Wodonga has handed Lavington its biggest loss in almost a quarter-century.
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It was also the Bulldogs’ greatest win over the Panthers, 21.13 (139) to 3.5 (23).
It toppled the 107-point margin 20 years ago and is also the Panthers’ lowest score against the Bulldogs in their 38-year history.
“Yeah, absolutely (it was our best performance of the year),” delighted Wodonga coach Dean Harding said.
“We’ve shown in bits and pieces this year we’re a pretty good outfit at times, but we’ve also had moments where we’ve fallen away, but today we were pretty good.”
The Bulldogs’ pressure destroyed the woeful Panthers.
“We embarrassed ourselves,” coach James Saker said.
“All the people involved with our club have every right to be really disappointed with us after that.
“Because we have been travelling really well, I think we probably expected things to be a little bit easier than they were today and we didn’t work to make them happen.
“But there’s no excuse for the team with injuries.”
Lavington had five wins from its last six games with the league’s worst injury toll.
But it was hard to find a reasonable player in the club’s biggest loss since a few thumpings in 1994.
Collingwood VFL defender Ryan Pendlebury grabbed the most possessions with 32, more than half of those marks.
“We challenged Ryan a little bit during the week,” Harding said.
“We probably thought his games have been OK, but we wanted him just to step up and, to his credit, he did today.”
It was his fourth game so he’s now qualified for finals.
And if Wodonga produces similar efforts in the final seven rounds, it will break a seven-year finals drought.
Conversely, if Lavington produces terrible displays like that, it can forget finals.
“It’s up there (with the worst effort in my six years as coach), it’s uncharacteristic and we’ve got to make sure it stays that way,” Saker said.
Every Wodonga player contributed, as they should in such a big win.
Veteran Brett Doswell turned back the clock with an inspirational showing, with 30 touches, while Wagga Tigers’ recruit Shaun Flanigan racked up 31, including three goals.
And bullocking vice-captain McKye Turner saved his best game for his 100th.
Steve Murray and Nick Beattie also kicked four goals apiece.
Quite remarkably, the win has pushed the Bulldogs from sixth into third.
They lifted their percentage by 16 to just over 140.
Wodonga now faces a crackerjack contest against fierce rival Wodonga Raiders.
