Setting the record straight in the best way possible, Young ploughed through the mud to thrash Tumbarumba 36-0 at Alfred Oval on Sunday.
Nearly three months after crashing 30-26 to Tumbarumba in the hills to open the season, Young evened the score with a resounding six-try victory.
Quality hooker James Woolford led the scoring rout with three tries, while stand-in five-eighth Warren Aiken and lock Haydn Cowled, who got the players’ player award, also shone for the Cherrypickers.
Playing on a “sloppy” surface, Young grabbed two early tries to lead 12-0 in the 25th minute and were always in complete control.
Taking stock of the success, suspended Young captain-coach Neil Thorman later praised the team for their composure and dexterity in the wet.
“The conditions were not great,” Thorman said on Sunday.
“The ground was sloppy but the boys handled it well.”
With Young aiming to lock down fourth spot at least on the ladder, Thorman said Sunday’s dominant 36-point result was exactly what was needed.
“The nil bit was definitely important,” Thorman said.
“Positions (in the top five) might easily come down to points difference.
“A nil scoreline will certainly help.”
Currently fourth with 19 points on the table, Young is one point ahead of fifth-placed Albury (18), while second-placed Gundagai and third-placed Junee are on 22 points.
Young faces Cootamundra, Kangaroos, Gundagai, Tumut and Junee in the remaining games, with a minimum of six points seemingly in the bag.
Thorman, however, is not counting out the Bulldogs at Les Boyd Oval on Saturday.
“We can’t forget Tumbarumba beat us up in the hills,” he said.
“We’re not in position to be complacent against any team, especially Cootamundra in Cootamundra.”
Despite the tricky conditions, Young came through with only one serious casualty.
Versatile Ross Hewitt suffered an ankle injury late in the first half and later went to hospital for scans to determine the extent of the problem. Hewitt scored a try before he was injured as Young rattled up a 24-0 lead by halftime.
Significantly, Young will be missing star prop Aaron Slater and Thorman for Saturday’s clash with Cootamundra.
Thorman still has one game to serve on his suspension and Slater will be in Perth as part of the Country team.
