Holbrook guaranteed a top-two Hume league finish after seeing off Rand-Walbundrie-Walla

In extremely muddy conditions, the Brookers prevailed 14.12 (96) to 5.5 (35) to make it nine wins in a row and guarantee a top-two finish alongside Osborne.

"It's huge, I'm not going to lie," coach Matt Sharp said.

"It's something we definitely set ourselves to and that's a maturity thing as well.

"This year, we've really been 'win or lose', there's no 'good effort', it's being honest with each other.

"Today I looked at the ladder, I don't think most of the boys look at the ladder but I do and I knew that if we could win today, we'd wrap the top-two up.

"We're not shying away from what it means for us.

"I've played in the semi the last two years and it's a long way from the first final to the last final.

"It's not that you can't do it, starting from fifth or sixth, it's just a long way.

"To get that double chance, it's just a good reward from November to this point in time."

Holbrook took a vice-like grip of the first quarter, pinning the Giants - who were missing coach Lucas Mellier through suspension - back in their defensive half for 20 minutes and kicking 5.7 before the visitors registered their first score.

Their handling was impressively clean given the conditions, with Justin Bishop's one-handed pick-up and goal at full tilt in the muddiest part of the ground a moment of pure class.

Once again, the Brookers shared the goals around, with Sharp, Ewan Mackinlay and Luke Gestier all booting majors in a dominant opening term.

Rand-Walbundrie-Walla lifted in the second, while Holbrook's tackle count dropped, but the hosts still went into the main break with a 30-point lead which they quickly doubled.

Mackinlay was peerless in the third quarter, kicking three goals in a row, while Andrew Dear also got in on the action after being pushed into the forward line.

Two goals apiece late on did little to change the overall margin, with Sharp left to reflect on a job well done.

"It was fantastic," he said.

"To see they kicked five or six goals in the first quarter last week, set set ourselves to have a big first quarter and whatever happened after quarter-time, we'd react.

"We played in those conditions last week so we knew what to expect in terms of setting the right attitude.

"Lower and harder, that was our approach.

"We had 20-odd tackles in the first quarter and off the back of that, we got a bit of pressure and kept re-loading the ball into our forward line."

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The Brookers now turn their focus to Saturday's blockbuster against Osborne.

"They smacked us early, there's no shying away from that," Sharp admitted.

"They're a very clean side and executed on the back of our mistakes.

"We're definitely a better outfit now - but so are they."

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