It was all smiles for Charles Sturt University on Saturday as a 15-point win at Barellan opened their account for the season and eased the pressure heading into a three-week break between games.
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The Bushpigs will return in May buoyed by a victory that took some heart, having lost a handful of players to uni holidays and then needing to dig in for a 12.9 (81) to 10.6 (66) victory.
They led by almost three goals at halftime and three-quarter-time before the Two Blues threatened late, in shades of last week's loss to Temora for CSU.
"It was good. We got back to simple footy that we liked to play last year," coach Pat Noonan said.
"That loss (to Temora) was pretty heartbreaking so it was good to see the boys smiling and laughing and enjoying their footy.
"We got a bit of deja vu from last week there at the end, they were coming back pretty strong to get back into the game but we didn't go back into our shells this time."
Nick Wright was handy up forward and through the middle for CSU along with Joe Stapleton across half-back.
Barellan ruckman Shaun Allan impressed again in his second game giving the side some real strength in the middle.
But the Bushpigs, with a spread of goalkickers including Louis Miller and Sam Barrow, and youth and fitness around the ground, were able to finish on top, content in the knowledge they'll be back next month with eight premiership points on the board after a club bye following Easter.
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