The Bushranger boys continued their winning streak with a dominant third-quarter performance, securing a convincing 12.13 (85) to 5.8 (38) victory over Western Jets at Tony Sheehan Oval on Sunday.
With a solid 20-point advantage at the main break, the Bushrangers slammed home five majors to establish an unassailable 43-point lead by the final change.
The Jets could muster only 38 points for the game with Mooroopna’s Caden Ratcliffe, in for his first Bushrangers game of the season after overcoming an early-season hamstring injury, a key part of the defensive effort.
“Caden missed the start of the season with a severe hamstring injury, so it was good for him to go back and play some footy with Mooroopna to get ready,” Bushies assistant coach Jason Wells said.
“He came in and controlled the back line with Harry Dean. It was nice to see Caden back, he's a nice, strong boy that can play behind the footy, and we’re looking forward to the rest of the year for him.”
The Bushies also had Shepparton United’s Blake Sofra in the top-age bracket for the first time, making his debut after recently featuring for the Demons’ Goulburn Valley League senior side.
“Obviously, the (Talent League) opportunity is for the top age being their draft and Blake had to bide his time a little bit,” Wells said.
“It just shows the form that he's brought through the local footy.
“Playing a few senior games as well, he adapted really well to the tempo, and as we spoke about after the game, it only gets harder and harder from here as he continues to play at that level.
“He stepped in really well and had a good first game.”
The win pushes the Bushies up to 12th, only one game outside the top eight with a bye before facing GWV Rebels.
Meanwhile, the Murray Bushrangers girls returned from the bye and snatched the four points from Northern Territory.
The Bushies snapped a three-game losing streak with a comfortable 7.10 (52) to 3.7 (25) win, keeping themselves squarely in the hunt for finals with a 3-3 record.
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