However, Saturday afternoon’s contest against an in-form Benalla had Shepparton Swans regain their mojo in a bloodbath at Benalla Showgrounds.
The Swans' attacking prowess had been dismantled and disfigured by opposition sides across the past month as they had averaged 54.3 points a game compared to their previous seven-game average of 111.6.
Round 12 had the Swans brutalise the Saints from the get-go as the visitors burst out of the blocks with a 3.0 to 6.7 quarter.
Shepparton Swans coach Jedd Wright didn’t allow his troops to take a backward step all day as a sea of red and white flooded Benalla’s defence.
When the final siren blared, the Swans had comfortably secured their eighth win of the season and fourth spot on the ladder with a 9.3 (57) to 26.20 (176) thumping.
Wright said the Swans had Zac Alderton, Mitch Grumley and Jono Moore among others as late outs heading into the banana-peel clash.
“We were really, really nervous going into this game, Benalla had been in really good form and we had a couple of late outs, which made us really nervous,” Wright said.
“We felt that we were breaking down in a couple of spots against the really top-end teams of the comp, but overall, we know that our best is right around the mark.
“It’s a really wide open comp this year, probably for the first time in three or four years, so if you are off a little bit on the day you will get done.
“Luckily yesterday we fired on all cylinders.”
The star of the match was Swans dynamo Nathan Rachele who bagged seven goals.
Wright said his captain was part of a procession of impressive Swans performances in the centre.
“Our leaders really stood up on the day I thought,” he said.
“Nath Rachele, he kicked seven. I haven’t seen the full stats, but I reckon he had 30 disposals to go with it.
“Nathan Hrovat was really good as he really dominated the centre stoppages.
“Max Clohesy really gave us some grunt through there.
“I think we structured up well at the stoppages and our forwards’ work rates certainly lifted and I think we managed to get on top through the middle through Nath Rachele, Max Clohesy, Nathan Hrovat and big (Mark Kovacevic) in there did really well.”
Part of the reason behind the Swans’ recent slide was their inaccuracy in front of goal.
The boys from Princess Park had averaged seven goals and 12.3 behinds across their past four matches.
Against the Saints, the Swans had a plethora of players find their radars as multiple goal-kickers James Auld, Hrovat (three), Sam Bicknell, Joeve Cooper, Adam Fichera and swingman Andrew Riordan (two) made the most of their opportunities.
Wright said he knew the reason behind the Swans' issues in front of goal.
“It is accuracy, but where we were having our shots on goal has been an issue,” he said.
“We were probably going a bit wide at times and having shots on the 50, so they were low percentage shots.
“It is something we are trying to address.
"You could easily say the games we have lost is through bad kicking, but I think there is probably a bit more to it than that.”
Benalla recruit and star forward Nathan Wright again impressed with a five-goal haul.
The Saints' athletic key forward leads the league for goal-kicking with 40 and has kicked 17 from his past three matches.
Swans debutants Xavier Janke and Manny Laulu kicked a goal.
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