Entering the first break 11 points in arrears, the Blues adapted to Dubbo's defensive flooding tactics to run away with the match as 139-point victors, retaining the Popeye Plate and giving veteran Geoff Day the opportunity to lead the team song in his 400th game.

Cowra coach Steve Boyd said it was nice to open their winning account for the season.

"It's good to get a win," he said.

"We had one of those fast, nervous starts which scared me a bit. We were trying to hurry everything and weren't completing things properly, but we rectified that and got our kick-passing game back which was the most pleasing thing for me.

"The senior players steadied the ship and took control of the ball and kept possession."

With the Popeye Plate and the season's first win up for grabs for both teams, there was plenty on the line.

In a low scoring opening term, the Demons put through the first major of the afternoon in the 13th minute before Dave Manning evened the ledger with his trusty left boot from the 50m line.

Cowra failed to convert their inside 50 chances and Dubbo went into the break ahead 3.1. 19 to 1.2.8.

But that was as good as it got for the visitors, as the Blues dominated all facets of play in the second stanza with Dave Hogan slotting it between the big sticks in the fourth minute as a prelude to the continued onslaught thereafter.

The Demons' man-on-man defence was sloppy at times and, unable to string any passes together, they had no possession coming forward.

Cowra generated strong run through the corridor and capitalised with accurate set shots in front of goal.

A Mick McVey bomb that sailed through after the siren topped a quality 69-point quarter from the Blues and sealed the Demons' fate.

Cowra continued to apply the pressure in the third with seven further goals before Dubbo, whose inside 50s were a rarity, slotted their only major of the term in the 24th minute.

A ten-goal Blues' final quarter ended the Demons' pain.

It was a difficult day at the office for Dubbo coach Kim Woodman.

"We've been soundly beaten," he said.

"We're trying a few different things at the moment because we're pretty undermanned.

"We had a good start, but then Cowra changed a few things around and I wasn't happy with the way the boys played their second quarter. It is something we've got to get better at, the way we use the footy and our effort levels."

Woodman's priority going forward is to increase club stocks.

"We've got to get more players into the club and build up a decent player depth throughout our first and reserve grade squad," he said.

"Getting people onto the track on Tuesdays and Thursdays is important to us and to get our numbers up in the club so we can be more competitive.

"I thought we had some good individual performances here in different roles today so it's not all doom and gloom, but certainly getting beaten by more than 100 is not good enough."

Boyd felt there was some fight in the Demons' performance.

"Dubbo probably out-played us in the last 10 minutes - they stuck to their guns which is good," he said.

"It's easy to drop you're bundle and give up totally, but they haven't done that."

Cowra's coach singled out a few players for mention.

"Overall everyone's had a good game. Ronald Roe has really stepped up today and done some really good things," Boyd said.

"He has been a fringe player but he's developing - you like to see those guys improve.

"Mick McVey has been a target for us up front. Frank Bright has been absolutely everywhere, he's got a bag of goals and gone back and defended when he had to down deep in defence and then he pops up in the forwards. At the start of the year I gave him a licence to do what he wanted to - he's fit enough to do that and he's led the team around really well which is very pleasing."

The key to matching Orange and Bathurst, who have put the Blues to the sword in recent outings, is pretty simple according to Boyd.

"We've got to play our game and that's control the ball and not playing to the other team which gets us hurried and we make errors," he said.

"They're fitter than us and we can't match them in that regard at this stage - if we've got the ball, they haven't.

"We just need to get more match fitness through the games - we're just behind those other teams a little bit with that."

Final score Cowra Blues 29.13 (187) defeated Dubbo Demons 7.4 (48)

Blues goal kickers: Frank Bright 10, Mick McVey 5, Chris Day 3, Nathan Worth 2, Trent Pengilly 2, David Manning 2, Mitchell Bowden 1, Ronald Roe 1, Dave Hogan 1, Geoff Day 1, Carl Planicka 1.

Cowra's reserve grade side also managed their first win of the season defeating the Demons 12.15 (87) to 9.9 (63).