They cost themselves a weekend off, but the Queanbeyan Kangaroos reaped the rewards a week later.
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Kangaroos coach Adam Taylor was unhappy with his young side's defensive efforts a fortnight ago so they spent their bye on the training track. Tackling.
And it led to them bringing down the previously undefeated Gungahlin Bulls, running rampant in the 60-14 victory at Gungahlin Enclosed on Saturday.
Taylor put it down to the extra hard work they'd put in when they could've been on the couch.
"Our defensive effort against West Belconnen was horrible ... and we had the week off the following week and we just busted our guts defensively," he said.
"We worked on everything defensively and around the ruck, and it came to fruition today.
"I would've given them the week off, but after the way we played against West Belconnen I said, 'There's no way you're getting a day off. We're going to be training three times this week', and we trained on the Saturday.
"We gave them a good work over - there were a few ice packs out after training."
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Kangaroos winger Steven Numambo scored four tries, while fullback Kaine Pagura and five-eighth Thomas Casey scored braces.
While their backs were finishing everything off, it was the forwards that won the game.
Nobody saw the win coming. The Bulls went into the game off the back of seven straight victories to start the season.
Even after the opening exchanges it looked unlikely - the Kangaroos conceding a penalty on their first defensive set, which led to Gungahlin opening the scoring.
But from there, it was all Queanbeyan as they shot out to a 40-10 half-time lead.
"The forwards nailed it today. They did a really good job. They allowed our halves and our backs to play," Taylor said.
"Adam Barlow started for the first time this year and he had a big game. Aidan Woods was big. We didn't have a bad player mate.
"Our wingers - young Temple [Rupapera] and Steven Numambo - those blokes just get our set off to such a good start. They played a big game as well."
In the other games, Goulburn beat Yass 34-18, while the Belconnen United Sharks made it three wins in a row with victory over Woden Valley 34-12.
AT A GLANCE
GOULBURN BULLDOGS 34 (T Greenwood 3, J Martin, D Rota, T Croker, D Stephens tries; I Walker 3 goals) bt YASS MAGPIES 18 (B Housden, C Esera, J Clarkson tries; S Davis 3 goals)
QUEANBEYAN KANGAROOS 60 (S Numambo 4, K Pagura 2, T Casey 2, S Vuki, A Barlow, A Ngahe tries; L Ingram 8 goals) bt GUNGAHLIN BULLS 14
BELCONNEN UNITED SHARKS 34 (M Kaho 4, C Woolnough, J Papalii tries; C Woolnough 5 goals) bt WODEN VALLEY RAMS 12 (T Scrivener 2, A Kawira tries)