Nuggety Wangaratta midfielder Matt Kelly has been charged with rough conduct and star forward Michael Newton has a hamstring injury after virtually ending Wodonga’s season with a 15.14 (104) to 9.11 (65) win.
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Kelly crashed into crouching debutant Connor Brodie at the eight-minute mark of the final term, while Newton limped off at the same time in the third quarter after bending to take an attempted mark.
Pies’ coach Dean Stone didn’t want to comment on Kelly’s report.
“No, no I don’t, not after what’s happened with (good mate) Dean Harding,” he said.
Bulldogs’ Harding was fined $500 for comments on the umpires after the loss to Wodonga Raiders on July 1.
A clearly frustrated Harding declined an interview with The Border Mail after the game.
Desperately needing a win, the Bulldogs were terrible in kicking only two majors to three-quarter time, before landing junk goals.
“I don’t want to focus on the way the game finished because the hard work, we’d kept them to two goals all day,” Stone said.
No, no I don’t, not after what’s happened with (good mate) Dean Harding.
- Dean Stone
“We lost two (Kelly and Newton) in the last quarter and we had no rotations.”
Newton was unable to reel in Doug Strang Medal leader Josh Mellington, landing only two goals after hitting the post twice in the first term.
“I felt something, I went into the game with a bit of a sore back,” Newton said.
“I’m hoping it’s related to that.”
Wangaratta is far from a one-man side, but it’s hard to believe the Pies could challenge minor premiers Albury if one-time high-flying Melbourne forward Newton was out during finals.
Another former AFL-listed player in Port Adelaide rookie Daniel Boyle was superb in the midfield, particularly early and the game was over early in the second quarter when the visitors jumped to a 28-point lead.
And the Pies’ other player to have competed at the elite level in ex-North Melbourne on-baller Ben Speight showed how crucial he will be in finals with four goals.
Wangaratta has now won four straight and should head into finals on a seven-game streak as it faces North Albury (eighth), Myrtleford (seventh) and Corowa-Rutherglen (10th).
Wodonga’s season isn’t officially over as it still sits only a win out of the top five, although Wodonga Raiders should extend that when they meet Wangaratta Rovers.
For a team which prides itself on effort, given the lack of star quality, the Bulldogs lacked passion in the first three-quarters, seemingly unaware of what was at stake.
But, just as importantly, Wodonga must find better ball users, stronger kicking skills and coolness under pressure if it’s to break a finals drought, which stretches back to 2010.
