Star forward Lee Cox’s dazzling 12-goal haul propelled Hepburn to a 103-point thumping of Creswick on Saturday.
The sharpshooter was unstoppable as he cut the Wickers’ defence to pieces and helped stamp Hepburn as the team to beat in 2012.
Creswick matched it with the slow-starting Burras early, showcasing the intensity that it has become renowned for this season.
However, a few costly misses from the Wickers late in the quarter allowed Hepburn to enjoy a handy 19-point buffer at the first break.
The second term was when Hepburn turned it on. The Burras kicked eight goals to one in a commanding display, with Cox booting six for the quarter.
The Wickers appeared to have no answers for the spearhead, nor could they stem the flow of Hepburn’s swift ball movement.
Cox’s influence was subdued slightly for the remainder of the contest, but sidekick Andy ‘Hollywood’ McKay (six goals) joined in on the festivities with a number of special efforts in the second half.
Burras’ midfielder Daniel Rees also had a day to remember, using his pace to advantage and slicing through the centre with scintillating runs.
Hepburn remains on top of the ladder and shapes as the league’s premiership favourite.
Coach Troy Auld was delighted with his side’s ability to work as a team.
“I was really happy with how we shared the ball around today,” he said.
“The way we moved the ball and played unselfishly was really pleasing.”
A much-improved Creswick outfit entered the contest with three wins on the trot, but faced a well-oiled machine in Hepburn and struggled to contain the Burras’ immense firepower.
Coach Damien Lubeek, though disappointed with the result, felt it was important that his young team does not dwell on the negatives.
“I could go into the rooms and give them a serve, but that won’t achieve anything.”
“We came up against seasoned, experienced footballers and we can take some really good lessons from this game,” he said.
Hepburn 23.16 (154)
Creswick 6.15 (51)