With a spectacular rainbow behind the ground, Brothers produced their most committed performance of the season to inflict a six-try rout on the Blues.

And so there little wonder Brothers captain-coach Ben Black was later beaming like he had dug up a pot of gold.

“We made a pact last week that we were going to have a good finish to the year,” Black said. “Obviously this is an important win.”

Carrying on from their impressive recovery against Gundagai at Anzac Park a week earlier, the Brethren overpowered Tumut.

After scoring two tries in the first half to lead 12-0 at half-time, Brothers rattled on four more tries to leave the Blues absolutely stranded.

In the process, Brothers jumped to seventh on the Group Nine table with 10 points – and clearly out of wooden spoon territory.

Three rounds out from the finals, Brothers have secured a buffer and left Cootamundra, Tumut, Kangaroos and Tumbarumba to scrap from the least wanted ‘trophy’ of the season.

 Black is adamant Brothers are not finished yet.

“We’ve got Temora next week, then the bye and Cootamundra in the last round,” Black said. 

“Obviously Temora will be hard next Saturday but we’ll be out to win at home.”

For Black, Sunday’s success was a continuation of the team’s form against Gundagai the previous week.

“We played so well in the second half and carried it on into this game,” he said. “The conditions were tough but we did everything right.”

Led magnificently by prop Brayden Sharrock, Brothers outclassed Tumut in every department across the field.

Sharrock drove the ball forward relentlessly – at least one hit-up in every set of tackles – and gradually wore down the Tumut forwards.

Defying the driving rain and mud, Brothers were always in control, but still took their time to make it show.

The opening 15 minutes were a slog, but Black conspired to break the deadlock by putting winger Matt Ward over for the first try in the 17th minute.

Brothers quickly turned the lead to 12-0 when Aaron Bell sent winger Harold Kirby over three minutes later.

As much as Brothers only led 12-0 at halftime, the signs were ominous and points came easier in the second half.

Black chipped skilfully for Cade Price to score in the 44th minute before Aaron Wynne gave a short pass for James Hay to cross.

The spree continued when Sharrock deservedly burst over for a try in the 69th minute and Kirren Roughly steamed in from long range.