In his first match for 10 weeks after an AC joint injury, Brant Dickson was superb with five goals, while the league's oldest player John Hunt nabbed four in the 19.8 (122) to 16.14 (110) win at Albury Sportsground.

"We'll certainly take a lot of confidence that we've beaten them twice now," Lavington coach Simon Curtis said.

The Panthers stunned Albury with a 71-point hiding in round two.

It was a crackerjack contest as both teams suffered a host of injuries, with Albury players forced to stay on in the final term because it had no bench.

Early on, it looked like the Tigers' renowned pressure of their decade of dominance would be too much for the visitors, who coughed up the first goal through a mistake.

But the Tigers were inaccurate, posting 4.5 to 2.0 late in the opening stanza.

"They probably didn't make the most of their opportunities, I think history shows Albury can put a side away in five-10 minutes and they really should have put us away," Curtis said.

Lavington kicked the last goal through a Hunt 50m bomb and then landed the first three of the second to grab a nine-point break.

It never trailed again.

The third quarter realistically destroyed Albury's hopes with the Panthers ramming on six goals to three for a 20-point break.

The margin blew out to 31 when 16-year-old Macca Hallows nailed a running goal, before the Tigers rallied with four straight.

When Alex Jones kicked a point from 50m with eight and a half minutes left, the margin was a kick, but a controversial mark to Aidan Johnson, which Albury disputed, and subsequent goal steadied the Panthers.

However, Joel Mackie snapped a major with 24 seconds left for a six-point game, but Johnson crashed the pack, handing Adam Flagg the sealer with 11 seconds left.

Unflappable midfielder Tom Hargreave was wonderful with 32 touches, while Dickson, Hunt, Marty Brennan (20 touches), Curtis (27) and Nick Meredith, who produced some telling marks in defence, were vital.

Shaun Daly had the better of Johnson, while Jones (20 disposals) and Jake Gaynor (28) were also terrific.

Brayden O'Hara was inaccurate, but created a stack of chances, while Mackie kicked five goals, despite a hamstring injury.