Wodonga defeats North Albury by 55 points in Ovens and Murray football

The Hoppers trailed the home team by only two goals at three-quarter time, but last year's wooden spooners fell into old habits late in the 15.8 (98) to 6.7 (43) loss in front of around 2200 spectators.

"We started playing into their hands, playing a brand that wasn't us, but the response was the biggest thing to take out of the game, we turned it around quite quickly in the last," sidelined coach Jordan Taylor suggested.

The game's highest profile players in Wodonga's Angus Baker and North's former Collingwood on-baller Tim Broomhead were the game's best players, racking up 32 and 29 disposals respectively.

Broomhead also kicked a goal, while Baker booted three and set up others in a second successive best on ground display.

Kicking with a strong breeze, Wodonga gained a 20-point break by quarter-time, Baker landing the game's first from 50m, while keeping the Hoppers goalless.

Broomhead had 13 touches in the second term and nailed a clever left foot snap to cut the margin to seven points as the Hoppers had the momentum with the wind.

However, a 50m penalty handed the Bulldogs a gift goal from 20m and then Baker nailed his third a minute later with a sublime one-hand pick-up and snap to push the margin to three goals at half-time.

Although the wind wasn't as strong in the third stanza, North's effort in kicking four goals to three was outstanding.

Former Farrer League gun Jack Reynolds kicked his first goal from 40m and then Julian Hayes, who had been the game's leading possession winner in the first half with 19, kicked into the breeze and Josh Minogue judged in best with a chest mark.

Goals to the impressive Adam Jorgensen and the emerging Jett Cassidy pushed the margin to 25 points, but a Jack Penny free kick and scrambling effort from Minogue set up a potential crackerjack last quarter.

However, Wodonga's rampage quickly sealed the result.

"We had the momentum after five minutes in the last quarter, but it all came crashing down there, the last 20 minutes was not good enough," Broomhead explained of the bitterly disappointing finish.

But while the final term fadeout was unacceptable, North and the league itself can take heart from the first three-quarters.

The Broomhead-coached outfit is far stronger and played a better brand than last year.

"We've got a little more size in the forward line, we need more height down back and it would be nice to have a ruckman (Hayden Cooper) taller than 185cms (as his opponent Bailey Griffiths is 2m-plus)," the coach offered.

Apart from standout Baker, tough on-baller Josh Mathey was busy with 28 touches, doing much of the grunt work in heavy traffic, while Jorgensen (two goals) and Michael Driscoll, who's moved from the ruck to defence this season, were exceptional.

Hayes racked up touches, boom recruit Minogue kicked three goals and resembled Wangaratta Rovers' forward Alex Marklew with his work ethic, youngster Archer Gardiner was terrific, while the club's Riverina and Farrer league contingent adapted to the higher level.

The Hoppers now face a brutal three-game stretch against last year's top three from the regular season in Yarrawonga, Albury and Wangaratta.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Wodonga has now started with two wins for the first time since 2017.

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