Two games out from finals, reigning premiers Marrar have given every indication they'll stretch their season out for six weeks yet, smashing one-time flag favourites East Wagga-Kooringal by 67 points on Saturday.
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The Bombers' 17.10 (112) to 6.9 (45) win at Gumly Oval suggested they're warming up for a serious tilt at a hat-trick of flags, while EWK dropped out of the top three with a disappointing effort in front of a host of past Hawks celebrating 40-year premiership reunions.
Their disappointing performance asks some big questions about their premiership credentials after they struggled to find an answer to Marrar's run and pressure.
"That's the closest we've played to four quarters this year," coach Shane Lenon said.
"We've played good in halves or for two-and-a-half quarters before. But we finished the game off really well and ran it right out. That was the really pleasing part about the win."
The Bombers started to get the upper hand in a tight first term but then stamped some authority in the second, kicking five unanswered goals for a 39-point lead at half-time.
The game was gone by the time EWK enjoyed a period of ascendancy in the third quarter. Even then, Marrar's work ethic, not to mention their ability to go forward and find a goal when momentum was against them, kept the Hawks from a serious challenge.
And the final quarter was a rout, with the visitors winning the ball at will out of the centre and putting on another eight goals, including three each to Zach Walgers (who finished with six) and Brad Moye (four for the game).
It had all the hallmarks of a team enjoying their footy ahead of finals.
"We haven't really gone on with the job and put a game to bed, and we did that. Even in the last quarter, if they'd kicked a couple of goals, it could still have been game on. But our ability to rip in and apply pressure and work for each other was really good," Lenon said.
"I said at three-quarter-time we need to shepherd for each other and work a little bit harder to make it easier for each other and I thought we did that really well in the last quarter."
It was a different story for the Hawks. Brocke Argus kicked the first goal of the game in the second minute but there was no indication then they wouldn't find another goal for two full quarters of footy.
Argus was a virtual lone hand in trying to fire his team. They had a pre-game setback when forward Chris Ladhams' flight was delayed and he didn't arrive until midway through the second quarter.
But they looked exposed in the middle, as well as for speed, as the Bombers took control and set the tempo.
Marrar ruckman Nick Molkentin had another towering performance to put them on the front foot and captain Jackson Moye was brilliant in leading by example, with a host of critical clearances to get them on top.
Walgers was his customary committed and dangerous self up forward, with good support from Rhys Mooney and Jack Reynolds and Chris O'Donnell had a big return to seniors.
The Hawks have now been beaten twice by Marrar, once by Temora and once by North Wagga. Their hopes of a second chance in finals are still likely to come down to round 18 against the Kangaroos. However, they'll know they've got some work to do, and injuries to Chris Jackson and Max Tiernan won't help their cause.
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