The premiers led by a point in a pulsating game, before the beaten grand finalists stormed back at home with four goals to one to land a 15.11 (101) to 11.8 (74) win.

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"The pleasing thing was to be able to run away with it in the last part of that quarter," Pies' coach Luke Morgan said.

"We thought we matched them in the pressure aspects of the game and we thought our ball movement was superior and stood out in the last part of the game."

The fifth successive win has pushed the Pies into the top three for the first time since their shock round nine loss to Myrtleford.

And the Tigers are now outside the top three, albeit only on percentage to the Pies and with games against battling Corowa-Rutherglen and Yarrawonga, before meeting two top five outfits in the final fortnight.

The Pies also won without captain Michael Newton, who withdrew with a back complaint.

It was to be the star forward's first game in a month since injuring his hamstring.

Morgan believes the Did Simpson medallist from the 2017 premiership win over Albury will play against fellow grand final fancy Lavington in Saturday's blockbuster.

The coach also missed another game with concussion, but he too believes he will face the ladder leaders.

Newton was replaced by Fraser Ellis, who kicked two goals, while another youngster in Brad Melville booted four.

Melville was outstanding, while ultra consistent defender Michael Bordignon, livewire Joe Richards and reliable defender Ben Douthie also performed.

Douthie has a suspected broken nose, while Nick Richards limped off in the third quarter with a suspected ankle sprain.

The Tigers also made a late change with Kieran Ellis failing to recover from his hamstring problem, with Tom O'Brien taking his place and kicking two goals.

The Tigers have contested the past 10 grand finals, winning seven, and while they've fallen out of the top three, they are still a premiership force.

Albury's guns - Dean Polo, Elliott Powell, Luke and Shaun Daly - were superb, while Joel Mackie kicked two goals.

Powerhouse Alex Jones suffered a knee injury, but the club believes it was a bone-on-bone collision.

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