CHANGING the players' mindset to lift their desire has proved a success for Lake Nash Young Guns coach Rohan Webb.
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After making it clear some of the Young Guns' workrate was below par in their first-round loss, Webb's focus on hard running was the difference in his side's win over Mount Isa AFL's defending champions.
In a see-sawing battle, Young Guns held off a second-half charge from Rovers to cling on to a seven-point win at Legend Oval on Saturday.
Webb said he was proud of how his players responded to the round 1 loss with noticeable improvement at training in the lead-up to the win.
``We were pretty keen to win this one,'' he said.
``We were pretty confident and really wanted to win this game.
``We worked real hard in training.''
The Young Guns' work rate was an aspect that most impressed Webb.
``The boys worked much harder than when we lost to Tigers last week,'' he said.
``They all worked hard and kept the talk up all game.''
Young Guns livewire Jamieson Billy kicked three goals including a spectacular kick out of the air in a crucial part of the last quarter when the game was in the balance.
Webb praised the efforts of Desmond King, Garrick Ray and backman Scott Mahoney.
``They all played hard together and now we focus on the next game,'' Webb said.
Rovers will rue inaccurate goal kicking for the second week in a row.
Last week it played a part in their loss to Buffaloes, kicking eight goals and 17 behinds and having three more scoring shots than Young Guns.
Rovers best players were Levi Laurie, Matt Clark (two goals) and Shannon Roberts.
Assistant coach Alex Parker said goal-kicking would be a focus at training again and admitted his side lacked accountability across the ground to counter the Young Guns' pace.
Not even a whirlwind visit from mastermind former coach Bill Cook could lift Rovers to victory.
Cook was back in Mount Isa and looked in his element with the whiteboard back in his control with new coach Jamie McPherson unavailable.
Cook relinquished the coaching duties this year after steering the side to an era of dominance.
It's the first time in recent memory Rovers have languished at the bottom of the competition ladder without a win.
Next week they face a rampaging Tigers outfit and are likely to be without Roberts who suffered what appeared a serious knee injury in the finals seconds of the loss.
McPherson is expected to be back to coach the side for the clash with Tigers.
YOUNG GUNS 10.12.72 defeated ROVERS 8.17.65