A 4-1 win for the Dubbo Bulls might look emphatic on paper but coach Jason Scink said the result was anything but that at Parkes on Saturday.
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The Bulls scored a first win for the season at Woodward Oval but coach Schink is adamant a lot of improvement is needed from the men in orange.
"We were terrible, to be honest," he admitted.
"We were turning over the ball non-stop and we haven't really held possession so far when that's normally the base of our game.
"The scoreline was a bit flattering."
Parkes bossed the opening stages of the game and only some wayward finishing and the outstanding form of Bulls keeper Hayden Williams ensured things stayed scoreless.
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While the Bulls weren't perfect they started to work their way into the game, with Scott Fox proving as influential as expected in his first match of the season.
The Dubbo side went into half-time at 2-0 and while Parkes got one back in the second half it only sandwiched two further goals for the visitors.
Gareth Williams, who scored the lone goal in the opening round draw with Panorama, bagged a double at Parkes while brothers Alex Richardson-Bell and Treay Richardson also scored in what finished a comfortable win.
"I was pretty happy to get the points but we've got a long way to go," Schink said.
Getting the first win on the board was one positive, but the return and impact of Fox was another.
A man who led his side to three straight titles in the last edition of the Western Premier League, Fox has long been the figure which keeps the Bulls machine ticking over.
"The boys step up a lot when he [Fox] plays and if they don't he'll let them know," Schink said.
"Vocally he's the leader out there and the way he plays really sets the tone for our midfield so it was a big positive."
He might want more from his side but Schink isn't getting concerned yet.
There's been a draw and a win in the first two rounds and the Bulls are yet to field their best team.
A number of regulars, including the injured Thomas Busch and James Leonard, missed Saturday's win.
Getting his best 11 on the pitch sooner rather than later is the main goal for Schink at this point, with Busch potentially back in roughly a month despite suffering a dislocated knee in round one.
The sooner he can get everyone back on deck the better as the coming weeks will give a strong indication of the real contenders this season.
The Bulls meet Dubbo rivals Orana Spurs and Macquarie United in the next two weeks before a trip to Lithgow and then another meeting with Spurs in a midweek clash under lights on Wednesday, August 5.
"So it starts to come thick and fast and it will separate the ones can really be a danger at the end," Schink said.