![The Rock-Yerong Creek forward Dean Biermann looks to swoop on a loose ball in the Farrer League game against Charles Sturt University at Peter Hastie Oval on Saturday. Picture by Tom Dennis The Rock-Yerong Creek forward Dean Biermann looks to swoop on a loose ball in the Farrer League game against Charles Sturt University at Peter Hastie Oval on Saturday. Picture by Tom Dennis](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8tYDWUpBiaA8SfdG6xkddz/d85f175c-ce69-4122-aaab-6a5358dfade8.jpg/r0_312_5203_3237_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Rock-Yerong Creek issued a strong reminder what they are capable of with a 79-point thrashing of Charles Sturt University in the Farrer League top of the table clash.
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The reigning premiers provided an immediate response from last week's first loss of the season with a commanding 19.10 (124) to 7.3 (45) victory at Peter Hastie Oval on Saturday.
It was anyone's game at half-time with the Magpies holding on to a 11-point lead but the Bushpigs had proven threatening.
But seven unanswered goals in the third term broke the heart of CSU and the Magpies didn't stop there, finishing with 13 majors to two after the main break to consolidate their position on top of the ladder.
TRYC full-forward James Roberts proved the star, overcoming some early yips in front of goal to boot six second half goals in a best-on-ground display.
After CSU had lowered TRYC's colours in upsets at Peter Hastie Oval for the past two years, Magpies co-coach Brad Aiken was full of praise for his group with the way they responded after half-time.
"I said to Rusty and the boys in there, as long as I've been in the footy club, it's probably the best win I've been apart of to be honest," Aiken said.
"Just the way we really stood up and binded together and showed what it takes to play as a footy side. You can handle getting beaten but if you play that footy generally against most teams, we'll hold ourselves in a pretty good position to either win the game or break even anyway."
Aiken was also pleased with the response after last week's loss to East Wagga-Kooringal.
"We played East Wagga last week and to East Wagga's credit they were really good, they pressured us," he said.
"We knew CSU were going to bring that today, that pressure and they probably play their ground really well but I think it showed today with our skillset and the way we can use the footy going forward, especially in the second half it showed that we can dominate sides if we play in the right manner. If we don't play in the right manner we can easily get beaten.
"To CSU's credit they challenged in the first half. It was going to either go one way or the other and I asked for a big response from the boys and we actually started playing the footy we know we can play.
"We started getting some forward handballs and it was simple, we just started playing for each other. That's what footy's about, effort, playing for each other and that structural stuff sometimes takes care of itself.
"I think sometimes we over-emphasis on that and all I wanted this week was a response in effort and we got that in the second half."
Aiken went as far to say that TRYC weren't completely playing for one another early in the clash against the Bushpigs.
"To be honest, we had a few blokes that were at each other and it's just not what we stand for as coaches and a side," he said.
"I think it can make a team implode pretty quick and I just asked for a change of attitude.
"Blokes make mistakes, they don't go out there to make mistakes, miss targets, miss goals and that. They're all having a crack. It's just about responding to each other in the right manner to get them going again and get them back up. They all showed that in second half."
Roberts was the man that got TRYC going.
After kicking his third behind just after half-time, Roberts flicked the switch and kicked four goals in the third term and had a hand in another.
He finished with 6.3 and got on top of the inaccuracy that plagued him early, and has done at different stages through his time at the Magpies.
Aiken was rapt that it turned for their spearhead.
"I'm really pleased for Jimmy Roberts," he said.
"He's come out and kicked six goals something in the second half, which for him, is great for his confidence and great for our players to have confidence with him.
"It was great to see."
While Roberts took over in the second half, TRYC captain Curtis Steele up until that point had been the difference.
He kicked two goals and gave the Magpies great drive in the midfield, while Tom Yates was also strong through the midfield and across half-forward.
The loss dropped CSU to fourth spot at the half-way mark of the season.
Lachie Holmes never gave up for the Bushpigs, nor did Sam Severin who was strong in defence throughout.
The only injury concern was a suspected knee injury to CSU's Wayde Archibald.
Full-time
TRYC Magpies 5.1 6.5 13.9 19.10 (124)
CSU Bushpigs 3.0 5.0 5.2 7.3 (45)
GOALS: TRYC Magpies Seniors: J.Roberts 6, C.Steele 2, D.Biermann 2, C.Brown 2, N.Budd 1, D.Roberts 1, M.Cummins 1, J.Brooks 1, J.Kemp 1, S.Williams 1, T.Yates 1; CSU Bushpigs: P.Inglis 2, H.Wakefield 2, N.Esmonde 1, N.Myers 1, H.Wooden 1
BEST: TRYC Magpies: J.Roberts, J.Brooks, T.Yates, C.Steele, J.Kemp, C.Cool; CSU Bushpigs: S.Severin, B.Browning, N.Myers, L.Holmes, N.Esmonde, M.Findlay