KANGAROOS captain-coach Adam Hall had no hesitation in labelling the Wagga team's thumping 38-8 victory over Young at Equex Centre yesterday as the best of his coaching career.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Four days after being re-appointed to the Roos position for next year, Hall was able to celebrate a stunning seven tries to two upset over the fifth-placed Cherrypickers.
After catching Young out with two tries in the opening seven minutes, Roos streaked to a commanding 20-4 lead at half-time before stretching the advantage with three straight tries in the second half.
As Hall and his team later belted out their theme song with extra gusto in the dressing room, Young captain-coach Luke Branighan openly fumed at the Cherrypickers miserable display.
Hitting out, Branighan described Young's fumbling and bumbling effort as "disgraceful".
"But at the same time Kangaroos gave it to us," Branighan said.
"It's back to the drawing board."
For Young, the lopsided loss put the team under pressure to stay in the top five in the critical last six weeks of the home and away series.
In contrast, the towering success raised hope that inconsistent Roos could actually salvage their season.
Speaking to The Daily Advertiser, Hall made it clear he believes Roos can make a belated run for the the finals.
"It was a great effort, but we can do better," Hall said.
"We have to believe we can make the finals, and we will make it.
"It's all about attitude."
Wasting little breath, Hall needed one word - "easy" - to single out the win as the highlight of his two season's in Wagga.
"This was something special," he said.
On a day when Young looked anything like a team in premiership contention, Roos struck absolute football gold, with and without the ball.
Only a week after hammering Tumbarumba 50-10 at Equex Centre, Roos stepped up in class and delivered any even slicker and more dominant performance against a quality team.
With teenage prop Jamin Jolliffe and Kiwi enforcer Hayden Davis completely out-muscling the Young pack, the Roos backs turned it on in blistering style.
Given great direction by Hall, halfback Liam Duffy and star hooker Glenn Dumbrell, speedsters Lachlan Cuell, Hayden Jolliffe, Luke Olson and Zac Graham all had a chance to shine.
Hall created the opening try for Tom Webb with a superb cut-out pass in the third minute before Duffy grubbered for Warren Lloyd to flash through and ground the ball for a try only four minutes later.
As much as Young struck back when teenage ace Jack Hetherington grossed in the 10th minute, Roos seized control with tries to Glenn Dumbrell (20th minute) and winger Luke Olson (33rd).
Between times, Tom Webb pulled off a try-saver on Young centre Naya Freeman to keep the momentum flowing for Roos.
When Jake Veney stepped into touch and missed a try in the 48th minute, Roos moved into overdrive, with Olsen scoring 90 seconds later.
By the time Glenn Dumbrell and Hall sent Cuell zooming over in the 61st minutes, Roos were bolting at 32-4 - and safely home.