Albury has extended its winning streak over Yarrawonga to nine after a brutal battle on Saturday.
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The Tigers never trailed in running out 15.8 (98) to 12.7 (79) winners in front of a strong crowd at the Albury Sportsground.
But the result was overshadowed by the constant fighting in the first half.
Will Blomeley’s ferocious tag on Mark Whiley started the angst in the opening minutes, with a series of wrestles between the pair.
Blomeley’s jumper was ripped to such an extent late in the first half, when others became involved following a tussle, he was forced to change it at half-time.
Long-time rivals in Albury co-coach Joel Mackie and the Pigeons’ Tyler Bonat had a number of stoushes, while the Tigers’ Chris Hyde staged a battle against Justin Perkins late in the first quarter.
Hyde, who suffered a cork after just three minutes and was unable to continue in the second half, launched himself at his fellow former AFL player.
Hyde was on top of Perkins, before a number of players, including Yarrawonga’s Drew Barnes, came flying across to help.
And even when Hyde came off the ground shortly after, he spent at least 30 seconds talking to someone from the Pigeons’ bench, although he was always some distance from the bemused group.
It was a scene you rarely see at O and M level.
“Yeah, that’s the fiercest game in the last few years,” Yarrawonga co-coach Chris Kennedy said.
Mackie was then quizzed if it was the most niggly contest between the two in years.
Yeah, that’s the fiercest game in the last few years.
- Chris Kennedy
“Yeah, probably,” he said.
“You know what you get when you play ‘Yarra’, she’s a tough contest.
“To grind out a win like that, coming into finals, is exactly what we needed.”
The only football-related feature of the first half was Josh Mellington’s five goals.
He showed his class in the second quarter, battling Tom Walliss for the ball, before picking it up and snapping his fourth.
When the match resumed normal programming in the second half, the teams kicked six goals apiece.
But Albury never looked like losing and it’s hard to see how Yarrawonga could possibly topple the Tigers, given they were missing three of their best in Daniel Cross, Dean Polo and Michael Duncan, while former Greater Western Sydney player Sam Schulz will be available for the grand final after suspension.
The Pigeons were missing top-line defender Connor Hargreaves, while hard-working midfielder Matt Gorman is out for the year with a knee.
“We just weren’t polished enough, they were more polished than us,” Kennedy said.
Mellington finished with seven goals and he unselfishly set up three more for team-mates.
He extended his lead in the Doug Strang Medal to eight.