Eastern Suburbs beat West Harbour 40:10 in the Shute Shield on Saturday in a match that settled one side's concerns while leaving the visitors searching for answers.
The hosts had gone into the fixture with mixed results, losing narrowly to Sydney Uni last week before that dominant display against Eastwood. Three wins from five recent games suggested they could turn things around, and the scoreboard confirmed it.
West Harbour came into the encounter with some momentum, having beaten Hunter Wildfires on their last outing. But they had also lost to Gordon and Randwick, and this afternoon they found themselves on the wrong side of a gulf that opened up early.
The margin of victory told the story without needing elaborate commentary. Forty points on the board meant the forwards had done their work and the backs had taken their chances. Ten points for the visitors was not enough to suggest a fightback was possible.
Such results matter more in the middle of a season than at the start, when the table says little. Eastern Suburbs moved closer to the top half, while West Harbour's position became harder to defend.