When Wangaratta, Myrtleford started final term, it was a three-point gap

The teams were winless heading into the round five clash with the loser effectively bowing out of finals contention.

But for the first three-quarters it was line-ball as the lead changed seven times, including five in a frenetic second term burst, before Wangaratta blasted seven goals to nil in the final stanza for a 16.14 (110) to 9.10 (64) home win.

Milestone man Michael Newton kicked five goals to celebrate his 37^th birthday, with team-mates launching into a Happy Birthday rendition in the sheds.

The first half had nowhere near the same intensity some teams have produced, particularly Wangaratta Rovers' Good Friday showing against Wangaratta, Lavington's round three upset of grand finalists Albury and the Anzac Day clash between the latter and North Albury.

"The first half we probably went backwards to the stuff we did over the last few rounds, we just didn't have the effort and desire to get after them, but the second half was a lot better," Wangaratta coach Ben Reid observed.

The game's first goal summed up the lack of pressure.

Myrtleford's Damon Harrington strolled down the wing and easily found Charlie Crisp, who goaled from 35m.

The strongly built Crisp had spent the first month in reserves, but landed his second for the term with a powerful mark as the home team carried an eight-point break to quarter-time.

Ned Turner, who crossed to Myrtleford from Wangaratta Rovers, was involved in two goals, including a tackle on Fraser Ellis and kick to Brody Ricardi, who cleverly edged out the back to land a superb running 35m effort from the boundary.

Ricardi kicked his three goals in that term as the Saints held a three-point half-time lead.

The third team lifted in intensity with only three goals and Newton booted two immediately after running back on from a short spell to clean up blood around his nose.

His first was classic Newton from 52m, with that effortless style.

The Pies led by only three points heading into the final quarter, but within three minutes the game was over after Callum Moore pounced on an error from the Saints' defence, while Fraser Holland-Dean kicked two in less than a minute.

"I thought we had some really good passages of play, we matched them most parts of the ground," Myrtleford coach Craig Millar suggested of the first three-quarters.

"But it was really disappointing to get smacked in the centre square in the first seven minutes of that last quarter."

Reid was delighted his great mate Newton was able to produce in reaching his first 100-game milestone at any club.

"I'm just so happy to get the win for him, he wears his heart on his sleeve and has a crack every week," he said.

Profile recruit Alex Federico topped disposals in the first half with 17 and continued his form after the break, the young Holland-Dean brothers kicked three goals apiece, defender Michael Bordignon was miserly, while Melville was clever with his disposal in the unfamiliar role of half-back.

However, former Richmond VFL player Melville limped off early in the final term and was then on crutches.

Wangaratta is missing a third of its team, including Pat Naish (pectoral muscle), best and fairest Daniel Sharrock (knee) and Cam Barrett (eye).

Ricardi and Crisp were dangerous with their three goals apiece, Zac Pethybridge was outsized by Moore, but restricted him to two goals, while Bowen Calogero impressed in defence.