DESPERATION and brilliance from a pair of Toms had the Loddon Derby unleashing dash and exploding in front of goal for 60 minutes at Boort Park on Saturday.
The Magpies wanted to show its strong off-season recruiting raids had delivered the fire power to match it with the North Central league’s middle tier of teams.
Leading their charge was not one of the big name recruits but local hero Tom Potter.
He snapped goals like a veteran and had support from another local product Will Perryman, back in black and white after a successful stint at Pyramid Hill.
Out to quell the swooping power was Wedderburn, the Redbacks already providing something of a silent but deadly aspirant under new coach Tom Metherell.
That early flurry in front of goal by Potter and Perryman was soon subdued by the other Tommy - Tom Campbell who soon had the first of his five goals for the day.
Campbell was capping off the work of one of Wedderburn’s famous home-grown products Jordan Hargreaves. The ruckman was dominant and exposed a chink in the Boort arsenal, palming to ball off to the fleet-footed McEwan and others from just about every dance.
Hargreaves’ predecessor in the ruck, club legend Adam Postle showed glimpses of old as he streeted off the backline.
Jhye Baddeley-Kelly was a constant driver of play for Boort - they were up by four points at the first break and only trailed by eight at half-time. But Boort had started to wane, making silly mistakes. 
A free right in front of goal in the final minutes to Anthony Zelencich saw the Redbacks’ goal recruit score and lock in second half momentum for Wedderburn.
Only lowering the colours once so far this season - and that was to Sea Lake Nandaly by a slender margin, Wedderburn set about snuffing out the Boort attack in the second half. The Redbacks ran opponents ragged. Potter’s ability to lift with inspiring kicks and linking passages was less in the final 60 minutes.
Hargreaves headed towards his best game at least since winning the Feeny Medal back in 2021. Some say it was, ominously, his best game yet in an indication of fitness and maturity combining at the right time.
Boort may have considered Wedderburn a mid-tier side before last Saturday. On form, and ladder positions, Wedderburn and its style of play under new coach Metherell hint they are gunning for the top tier.