Wangaratta defender Michael Bordignon said a change in tactics was behind his defensive shutdown of Doug Strang medallist Josh Mellington.
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Mellington kicked only three goals to become the first player in the league’s 125 seasons to be stranded on 99.
“We played the semi-final and he sort of got me in the one-on-one contests, but I thought I’d play two metres behind him and back my speed,” Bordignon said.
“I did that and it seemed to pay off and I had a little goal to keep him to under his target of 100.”
Mellington was looking to become the first player since Lavington’s Chris Stuhldreier in 1998 to kick successive centuries.
He started with 96 and looked on the way when he landed two in the first quarter.
He didn’t land his next major until 35 seconds left.
Bordignon stopped a certain goal in the second quarter when Elliott Powell tried to handball over the top to an unmarked Mellington, but the defender blocked it.