The Ovens and Murray Football League has rarely, if ever, seen a bigger story then the one delivered last month.
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Premiers Wangaratta was found guilty of breaching the league's $125,000 salary cap and fined $28,000, it won't compete for competition points in the first two rounds and have had their player points allocation cut from 40 to 36.
And then on Monday night, March 27, the O and M board stripped the Pies of the premiership. It's never happened before.
ARRIVALS
Cam Barrett, Darcy Melksham, Daniel Saunders (Corowa-Rutherglen), Murray Waite (Myrtleford), Tom Gorman (Moyhu), Xavier Naish (Wangaratta Rovers), Ben Bray
DEPARTURES
Joe Richards (Collingwood), Matt Hedin (Bonnie Doon), James McClounan (Greta), Zack Leitch (Yackandandah), Josh Smart (uni)
WHAT WE SAY
BRENT GODDE: If and it's a big if, the Magpies can overcome the mental hurdles and sanctions of busting the salary cap, they can still win the flag. They still boast a star-studded list and it wouldn't be surprising to see this week's events galvanise an already tight-knit group even further. Watch this space and don't be surprised if the Magpies don't get mad but instead get even.
STEVE TERVET: We're about to see what the Pies are really made of following an off-season from hell. Winning the premiership meant they already had a target on their backs, being stripped of it just made that even bigger. Expect Ben Reid & Co to foster a siege mentality: it's us against the world, boys.
ANDREW MOIR: We've never been in this position before where the premiers have been found guilty of breaching the salary cap, so nobody can say with total certainty what impact it will have. Given that, you would still be a brave person to suggest the Pies won't face Yarrawonga again in the decider.
GIVEN THE PIES CAN'T 'WIN' THE FIRST TWO GAMES, WILL THEY PLAY 'DEAD'?
It's the obvious question. If you have a $28,000 fine to pay by the end of September, the first thing you try and do is save money. So it must be tempting for the Pies to rest a stack of their highest profile and best paid in the first two rounds because it means nothing. Remember too, they're away to fiercest rival Wangaratta Rovers in the historic Good Friday clash. If both teams are at full strength and given reasonable weather, it could attract 2,500-plus. Wangaratta might argue why would we play our best team and therefore get more people through the gate, literally giving Rovers a free kick by pocketing thousands of dollars for recruits next year. Wangaratta is an outstanding club, but its brand has taken a monumental hit and would take another public whack if it was to rest players.
WILL IT DERAIL THEIR PREMIERSHIP HOPES?
No chance. Sure, the Pies won't have any wins after the first two games and it's only a 16-round season because of Corowa-Rutherglen going into recess, but they will make the top three. The wins needed for the double chance changes every year, of course, but let's look at last year. Albury finished third on 11 wins and seven losses for a 61 per cent winning record. If you work on that, the Pies only need to win nine of 14. They lost one game in 2022 and while they don't have Joe Richards, they haven't lost enough to miss the top three.
Q&A WITH LUKE SAUNDERS
Q: You could have easily won the Did Simpson Medal in the grand final, was that your best game?
A: I probably wouldn't say it's my best, there were a few games playing at half-back against the likes of Albury and Rovers under lights last year.
Q: What do you put your improvement down to?
A: There's a few things, but it's probably the mindset, knowing you can do it. I know I've got the ability, I've just got to put the confidence there and the mindset. Also, it's my time, I missed out on the last two 'grannies' we've had at senior level.
Q: Take us through the mindset when you're not playing with confidence.
A: When you make a mistake you then think about it too much, it's probably when you're going to muck up again.
Q: What's it mean to have your twin brother Daniel back after a year at Corowa-Rutherglen?
A: It will be really good, I've only played two (senior) games with him at 'Wang', I think the first one was in the mud at Myrtleford, we had a bit of a biff with one of their best players Matty Dussin.
Q: You're fighting out of your weight division there. On a light note, who's the better fighter?
A: (Laughs) Daniel's got a bit more grunt about him, a bit more mongrel so it would be him, once you fire him up.
