Northern Knights were primed for their match against the Western Jets in the NAB League on Saturday.
Having had two weeks off since their last outing, a disappointing effort, the Knights were keen to return to the win list.
They put in a strong performance after quarter time to claim a 10.8 (68)-4.12 (36) win.
Knights coach Justin Wenke said there was plenty of motivation.
“We were pretty disappointed with the round before,” he said.
“The players were all fresh and ready to go.
“If we won, we took their position on the ladder … we had in the back of our mind, the round one loss to the Jets, when we were five goals up with 10 minutes to go and got rolled.”
The Knights started slowly on Saturday, but soon got going.
After quarter time, it was all the Knights until late in the game.
“We had to tidy a few things up,” Wenke said.
“Our ball use wasn’t how we liked and we weren’t locking it in the forward line
“The second quarter was the winning quarter of footy.
“It was a scrappy game in the second half, to be honest. Both teams did a lot of hard work and there was a lot of stoppages.
“They kicked a couple of goals in junk time to make the score more respectable.”
Josh D’Intinosante kicked four goals for the Knights, continuing his good recent form.
D’Intinosante, who has earned an invitation to the state combine, finished the regular season second in the league goal-kicking.
PHOTO GALLERY: Western Jets vs Northern Knights
Jack Boyd had his best game for the Knights, stepping up when Nathan Howard and Thomas McMahon went down with injuries.
Josh Watson and Ryan Sturgess were others to be named among the best.
The win means the Knights finish the regular season sixth.
Wenke said they had ticked a lot of boxes in the back half of the season.
“We were 0-4, but we have been really competitive in the middle part of the year into the back half,” he said. “We’ve won eight of 11 games and have come home strongly.
“It’s been a huge turnaround and the boys have been terrific. They’re enjoying their football.”
The Knights will this week face the Bendigo Pioneers in the elimination final in the wild card round.
Wenke said they were hoping they could turn around their poor home ground record at Preston City Oval.
“We haven’t won there this year and won only one game last year,” he said.
“We would like to win at least one final. We got battered in the first final last year. I think we are better prepared.”
The Calder Cannons will face the Tasmania Devils in an elimination final.
The Cannons go into the finals on the back of a 10.7 (67)-9.9 (63) loss to the Eastern Ranges.
