Tuggeranong captain Zac Saddler has declared any questions about his team's Canberra Raiders Cup premiership credentials have been put to bed.
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The Bushrangers were outstanding in defence to defeat West Belconnen 26-12 on Sunday.
The Warriors had numerous opportunities to score in the second half, however they were unable to break through in wet conditions.
Tuggeranong have now won three on the trot, a winning streak that includes a victory over competition leaders Woden Valley, and now sit second on the ladder.
With just three rounds before the finals, Saddler said Sunday's win would act as a springboard for the remainder of the season as Tuggeranong chases a breakthrough first grade premiership.
"They're the benchmark in the competition. We were a little bit understrength, they were a little bit understrength. I'm really proud of the boys who came out and did their job today," Saddler said.
"There was a bit of talk all week, but that's footy. I'm happy to come away with the two points. It's late in the season, but that win really kick-starts us and it gives us a bit of breathing room on the ladder."
A 39th-minute try to centre Karlos Filiga proved crucial, the four-pointer handing the visitors an 18-12 half-time lead.
From there, Tuggeranong staunchly defended its own line before kicking clear late in the contest.
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Defence has been an area of focus in recent weeks and Saddler said such a performance would set the tone for the remainder of the season.
"We've been really trying to work on our defence," he said.
"We went on that three-game losing streak and our defence just wasn't good enough. We got back to training, we addressed that and the last couple of weeks that we won, teams have only scored 10-12 points. We're really happy with that, that's what we pride ourselves on."
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