If it doesn't finish as game of the year, it will be on the podium

The former VFL player had been suspended for the first three games following an off-season stint with Palmerston Magpies in the Northern Territory, but booted two goals in the final five minutes to snare an exhilarating 15.7 (97) to 14.11 (95) home win.

"I started off a little slow so coming into half-time I knew I had to do something, especially coming into that last quarter and couldn't have asked for more," he said.

The lead changed five times in the final 18 minutes.

When Matt Casey cleverly worked the ball through traffic at the 11-minute mark, the Pigeons hit the lead by three points, but then runaway best on ground Callum Moore blasted a 40m belter from the boundary and Michael Newton added another when he marked on the goal-line for a 10-point buffer.

A clever Leigh Williams tap to a flying Ryan Einsporn cut the margin back to within a kick and when Lewis-Smith was crunched after taking a mark, the 50m free kick pushed him to within 25m and a 45 degree angle, where he converted.

The improving Will O'Keefe regained the lead with a running goal with just over three minutes left, but Lewis-Smith capped the grandstand finish with a superb finish and effectively ended Wangaratta's top three hopes.

"On the way home they're going to beat a lot of teams if they play that way," Yarrawonga coach Steve Johnson suggested.

"We showed a lot of character, we were up against it when they had a 14-point lead, but the character to fight back will give us a lot of confidence."

The premiers have now won their past 15 games, while long-time power Wangaratta is winless after four rounds.

Yarrawonga carried a 17-point lead to quarter-time, largely due to accuracy.

Jackson Clarke, who played well in just his second game back after nine months out with a foot injury, missed three chances in the first nine minutes.

When Bailey Frauenfelder kicked one of his three goals after three minutes of the second quarter, the lead was 23 points and it felt the Pigeons were about to post a big win, but during the second and third stanzas, the Pies kicked 10.5 to 5.4 to snare that 14-point break heading into the final term.

Moore has won a Morris Medal and finished runner-up twice in his three seasons, but you could make an argument he's never played better, given the pressure on the club after a slow start and standard of the opposition.

He kicked four goals over those two quarters, set up two others and looked as strong and fast as at any time in his O and M stint.

But the Pies will rue two goals in 30 seconds on half-time to Michael Gibbons, who finished with three.

It pushed the margin back to 21 points, but a seven goal to one third quarter looked like claiming the match.

At one stage, Moore was being held by one arm by opponent Nick Irvine, but he's so strong and balanced, was still able to kick the ball 25m for O'Keefe to goal.

Pigeon Harry Wheeler lifted the Pigeons with a controversial goal in the opening minute of the final term, defender Mark Anderson adamant the shot missed.

At the same time, Pies' gun Daniel Sharrock injured his knee and was about to be stretchered off.

Wheeler's love for a contest, any contest, proved pivotal, his older brother Willie had a super first half, while ruck Lach Howe had a strong game.

Moore's six-goal effort will be long remembered and at one stage it was literally him against Yarrawonga when it came to scoring.

Youngster O'Keefe and Liam McVeigh also impressed.

The Pies gave away two 50m free kicks and another downfield which led to goals.

"The hardest thing was I thought for the majority of the game we were on top, it was the little things like when you let the ball out in a tackle and they pounce on it and kick a goal, which good teams do, that's what probably cost us in the end," Pies' coach Ben Reid suggested.

"But I'm so proud of the group, it's been a tough start to the year."