The Swallows made the more productive use of their opportunities when kicking with the strong breeze to the township end, and defended grimly against the gale in the third term to set up their push to victory.

Wentworth gave a typically whole-hearted effort to prolong its premiership defence into the last week of the season, but the absence of its best big man Justin Clay and the late withdrawal of star forward Wade Hancock had the Roos behind the eight ball from the jump.

Hancock was ruled unfit to play due to complications with his injured right arm, while Irymple opted to omit youngsters Declan Ganz and Nick Pezzaniti from its named squad of 23.

Under a grey and threatening sky, the Kangaroos took first use of a strong wind blowing towards the right forward pocket at the southern end, the breeze sufficient to on several occasions to blow high miskicks back over the head of the kicker.

Irymple assigned Nick Giofre to tag Wentworth coach Mark Alvey, Lachlan Matthews to run with McLeod Medallist James Watt, and Nick Nocera to mind the Roos’ most dangerous forward Carmelo Lando, while coach Donato DeAngelis scotched concerns about his troublesome ankle by lining up in the middle for the opening bounce.

Wentworth had Travis Bath in the ruck, Matt Cameron on gun forward Nick Coghlan, and Glen Cumming at half forward where he was soon into the action.

Bath pumped a free kick forward a minute in, Cumming hoovered it up and swung onto the left boot, and the ball sailed through post high from 50 metres to give the Roos a rousing start.

The Swallows quickly realised there was no room for false pride, and they loaded up the back half seeking to minimise the damage in the first half-hour.

On-baller David Byrnes and full-back Luke Jeffers were two who led the defensive endeavours from the outset, while ruckman Shane Crossling dropped back deep to help kill the high balls to the goal square.

For more of this story, purchase your copy of Monday’s Sunraysia Daily 6/9/2010.