North Albury’s Lachie Taylor-Nugent will face an intentional striking charge on Wednesday night.

Wodonga asked the league to investigate an off-the-ball incident on July 21.

Bulldogs’ vice-captain Daniel Wortmann suffered a fractured left orbit during the second quarter at Bunton Park.

He visited an eye specialist following the incident.

There’s only three rounds left with neither team to play finals.

NICK OUT

At least one part of the controversial finals qualification for two star players has been settled.

Albury’s Nick Coughlan is now ineligible after racking up his 13^th game for Werribee in Saturday’s win over Coburg.

AFL Victoria Country rules don’t allow VFL players more than 12 games a year.

The big one though is Werribee team-mate, Josh Porter.

The Wangaratta big man’s now played 12, so he can’t face either Box Hill Hawks or North Melbourne.

The other finalists will be sweating on the outcome.

BOTTOMS UP

Lavington coach Simon Curtis was happy with the eveness against North Albury.

“Our bottom five has hurt us at times, but there really isn’t too much of a bottom five at the moment, we’ve got some real pressure for spots,” he said.

The return of the silky Kris Holman is another bonus.

“I ruptured my plantar facia, so it’s been a bit of a road,” he said.

The Panthers certainly missed his kicking.

“He’s an elite user and he seems to find a goal,” Curtis said.

DIMINISHING DESS

Lavington forward Andrew Dess says his improved form is down to weight loss.

Dess has stripped 13kgs and is now 97.

“I had a year off last year and didn’t look after myself during that time, I over-indulged,” he said candidly.

The former interleague player showed his class twice in the opening minutes of the second term.

He set up Brant Dickson and then nailed a 40m effort from a tight angle.

“My game is a running high half-forward, so I need to be able to get over the ground pretty well,” he said.

FAST HEALER

If sidelined North co-coach Chris Schmidt can make it back this season, it’s no wonder the club is desperate for him to return next year.

Schmidt dislocated and broke his wrist in early July.

“I’m hoping to get back, probably not next week, but the week after,” he said.

“I had a plate and a few screws put in, but I tend to bounce back pretty well.”

North’s season is done, so the 29-year-old would be entitled to have the next three weeks off, but that desire is why he’s so respected by the club and players.

HIGH PRAISE

Wodonga Raiders’ assistant coach Jarrod Hodgkin is a heady player with a measured approach, so when the Heidelberg premiership player rates Brodie Filo’s skill, you have to listen.

“As far as pure talent, he does things on a football field that not many other people can do, he’s elite,” he said.

Filo has been named in the Raiders’ best in seven of the 15 games but, perhaps more importantly, five of those have come against top five teams, including both times against Albury.

You sense he could do something special in finals.