THE Bathurst Giants sent an early season warning to their Central West AFL rivals on Saturday when posting the biggest win in their senior history over a Bathurst Bushrangers side.
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With an almost full-strength roster they crushed the Bushrangers Outlaws 21-25-151 to 4-10-34 at George Park 1.
After having a number of key absentees when suffering a heavy loss in their first match against the Bushrangers Rebels, Saturday's performance showed that a full strength Giants are very real premiership contenders.
"What a turnaround from the first game," Giants coach Mark Kennedy said.
"I suppose it was the ins that made the difference for us. I rotated a few of the larger bodies through the midfield - to have the likes of Tim French, Shaun Noyen and Dave Manning rotate through the midfield was just a bonus.
"Frenchy ended up getting our players' player due to his physical presence around the ground. Frenchy played our first year then had a couple out after an injury, the second year he broke his clavicle, but he's back now and training hard, he's as fit as I've either seen him."
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With the match part of the Central West AFL's Anzac round, Kennedy organised a special guest to speak to his players prior to the opening bounce. His words inspired the Giants.
"We had major Lachlan Host, who is surgeon in the Army Reserves, come and address the team before the game. He talked to them about mateship and solidarity and this is the closest thing these players have to going into a battle," Kennedy said.
"They put on a uniform, put on a jumper, and work together as a band of men, it was really inspirational."
The opening quarter saw the Giants take control, booting five goals nine to one-two, and once ahead they did not let their intensity slip.
By the long break the margin was out to 50, the Giants leading 10-16-76 to 4-2-26.
While the Outlaws continued to fight - winning the centre clearances in the third quarter as they demonstrated their own determination - the Giants back line made sure they were unable to capitalise on their inside 50s.
The Outlaws were only able to add eight minors to their tally while the Giants booted another five majors.
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Come the final term and with victory already sealed, the Giants could have been forgiven for relaxing.
But instead Kennedy switched things up positionally and challenge his players to control possession.
That they did, holding Outlaws scoreless while they went on to post a record winning margin over a Bushrangers outfit.
It bettered the 22-12-144 to 7-7-49 result against Outlaws from round 10 last year.
"In the last quarter we changed it up a little bit and said let's just settle and control the football ... we wanted to virtually rob them of the football," Kennedy said.
"It does rate up there in terms of satisfaction, being a local derby there's no love lost as everyone knows but for us to come away with the chocolates was really good."
