Yarrawonga remains the league’s only team with a perfect record after six rounds.
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The Pigeons toppled Albury 51-33 with Lavington’s 42-all draw against North Albury handing the premiers a two-point break.
After an even first term, Yarrawonga skipped ahead following a 15 goal to nine second quarter.
“Look our defenders kept getting turnover after turnover and sending it down so to win by that much was a good team effort,” coach Bridget Cassar said.
But the Pigeons’ mentor maintains the 18-goal blowout wasn’t indicative of how close the match was.
Yarrawonga picked up five players over summer to confirm its tag as premiership favourites and Cassar believes it makes the team more unpredictable.
“It allows other people to step into those positions and I think that will be a strength come finals time, we won’t just have that seven or eight, we’ll have 10 or 12,” she said.
The Pigeons promoted four junior players.
Tilly Kennedy was on the Pigeons’ bench in A grade, while Eliza York, Indiana Frauenfelder and Laura Zanin all played B grade against the Tigers.
That will come in extremely handy with top-liner Laura Bourke set to miss six weeks on holiday.
“It was always planned, which is why we went with a bigger squad to start the year,” Cassar said.
“But I think Laura’s got another one or two games and then she goes away, but will be here for the back part of the season.”
Bourke was outstanding in the centre for the home team, while Caitlin O’Dwyer was superb at wing attack.
Brigetta Hart and Gabe McRae were the pick of the Tigers.
Meanwhile, North has staged a stunning final-term fightback to end Lavington’s perfect record.
The Panthers carried a six-goal break into the final quarter, but North piled on 14 goals to eight for a thrilling draw.
Grace Senior posted 32 goals for the Hoppers to feature in their best, while interleague star Emily Browne was terrific in her first game against her former club.
Sarah Meredith played well, but it was the one that got away.
Elsewhere, Wangaratta Rovers scored an upset over Wodonga Raiders, 42-36.
It was the Hawks’ second win and stopped Raiders from jumping into the top five.
Wangaratta hammered Wodonga 64-28, with Amanda Umanski scoring half of the Pies’ goals, while Corowa-Rutherglen toppled Myrtleford, 55-38.
Sophie Hanrahan scored 48 goals.
The youngster showed her class by playing in the O and M’s strong interleague win over Goulburn Valley the previous week.