FORMER Port Macquarie Dolphins captain Ryan Adams had no problem reminding coach Mark Champion how long it had been since their last win.
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For those playing at home, it was July 23 in 2017 when the Dolphins accounted for Hornsby 83-73 before Adams went into retirement.
What followed was 19-straight losses until that winning feeling returned in the 77-66 victory over Central Coast Waves on Saturday night.
That equates to 615 days between victories and an average losing margin of 92-51.
"It's been a while ... it's been a while," Champion said.
It wasn't all smooth sailing when the Waves led 36-32 at the half-time break and another cliffhanger loomed on the horizon.
But the Dolphins responded after the break to turn the four-point deficit into an 11-point advantage by the start of the final quarter.
"I think they decided at half-time that no this is ours, we're better than this and we have to show it," Champion said.
I think they decided at half-time that no this is ours, we're better than this and we have to show it.
- Mark Champion
"We lifted the intensity in the second half especially early in the third quarter and that set the tone for the rest of the game."
Defensively the Dolphins restricted their opponents to the lowest score of the season which pleased the coach the most.
"The defence was good most of the game, but there was a bit of time in the first half where we got out to an early lead and took the foot off a little bit," Champion said.
"We were swarming over everything.
"It's the basis for what we want to start building the team on, we want to stop people from scoring."
Champion admitted he was confident his team would soon return to the winner's list after three close losses to start the season by an average margin of five points.
"After the last three weeks we were playing good teams close and we felt at home this was a game we should have won and we needed to make a statement," he said.
"I knew the way we were playing the win was going to come and it was going to come soon.
I knew the way we were playing, the win was going to come and it was going to come soon, but for me it's now converting this into against one of those teams we're playing tight.
- Mark Champion
"But for me it's now converting this into against one of those teams we're playing tight and they've found a way to beat us."
Torren Hunter and Jye Rose were strong for the Dolphins, but Champion was most impressed with Jake Tilston.
"Jake was a guy who last year started a whole bunch of games for us because we were shallow," he said.
"In the third quarter he played three or four minutes but once we got a lead on them he was after every loose ball and rebound.
"He did a really good job for someone really deep on the bench to make sure we maintained our momentum."
The Dolphins now have the bye before a home clash with Springwood on April 13.