For the second time this year, Coleambally have caused a boilover at home against one of the top teams, in what could prove a massive win for their finals hopes.
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The Blues are still seventh on the ladder after upsetting Temora 11.7 (73) to 7.9 (51) but the win keeps them right in the hunt, with a bye next week while the Northern Jets (fifth) and CSU (sixth) face away games against the top two teams, Marrar and North Wagga respectively.
Ironically, the Saints and Bombers were the only teams to have beaten Temora prior to their trip to Coleambally on Saturday.
While for the Blues, the 22-point win stopped a two-game losing stint from stretching to three and also halted a worrying habit.
Having capitulated after half-time against East Wagga-Kooringal and The Rock-Yerong Creek,they reversed the trend on Saturday, kicking six goals to Temora's one in the third quarter and then held steady in the last.
It was just what co-coach Mitch Carroll had demanded they address when the Kangaroos came back in the second quarter to take a nine-point lead.
"That was the best thing. It's where we've been falling away, after half-time, and we were at that position again," Carroll said.
"That we responded positively and put the game away a little bit, and then finished it off, was really good, because we had started to go back to our bad old ways in the second quarter."
Coleambally kicked the first three goals of the game but didn't kick one in the second.
However, with key forward Dwayne Weetra (three goals) back in, Curtis Steele leading the way in the middle and up forward (two goals) and Raven Marika (three goals) settling into stride after a hamstring injury, Coleambally could capitalise on efforts up the ground.
"Raven, he's very lively when he's near the ball. It's exciting, and the way he brings other players into the game. He's not selfish at is always looking to give the handpass," Carroll said.
"We're glad to have him back and have a quick, flashy bloke in the team."
Ruck duo Darcy Mader and Brendan Hardy rose to the challenge of nullifying Temora's new Canberra import, Joseph Tegart, while wingman Charlie McAdam and Jake Breed steered the side in the right direction and James Lyell kept Matt Harpley to one goal.
The Blues proved the win against Marrar a month ago was no flash-in-the-pan at a time when wins against teams above could be worth their weight in gold.
"It was something we talked about early in the week - that we got done at The Rock last week and we had to get a couple of wins against teams above us," Carroll said.
"It is a big positive to beat those good teams. There's a solid top four at the minute but I think The Rock or the Jets or us or whoever can get fifth might keep those teams on their toes."
However, a potential problem is defender Tom Morton reported after a run-in with Temora coach Jake Wooden.
Defenders Liam Pattison, Max Richardson and Rob Grant were the pick for the Kangaroos while Wooden (two goals) was their only multiple goalkicker.
While the Blues have the bye next week, Temora return home and take on The Rock-Yerong Creek.
Having slipped to fourth, behind EWK on percentage and a game between the Saints and Bombers, the Kangaroos know the battle for the top three (and the minor premiership) could be as fierce as that for fifth.
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