They came back at us in the third and early in the last but the boys steadied really well
- Brayden Carey
CUDGEWA stormed to the top of the Upper Murray league ladder with a 40-point drubbing of reigning premier Bullioh at Cudgewa on Saturday.
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Despite going into the clash missing three of their best players in Ethan Riddington, Ryan Mee and Kylin Morey, the Blues were sharper from the outset.
The home team opened up a matchwinning lead in the second term with Jake Vinge, Ben Hall and Kade Small dominating.
Hall finished with eight majors while Brendan McEvoy was equally as impressive with four.
"I felt we were in control for most of the day," coach Brayden Carey said.
"They came back at us in the third and early in the last but the boys steadied really well.
"It was a good win."
In one of the clashes of the day, Cudgewa veteran Jim Cleven was given the task of curbing Bullioh star Ash Murray.
Murray kicked two in the opening quarter and another two in the last but was generally well held in between.
Bulldog star Hamish Clark, who returned from an overseas holiday in the lead-up to the match, started the match superbly before being restricted by Cudgewa midfielder David Low.
Tumbarumba bolstered its finals chances with a gritty 10-point win over Corryong.
The Roos are eight premiership points and percentage clear of their fifth-placed opponents approaching the halfway stage of the season.
Ryan Kirkwood was outstanding for the victors, with Noah Bolton and Josh Fountain also on fire.
Corryong slipped four goals behind in the opening term and couldn't make up the deficit despite the best efforts of Evan and Thomas Nicholas and Peter Jeffries.
Federal beat Border-Walwa at Walwa.