Albo and the ALP were not the only team to enjoy a landslide victory on Saturday.

Just as election booths around the country were greeting the last of voters in the Federal election, the Stara Easts Tigers were securing their seat inside the StoreLocal Hospital Cup top four with a 45-7 demolition of University.

The Tigers remain unbeaten in 2025 with their fourth win from four outings and their third triumph from as many attempts at Bottomley Park as Easts piled on 38 unanswered points in the last hour.

Easts had been out of action for the best part of three weeks due to their Round 4 bye and the competition-wide Easter break but the fierce determination to make David Wilson Field their fortress ensured the Tigers bared their claws early and often.

A ferocious commitment in defence, good execution in attack to turn pressure into points and genuine character when the going gets tough have been at the heart of Easts’ early season success and those qualities were on display against the Red Heavies.

The teams were locked together at 7-all after 20 see-sawing minutes with Uni responding quickly to Easts’ opening try to fullback Meli Dreu coming on the back of a hustling and bustling Alex Smit charge down the middle of the field that sent defenders flying and put the home side on the front foot.

It was all the Tigers after that as driving rain forced the blue and gold army in the grandstand to find cover.

Easts were awarded a penalty try after scrum dominance close to the tryline then firebrand hooker Andrew Ready crashed over from a rolling maul to hand the Tigers a 21-7 halftime lead.

The Tigers were reduced to 14 men for the opening 10 minutes of the second half after Ready was yellow carded on halftime.

But the Tiger machine rolled on.

A University error from the second half kick-off handed Easts field position in front of the vocal Tigers colts and the ever-opportunistic co-captain Eli Pilz soon found a sliver of space on the blindside and dived over in the corner to punish the visitors.

No.8 Nuku Swerling was unstoppable close to the line as he scored off the back of a rolling maul to help Easts extend their advantage to 33-7 midway through the second half.

Pleasingly for the Easts coaching staff, the Tigers never dropped off their intensity and appetite for the contest as they continued to dominate field position and possession.

That relentless commitment to a full 80-minute performance was rewarded with a try to flanker Tau Tuisamoa who scored after a pinpoint accurate Pilz kick put the Tigers deep into attack.

Returning flyhalf Jake Pappin made his comeback from injury off the bench with a five-pointer late in the day after backing up a break down the middle of the field. Pappin looked dangerous with ball in hand when he entered the game to build on the sure and steady hand of starting 10 Lachlan Kirk.

Smit deservedly claimed man-of-the-match honours as the hirsute openside flanker was deeply involved in everything but the raffle ticket sales.

Co-captain Will Sankey was also a standout with his imperial aerial work in re-starts and lineouts adding to his meaningful involvement in general play while his fellow skipper Pilz pulled all the right strings from the scrumbase in difficult conditions.

Cult hero Swerling made metres with every carry and was even offered – and politely declined – a hot chip by two enthusiastic members of the Easts under 11 Black team as he made his way from field after another powerhouse shift at no.8.

The unbeaten Tigers will be away to Souths this Saturday before returning home to Bottomley Park for the highly anticipated Old Boys Day clash with Brothers on May 17.