BONAT CHARGED
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Yarrawonga captain Tyler Bonat faces two charges from Sunday’s loss to Wangaratta.
Bonat was charged with striking Pies’ Will Reilly on video evidence during the first quarter.
Reilly took no further part in the match.
He’s eligible to be offered a one-match set penalty.
Bonat was booked with the same offence against Jamie Anderson late, where he was sent off for 15 minutes.
He was offered a one-match ban.
MOST IMPROVED
Mark Wodonga Raiders’ Jackson Kelly down as the league’s emerging star.
Two and a half months ago, the former Wagga Tiger was languishing in reserve grade.
Now, he’s one of the club’s most important players.
Kelly kicked two goals in the third quarter against Albury, bursting out of a pack with his pace and landing a superb checkside.
And if he’s not the most improved, you could throw half his team-mates in there, including defenders Alex Daly, Jordan Rouse and Raven Jolliffe.
LEARNING LESSON
Raiders’ coach Daryn Cresswell says he will work on a number of issues should the club find itself in a winning position late.
“I thought we did a lot of things wrong when we hit the front,” he said.
“That free kick was inexcusable.
“It’s game awareness, like if someone dives on the ball, you can’t throw your feet in there.”
But Cresswell was proud.
“I thought we opened them up with our run the longer the game went, particularly in the back end of quarters.”
FILO MAGIC
Look it sounds like a broken record, but if you want to know why spectators are raving about Raider Brodie Filo, then check out his work in the third term.
With the ball loose, he swooped in, picked it up one-hand, was too quick for Dean Heta, stepped around Jessy Wilson and delivered a pinpoint 40m pass to captain Jydon Neagle.
The pick-up was so sublime the crowd on the western side of Bunton Park started laughing, as if to say, ‘you can’t be serious’.
He’s a human highlights reel.
SO LONG SENIORS
Yarrawonga’s Brad O’Connor could well have played his last game at the top level.
“He’d love to do what Marcus McMillan does, he’s not going anywhere,” coach Damian Sexton said.
Former best and fairest McMillan stepped down from seniors this year, playing 15 reserve grade matches.
O’Connor, 33, kicked three goals, including one in the opening minute after a strong tackle.
Meantime, the Pigeons pulled a swifty by naming Logan Morey, who only arrived back in the country on Sunday night.
GREAT STORY
Wangaratta’s Matt Hedin is the heart-warming story.
Hedin had a reconstruction after injuring his left knee in last year’s season opener.
He then suffered a detachment of the ACL in his comeback game against Lavington in round two this season.
Hedin was a chance to miss another season, but returned in time to play three reserve grade games before gaining senior selection in the last three.
He kicked four goals against Yarrawonga, flying over Nick Lawless for a stunner.
- Receive our daily newsletter straight to your inbox each morning from The Border Mail. Sign up here