The lead changed nine times in a rollicking contest, but Raiders kicked four of the last five goals to post a 13.13 (91) to 11.10 (76) win.

And in a touching moment in the jubilant dressing room, the players had sidelined star Matt Neagle’s jumper on the ground in the middle of the circle of players.

“We wanted to play with the same courage that young Matty Neagle did last week and we had the jumper out there and they all touched it and went out and played the way he played,” coach Daryn Cresswell said.

The lightly-built Neagle’s season finished when he courageously ran towards a marking contest and collided with Yarrawonga big man Brandon Symes, suffering two compound fractures of his arm, also requiring an elbow reconstruction.

After a lopsided season with a clear-cut top and bottom five, the match was just what the league needed in its first night final.

“Twelve months ago I think it’s pretty evident we wouldn’t have won that game, the monkey’s off the back,” Cresswell said.

But just as Raiders improved their poor recent finals record, the premiers showed they are still a red-hot chance, given they were missing the league’s best forward in Michael Newton and top defender Michael Bordignon, who were both suspended.

When Wangaratta’s Mat Grossman, playing his first game in two months after holidaying overseas, belted a bomb from around 53m with 12 seconds left of the third quarter, the underdogs had a four-point break.

Team-mate Joe Richards, who was superb, ran down his goal-bound opponent, which set up an opportunity for ruckman Zac Leitch, but he botched the 30m chance.

And Raiders made them pay when speedster Jarrod Ardern found captain Jydon Neagle.

But the Pies responded when Matt Kelly kicked the ball high and Frazer Dent took a courageous mark and goaled.

It was the last time the Pies led.

Ninety seconds later Raven Jolliffe snapped truly and then Tom McCaffrey’s second successive clearance found defender Jordon Rouse for just his second goal of the year.

And when Raiders got their running game together and Jolliffe landed his third, the margin was 13 points.