All teams hoping Warilla had peaked too early can forget about it.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The real Gorillas stood up on Sunday, shattering Berry-Shoalhaven Heads' six-game winning streak in a 52-4 rout at Cec Glenholmes Oval.
The representative season appeared to have finally caught up with the premiership favourites, as a month of scrappy performances yielded a pair of last-minute wins, a draw and their first loss of the year.
But if Berry thought they were running into the Gorillas at a good time, they received a rude shock.
The home team hammered out a commanding 22-0 half-time lead and added another 16 points before the Magpies finally scored with winger James Knight's 60th-minute try in the corner.
Warilla responded with three more tries to boost their total to 10.
Lock Aaron Henry was unstoppable as a playmaking forward, while five-eighth Jesse Dee's clever kicking kept Berry pinned in their own territory.
"Our discipline was ordinary the last month, but that's related to the fatigue some of our blokes have been dealing with," Gorillas coach Peter Hooper said.
"We've had a pretty heavy toll with injuries and blokes going away with Country and having to play four games in eight days, things like that.
"A win like that will revitalise them and they'll be champing at the bit to get to training on Tuesday and flog themselves again.
"They set high standards for themselves and they'd let themselves down. That was probably the most enthusiastic we've been for a month. Their attitude today was second-to-none."
Henry's two tries were complemented by a couple of try assists, while winger Chad Lisch also racked up two tries.
Warilla's other try-scorers were Blake Colgan, Dane Corran, Jarryd Pepper, Keiran Rankmore and Mark Walsh. Fullback Craig Nolan converted six of his team's 10 tries.
"Everyone contributed across the paddock," Hooper said.
"I had to move Aaron from lock to halfback today, a bit of a Tony Williams-junior. He does that role anyway in the middle. Mark Walsh, Ryan Johnston and Joel Skeates were outstanding setting the tone, and Keiran Rankmore and Dane Corran were fantastic. Our speed was probably the fastest we've been for a long time.
"The blokes that are playing now aren't guaranteed a spot, so they're putting their best foot forward to be picked in the 17 come the money end."