RIVAL coaches Corey Lambert and Stan Magro traded verbal barbs as simmering tension between the pair reached boiling point at the end of the Wodonga Raiders-Myrtleford clash at Birallee Park on Saturday.
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Moments after the Raiders held on for a 13-point win at Birallee Park, the two opposing coaching staffs headed by Lambert and Magro became embroiled in an ugly war-of-words as they left their respective coaching boxes.
Raiders’ president John Lewis stepped in and defused the situation which threatened to escalate further with a large number of spectators looking on.
After the match, Lambert said his Myrtleford counterpart had been sledging his players for a large part of the game.
Magro said his ill-feeling towards Lambert had its origins from his first season in charge of the Saints and intensified over summer when he alleged the Raiders targeted some of the club’s brightest young talent.
He interpreted comments made by Lambert in a post-match get-together in 2010 that the Saints were not worthy of being in the competition.
“From that point on there has certainly been a bit of angst,” Magro said.
“What has really got under my skin is their under-18 team played us in a grand final a couple of years ago.
“Since that time we’ve developed a team with some of those kids.
“Yet over summer, (Lambert), in the pursuit of his own ego, has gone out of his way to try to recruit two or three of our good kids.
“We don’t mind him going to Melbourne and topping up his list, but to try to savage a club that has been struggling and the competition needs to be competitive is totally disrespectful.
“I don’t apologise for my behaviour and will not apologise for my behaviour whenever we play them while he is the coach.”
The post-match fireworks could be repeated when the two clubs meet in round 18 at McNamara Reserve.
It will be Magro’s final game in charge of the Saints before returning to Western Australia and Raiders might need to win to secure a spot in the top five.
Lambert said he was shocked by the comments coming from the Saints’ coaching box.
“I probably heard a few things today I had never heard in my footy time from an opposition coach,” he said.
“We are not going to stand back on our own ground and take that sort of crap.
“We just want to let them know who the winner was today.”
Magro is stepping down after three seasons in charge of the Saints, who are still in contention to claim the wooden spoon despite beating reigning premier Albury and Wangaratta this season.
The Saints play top three teams Wangaratta Rovers and Albury in the next two matches.
Earlier, Myrtleford president Bill O’Donohue said the club would be advertising for Magro’s replacement in the next week.
He said 2005 Morris Medal winner Brad Murray and former Lavington coach Tim Sanson would be sounded out about their interest.