'He's outstanding to have': Midfielder stars as Bloods relish conditions

Max Lower, a former Sydney Swans academy player who is operating as a fly in, fly out footballer for the Bloods this season, shone in the wet conditions as his team solidified fourth spot on the Hampden league table.

Lower has played seven games so far this season for the Bloods in his first year at the club.

The Bloods pipped the premiership contender by five points to win 5.9 (39) to 4.10 (34) in a "slog" of a contest.

"Max came down from Sydney this weekend, his flight actually got delayed and he had to come down this morning and didn't get in until 1.30 in the arvo or maybe a bit after," coach Lewy Taylor said.

"I thought his pressure and presence around the ball was really good. He's outstanding to have and his experience helped us out around the footy."

Taylor said dominant midfielder Scott Carlin was a welcome return to the side while defender Alex Moloney's second-half "saved us at times" and Xavier Moloney was again prolific.

"It was certainly hard to narrow down the best but across the board I thought everyone contributed well," Taylor said.

The former AFL rising star winner said his group relished the tough conditions and prepared to play four quarters of traditional wet-weather footy.

"It was definitely a tough match-up. To walk away with the win was pleasing and I thought across the board we set ourselves for a slog and that's what it ended up being," he said.

"Our intensity and pressure around the footy and just the want to win was really good."

But with five rounds before Hampden league finals, Taylor said in a competition so even it was important to quickly "move on".

"I said to the fellas after the game, it's a good win but we'll look to very quickly move on," he said.

"You can't just be sitting on that and thinking that's enough. The competition's that even you need to bring your best each week.

"We'll reflect on it, go through some stuff Tuesday and move towards Port Fairy.

"That's where the season is, it's that close you sort of can't get too happy with where you're at."

Hamilton Kangaroos, meanwhile, celebrated the re-signing of mentor Brad Thomas with a commanding win against Portland by 63 points, Warrnambool emerged with the crucial four points on the road against Camperdown, winning by 25 points after a strong final-term while Cobden defeated Port Fairy by 43 points.

It's a vital win for the sixth-placed Bombers who draw equal with Koroit on 28 points but remain outside the top-five on percentage only.