spot on, they were talking with each other,” Suns president Tina Macey told the Moree Champion.