Leitch has been a stalwart of the Pies since making his senior debut in 2013.

However, he was overlooked for recruit Chris Knowles in last week's match against North Albury and was selected only as an emergency for Saturday's away clash against Wodonga.

"It was a combination, it was probably a little bit of instructional stuff, a little bit of discipline and a little bit of form and as I said to Zac, we've got a bloke that's been in the best two or three players in the reserves and a genuine ruckman that's knocking on the door and we haven't had this depth (in the ruck) before, we need to reward that," Stone offered.

"It just goes to show you need to be spot on and on your game, otherwise there's someone that might take your spot.

"Chris was outstanding all pre-season and was outstanding in the ruck (against North), he rucked predominantly all day and for me that's a good story, he was absolutely terrific."

It was a bold move by Knowles to join the club last October as he'd played 50 senior games at Wangaratta Rovers, the Pies' arch rivals.

He had never been as fit heading into the pre-season and has been rewarded with a senior position.

Stone was quizzed how the proud Leitch took his demotion.

"Like a player that doesn't want to go back into the reserves and I respected that and he certainly challenged me, I'm open for that, I have no issue with that," he revealed.

"All I said to Zac was, 'I want a really positive response from you, I want you to be the best player on the ground' and he said, 'yep, that's what you'll get'.

"I want him to do the things that makes us a better team and what I saw in the first half (against North), that's what he did."

And the Pies' premiership mentor from 2017 maintains Leitch is far from forgotten.

"Leitchy's in our best side, no worries about that and I've got no doubt he'll be back but, right now, we've got options," Stone confirmed.

Although the Pies hammered North, Stone won't tolerate a lack of discipline, which includes the captain.

"In the third quarter, Michael Newton did some undisciplined things and we've got some depth, I ripped him off the ground and that's the standard we've got to set," he added.

Wodonga has certainly improved on its 2019 wooden spoon, falling by just nine points against top three fancies Myrtleford.

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"We didn't show it against Raiders, I was happy with our (Myrtleford) performance, it was the one that got away but we're a young side and the more we get ourselves in those situations, the better we'll handle it," coach Jordan Taylor explained.

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