There, in the stinking mud, North Wagga’s finals hopes were sinking against The Rock-Yerong Creek.

The defending premiers shut the Saints out of the game after quarter-time, kicking 11 of the last 12 goals, for a convincing 12.9 (81) to 4.9 (33) victory that virtually guarantees a top-three finish.

“We’ve got through the tough period,” co-coach Andy Carey said after their third straight win over a finals-hopeful. 

“There’s still a couple of tough games to go but, yeah, happy with where we’re sitting at the moment.”

But the 48-point loss means North Wagga are under immense pressure to win at Coleambally next week. 

Again, the Saints started with plenty of intensity against a side well above them on the ladder. Despite Josh Meiselbach winning the taps out of the centre for TRYC, North Wagga kicked three goals to one inside 20 minutes.

They might have had six on the board a couple of minutes after quarter-time but for missed opportunities each side of the break.

Things were looking a little grim for the Pies when full-back Casey Hillary, copped a heavy but fair bump from Nathan Dowdle and left the field not long afterwards.

But at the same time, TRYC’s Todd Hannam swung momentum with two crucial goals in three minutes. And his third midway through the quarter put them in front.

Lachie Highfield was heavily involved for Saints with 14 touches before half-time and travelling partner Alex Grozinger levelled the scores just after the break.

But it was to be North Wagga’s only goal in more than three-quarters of football as Hannam and Tom Yates took control with Yates’ fellow on-ballers Dave Pieper and Josh Ashcroft in support.

After Hannam pounced on a chance to put TRYC a goal clear, Yates had a handful of touches in a couple of minutes leading up to a classy goal. And later in the quarter drilled an inspirational effort from the left pocket to put his side four goals clear.

Confidence sky-high he even unleashed the right boot with a crowd-pleasing pass in the fourth term. The only sight more exciting was Charlie White taking a couple of screamers in defence, while Carey overcame some earlier misses to share the four last-quarter goals with Hannam.

“That second half is exactly how we want to play footy,” Carey said. 

“The second quarter we dug our way back into it… I just hope we can carry that (form) into finals.”

Ben Alexander and Brayden Skeers were North Wagga’s best on a disappointing day, when the Saints were outnumbered for match-winners, outclassed in decision making and out of confidence in the end.