The Bendigo Pioneers bounced back from two-straight defeats to score a convincing 53-point win over the Murray Bushrangers in Echuca.
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With 13 players away on representative and VFL duties, some of the Pioneers' inexperienced players got their chance to shine at NAB League level and they grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
The Pioneers kicked 10 goals to three after half-time to win, 15.14 (104) to 8.3 (51).
"The Bushrangers had three 19-year-old players drop out late to play with GWS in the VFL,'' Pioneers' coach Danny O'Bree said.
"They had 21 players and we had 24 players, so that certainly helped our young side, but we still had to play good footy to win the game.
"I was very proud of the way the boys played, particularly after half-time when they played a team-orientated game.
"They took their game to a level that we expected at the start of the year.
"A couple of the assistant coaches alluded to the fact we might have lost some respect on the back of our past two performances.
"We dropped our standards and our team-orientated traits.
"That hit home at some point today.
"You judge your character on how you respond to a really hard challenge and we gave the players a really hard challenge today...I thought the way the players responded was sensational."
Midfielder Jack Hickman was clearly best on ground.
One of the few 19-year-olds to play for the Pioneers on Sunday, Hickman stamped his authority on the game.
"It was Jack Hickman best and then daylight,'' O'Bree said.
"Straight after the game Bushrangers gave him really high praise. They thought his performance today potentially warranted a Victoria Country berth."
Mitch Hallinan played as a key forward for the first time at NAB League level and sacrificed his game for the team.
17-year-old ruckman Jacob Nihill played another solid game in the ruck.
"He just kept getting the footy,'' O'Bree said of Nihill.
The Pioneers shared the load in attack with 10 individual goalkickers.
Bendigo Pioneers 15.14 (104) d Murray 8.3 (51)
Goals - Bendigo: C. Anderson 2, M. Dow 2, R. Taylor 2, B. Cameron 2, W. Sheahan 2, J. Hickman, J. Stewart, J. Evans, B. Barnes, M. Hallinan.
Best - Bendigo: J. Hickman, M. Hallinan, J. Nihill, C. Anderson, R. Monti, A. Hare.
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