In The Border Mail's pre-season liftout, it was jokingly suggested that if first-year coach Daryn Cresswell could take the club from a winless wooden spoon to finals - which has never been done in the league's history - the club should build a monument to 'Crezza'.

Sunday's stunning upset of Wangaratta not only revived the derby, which had been duds in recent years, but rapidly improved the club's chances of doing the impossible and playing finals.

The Hawks sit a percentage of 1.24 out of the five, behind Wodonga Raiders.

The way it's shaping, the winner of Rovers-Raiders on July 20 will play finals.

And Cresswell's ability to improve players - quickly - is uncanny.

"The improvement from when I first walked into the place - I said to my wife, lucky I signed before I saw them train - to where we are now is poles apart," he laughed after the eight-point win.

Ed Dayman won last year's Leo Dean Medal at under 18 level.

He struggled in the opening rounds, but was outstanding in the third term fightback, curtailing then-best on ground in ruck Zac Leitch.

"I'm finding my feet, it took a couple of weeks, hopefully ... I can get better," he said.

Jack Gerrish is one of the league's quickest players but, like a few blessed with blinding pace, it can be hard for the brain to catch up.

In the third term, he had Wangaratta coach Luke Morgan on his hammer, but was still able to bounce the ball three times.

He stopped and had the ability to spot Sam Allen, who kicked a goal. Gerrish couldn't have done that in round one.