That’s how Emus coach Paul Ringland described his side rocketing back into the winner’s circle in the Blowes Clothing Cup with a 26-0 win on the road over Forbes Platypi on Saturday. 

After losing their past two games to Cowra Eagles and Bathurst Bulldogs – the first time in a long time Ringland could remember dropping two on the trot – the side was desperate to make a statement after the long weekend bye. 

And make a statement it did. 

Emus started well, going 14-0 up halfway through the first half before the game tightened up, but found a way through the Forbes defence towards the end of the game to continue scoring. 

Emus kept Forbes away from the goal line for most of the game, and the few times Platypi made its way forward Orange didn’t give them the chance to get a run on, with Ringland praising the effort of the defence in not letting Forbes build up phases on the push for the line.  

“To go over to Forbes and get a bonus point no matter how they are travelling that’s always huge,” Ringland said. 

“The only real times they got (forward) were due to penalties, and our defence was solid, especially close to the line and didn’t let them get too many phases going.”

In the wind, cold and rain, Emus made short work of Platypi in the second grand final rematch of the season, handing Forbes a second loss in a row.

While Emus started and finished well, Ringland said it wasn’t as smooth sailing as the scoreline suggested. 

“It turned into a tight tussle on the 20 minutes on either side of half time, but in the last 20 minutes we got a bit more of a run on,” he said. 

“It’s a step in the right direction and there are still things we can improve on. 

“Lachie Harris at inside centre was great, Nas Havealeta laid some big tackles and was good, Levi Russell in the centre as well was fantastic.”

Ringland said Harris and Russell coming back together in the centre was a good sight to see, with the side moving around a little bit and “tinkering” with ideal positions in recent weeks. 

“They (Harris and Russell) work really well together and they were great against Jack Hammond in the centre,” Ringland said. 

He was also full of praise for Havealeta, with the big prop laying big tackles and running forward as well as breaking through for a try of his own. 

Emus also managed to vanquish the refereeing demons it has wrestled with over their pair of losses, with Ringland saying while his side gave away penalties, they “adapted much better”. 

“We adapted to the ruck a lot more and there were no consistent penalties that we picked up, it was pleasing in a way but also our discipline wasn’t where it should be.”

Forbes host an in-form Cowra next week, while Emus host Dubbo Roos.