Yarrawonga remains the only unbeaten team after the opening month, but it was a severely understrength Wangaratta which stamped itself as a top-three contender in the 37-point loss.
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The Pies were missing five key players, including former AFL-listed duo Michael Newton (family wedding) and Daniel Boyle (illness), but fought bravely in falling 18.10 (118) to 12.9 (81).
Yarrawonga whiz Jess Koopman kicked a career-high six goals, while Wangaratta second-gamer Darcy Laffy did likewise in clearly the highest-standard match so far.
“I thought credit to Wangaratta, they had a couple of players out so it was a real pressure contest,” Pigeons’ co-coach Chris Kennedy said.
“The actual game was probably a lot closer than the scoreboard indicated, so I think the two sides are pretty evenly matched.”
It was a battle of the undefeated sides, but it was the Pies’ first against one of the big two, which includes Albury, who they meet on Saturday.
And despite the loss, the Pies appear destined to break a six-year finals drought.
“I’m not going to keep banging on about our lack of personnel because we play the best 21 that we’ve got,” Wangaratta coach Dean Stone.
“I said to the boys after the game I was really proud of the way they fought it out.”
The Pies had clearly the longest top-end injury or unavailability toll heading into the game, with workaholic midfielder Matt Kelly (adductor) and Josh Porter (rolled ankle) adding to the list, although the latter played out the game.
I’m not going to keep banging on about our lack of personnel because we play the best 21 that we’ve got. I said to the boys after the game I was really proud of the way they fought it out.
- Dean Stone
The first term was a shootout with 11 goals, Koopman and Laffy with four apiece.
Koopman landed the game’s first after only 34 seconds, but then Laffy replied at the five-minute mark.
The Pies grabbed the lead when Laffy, the replacement for Newton, kicked his third in 10 minutes but the home team snatched it back to lead by five at the break.
The danger of resting ruckman Lach Howe was shown when three Pies’ players converged to stop him, only for the ball to fall to the pacy and impressive Bronson Schofield.
Former Carlton player Mark Whiley and Matt Gorman were outstanding, while Tim Cooper did well in his first game back after a serious collarbone injury last year and off-season work commitments.
The Pigeons led by 19 points at half-time and never looked in danger, despite the Pies’ persistence.
