With one roaring opening quarter Stawell made it clear they were happy to crash Dimboola's party and that they did, running out 53-point winners.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Roos were celebrating the return of favourite son Tim Watson and were quickly wishing the Bombers legend could lace up the boots again as the Warriors bagged two goals in the game's opening minutes, setting the tone for a 14.14 (98) to 6.9 (45) win.
It was largely one-way traffic in the opening term, the Roos kept goalless as Stawell entered the first break with a 30-2 lead.
"It was the best we've started all year and it's sort of been an Achilles' heel for us during the year. Our first quarter has usually been pretty slow out of the blocks, but it was good to get the jump get some momentum," Stawell coach Damian Joiner said.
A passing shower made things difficult in the second quarter as both sides struggled to control the game.
Tom O'Dwyer tried to drag his Dimboola side back into the contest with two well-taken goals, but was helpless as lapses in concentration at the other end of the field cost the Roos dearly.
A cheap 50-metre penalty for overstepping the mark in the term's closing stages characterised the Roos' opening half and gifted the visitors a 36-point lead.
Dimboola rebounded in the third quarter and collected four goals in quick succession to cut the deficit to 10 points.
Tom O'Dwyer was clincal for the Roos, collecting three on the day and was joined in the goalkickers list by Sam Godden and Fraser Jennings.
"We let them get back in and gave them a sniff where we want to be able to close out games. We don't want to have those lapses and let teams back in," Joiner said.
Those four third-quarter goals would be the Roos' last however as Stawell blew the game apart.
"We knew that Dimboola was going to come back at us and we were able to withstand it and get that momentum back," Joiner said.
Warrior Thomas Eckel took the game by the scruff of the neck in the final term, collecting two goals in a performance that saw him honoured as his side's best.
The on-baller was well supported by Cody Driscoll, who kicked a game-high four goals.
Joiner said the win was a good reward for an all-round performance.
"Dimboola has been playing some pretty good footy of late so we weren't going there expecting an easy win by any means," he said. "So to go out there and get a win was pretty pleasing."
Ararat, meanwhile, celebrated it's first win against Horsham in nearly 20 years after a blistering second quarter set up a 11.9 (75) to 8.8 (56) victory.
The Rats' booted six in the second term and were driven around the field by Nicholas Mendes, in a performance that saw him named the best.
Dylan Shelley and Ben Free led the attack, bagging three goals apiece.
Elsewhere, Minyip-Murtoa survived a close scare, after only a point seperated the Burras and Nhill at the third-quarter break.
The Burras' stars stood tall however and secured their side a 112-89 win. Jae McGrath and Brad Inglis both bagged five goals, with the latter being named his sides' best.
At Coughlin Park, the Horsham Saints saw off the Southern Mallee Giants to claim a 51-48 win.
Jarred Combe's three goals proved the difference in a tight, low-scoring affair.