When the occasion mattered, the Burra stood up, putting on a 44-point third quarter to turn a previously one-sided affair and land a mighty season-opening win.
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Down five goals at half-time, Sebastopol rebounded and overran East Point to send a healthy support crew home celebrating a 13.14 (92) to 11.8 (74) win.
The result delivered Michael Searl his first victory as Sebastopol coach - some 550-odd days after first taking on the role.
"It's a good feeling," Searl told The Courier after the game.
"We knew we had a good opposition in East Point, who is the benchmark and has been for the past couple of years.
"I'm most proud of the fact that we showed that resilience and fight to come back from a five-goal deficit at half-time.
"I think it was pivotal for the belief in the group, and we've set ourselves up nicely."
East Point started hot, with recruit James Lukich kicking the game's first major within minutes.
The Roos were composed and picked their kicks well as they slowly chipped away at the scoreboard.
East Point coach Jake Bridges immediately sent a man to tag influential Burra defender Tony Lockyer, creating simple one-on-one match-ups inside 50.
The Roos won the individual contests more often than not, setting up a 13-point lead at the first break.
WATCH SEBASTOPOL COACH MICHAEL SEARL TALK TO HIS TROOPS AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER
Sebastopol drew first blood in the second term but struggled to get past a big-bodied Roos' midfield.
Eventually, the Burra briefly rolled over with, offering the hosts an opportunity they gladly took.
The Roos flooded forward and kicked five goals in the final seven minutes of the half to enter the sheds up, 7.5 (47) to 2.6 (18).
"Our footy was matching it with them, in terms of our pressure and our attack on the ball, but we just let ourselves down with a bit of ill-discipline, and our decision-making probably impacted us a little bit," Searl said.
Searl's half-time address certainly worked, with his charges coming out flying.
The Burra bagged the first goal of the third term in style, as Michael Lockyer somehow snuck off a checkside classic as he was being dragged to the ground in a tackle.
An immediate East Point response tempered emotions, though it soon became one-way traffic.
The visitors kicked four unanswered majors to enter the final quarter holding a one-goal lead.
WATCH EAST POINT COACH JAKE BRIDGES INSPIRE HIS GROUP BEFORE THE FINAL TERM
"We didn't change too much (in the third quarter). We just went back to what we needed to do," Searl said.
"We probably played a bit too defensive in the first half by kicking down the line and not looking inward enough.
"We made a bit of an emphasis on making sure we open up and hit that 45 kick in through the middle. We did ourselves proud in that third quarter by showing that's a really good method for us to go into our forward 50."
The signs of 18 months on the sidelines showed in the final term as the game stretched and players cramped up.
A late East Point flurry kept the visitors honest, but eventually the Burra prevailed.
"A win like this is great for belief amongst the group," Searl said.
"It's great to see the community back involved and supporting the club."
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