Wodonga has snapped a 16-match, nine-year losing streak against Albury.
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The Bulldogs’ 12.7 (79) to 5.9 (39) is their first over the Tigers since round 15, 2008.
“I don’t know how to feel to be honest,” mentally drained Wodonga coach Dean Harding said.
“We’ve planned really well in the past and gone in with confidence, and been blown away by an enormous side.”
Albury star Daniel Cross didn’t play, while Wodonga’s Morris Medallist Matt Seiter also missed the match, with regular centre half-forward Tom Johnson filling his role.
“I thought Johnno was enormous in the ruck for us,” Harding said.
“He competed, he was under-sized and to go up against those two monsters (Ben Dower and Oliver McEwan), he’s clearly best-on-ground.”
The Bulldogs haven’t played finals in seven years and during that time they’ve been regarded as a gritty outfit.
They’re still courageous but the improvement within, along with the addition of class in former Port Melbourne forward Steve Murray and Wagga Tigers’ Shaun Flanigan, has lifted the bar.
Wodonga grabbed the first goal after two minutes and its frenetic pressure put Albury in a position it hasn’t been for years.
Discipline cost Albury three of the first six goals.
Debutant Oliver McEwan pushed Murray over after the Bulldog originally came off second best when he tried to knock the giant Tiger down.
The Tigers then conceded two 50-metre penalties, handing Brett Doswell and Nick Beattie simple goals.
Albury was rattled.
Wodonga never looked like losing and while they had a stack of courageous efforts, Harding lauded Kaine Parsons in the final term when he was squashed by the 201-centimetre McEwan.
“Someone had to put their head over the footy and really crunch in and make sure that the footy stopped there,” he said.
“I don’t think a lot of people would know much about Kaine Parsons, but he had to step up and Kaine did that.”
Bob Russell was injured midway through the first term when Brayden O’Hara jumped into him and, while he was assisted off, he did return.
Tigers’ star Dean Polo was helped off by team-mates after the match, with a leg injury.
I thought Johnno was enormous in the ruck for us. He competed, he was under-sized and to go up against those two monsters (Ben Dower and Oliver McEwan), he’s clearly best-on-ground.
- Dean Harding
The Tigers will face Corowa-Rutherglen on Saturday, while Wodonga has the shortest lead-up, tackling Lavington on Good Friday.
