The Blowes Clothing Cup game was stopped with about ten minutes to go in the first half, with an ambulance needed, following a tackle gone wrong.

The game was then moved from the main field at Pride Park to the secondary ground, where a 12-man Lions outfit were well and truly outmatched as the contest finished 41-5.

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While the Lions were already playing shorthanded prior to the injury, Dubbo coach Greg Knaggs was quick to point out his side was dealing with its own host of absentees.

"We were four men down ourselves as three men never turned up. We actually dragged four of our third graders into play as well," Knaggs said after the win.

"Whilst City was depleted, we certainly didn't have it our own way either.

"It shows plenty of heart from the boys, a bit of mateship. Everyone was having a bit of a laugh, both teams were having a bit of a laugh. Once kickoff started, it got serious and we did our job."

He added that the change of ground didn't impact the flow of the game, and highlighted the performances of Tavis Vaughan Joe Finch as the main drivers behind the win.

As well as that experienced pair, Josh Lees also stood out on Saturday and finished the match with a hat-trick.

"At the end of the day, it's all about structure," Knaggs said.

"If you got a few structures in place, you just play footy."

Lions manager Tim West rued the illness that hit his squad in the lead-up to Saturday's match.

"We didn't realise that so many were pulling out at the last minute, this is what the flu and COVID do," he said.

"Those 12 boys out there epitomise what this club's about. It should have been 70 or 80 to nil. It was a gutsy effort and sometimes it's not about the scoreboard."

The result has the Roos third on the second grade ladder, just one point behind second-placed Orange Emus.

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