Round 10 of Picola District Football League season was held on Saturday with the Bears belting out their song following a fifth consecutive win.
Tungamah travelled to Memorial Park to take on Deniliquin Rovers in a potential preview of a clash in September as both sides hope to make it deep into finals.
The Bears got off to a raging start, booting five first-quarter goals.
Goal merchant Ned McKeown was at his dangerous best inside 50, kicking five majors for the day to take his tally to a whopping 59 goals from nine games.
The Rovers and Bears traded blows in the second term, but the visitors held their opponents at arm’s reach and took a 12-point lead into half-time.
After extending the margin to four goals in the third quarter, Deniliquin couldn’t fight back in the fourth, booting 0.4 to Tungamah’s 3.1.
As the final siren blared, Tungamah had motored away to a 7.10 (52) to 14.7 (91) victory.
It was the Bears’ sixth win of the season and pushed last year’s preliminary finalists up to fourth place on the ladder.
Tungamah co-coach Sean Johns — who kicked four goals himself — was impressed with how his players fared in a tough match.
“It was fairly blustery conditions over in Deni,” Johns said.
‘We had a four-goal buffer at three-quarter time and then against the breeze I think we kept them goalless which was really good in the last quarter.
“We had a fair few injuries coming into the game, so we were really rapt with the effort from the boys.”
Brett Smith was promoted from the twos to be the back up ruck for the Bears and slotted in seamlessly, earning best-on-ground honours.
Tungamah defender Jye Holcombe was also among the best after producing an impressive performance down back.
In attack, Johns was full of praise for Bears recruit and arguably their breakout star of the season, McKeown.
The playing co-coach said McKeown had provided a crucial focal point for Tungamah this season in what turns out to be a new role for the gun goal-kicker.
“We started off playing (McKeown) back earlier in the year because that is where he has played most of his career,” he said.
“We had a few injuries down forward, so we swung him forward and it has worked out pretty well.
“His ability to kick goals from any position and hit the scoreboard is probably his biggest attribute, he rarely misses a shot on goal so it is good to have someone reliable down there kicking goals that is for sure.”
After a 1-2 start, Tungamah has got its year rolling at the midway point of the season.
Johns said it's good to see his players settle in to their football.
“Tungamah are renowned slow starters, a lot of the boys work on farms and I wouldn’t say pre-seasons are their biggest attribute,” he said.
“It is good to get a few games under the boys’ belts and we are starting to hit our straps a little bit.
"Still have work to do, but we are ticking boxes.”
Around the grounds, Katandra piled the pain on Mathoura with a 205-7 victory at home, while an inaccurate Berrigan beat Dookie United by 60 points.
Strathmerton defeated Rennie by 50 points, Katamatite secured a 100-point victory over Blighty, reigning premier Waaia handed Picola United a 69-point loss, while Jerilderie outlasted Tocumwal at home by 14 points.
In the A-grade netball, Dookie United secured an eight-goal victory over Berrigan, Katandra thrashed Mathoura by 53, Waaia beat Picola United by 23, while Rennie stole a two-goal victory from Strathmerton on the road.
Katamatite smoked Blighty by 61 goals, Deniliquin Rovers beat Tungamah by 23 and Tocumwal gave Jerilderie a 52-goal belting.
