Wangaratta Rovers overpower Wodonga by 42 points at John Flower Oval

The Bulldogs came into the game top of the ladder on the back of five straight wins but they had no answer to the visitors' pressure at John Flower Oval and went down by 42 points.

Ryan Hebron showed his VFL class on his return to the Rovers side, kicking four goals, while Michael Clark was immense down back as Wodonga, missing the injured Angus Baker, were kept to just five goals all afternoon.

Three goals for Tom Boyd and two for Toby Murray helped the Hawks to a hugely convincing 12.6 (78) to 5.6 (36) victory.

"We identified parts of their game we wanted to take away and we were disciplined enough to do that early," Rovers coach Sam Murray said.

"We owned most of the game, played a lot of it in our half and defended really well when the ball came in.

"They kicked five goals and three of them came from 50-metre penalties so we could have kept them to an even lower score.

"It was our most complete performance from start to finish.

"It helps when you bring back four or five really experienced players; we looked a lot more competitive in our forward line, our back line and our structures were good."

Rovers flew out of the traps and kicked the first three goals of the game, opening up a 20-point lead by quarter-time with two missed set shots from Alex Marklew keeping Wodonga in the hunt.

Jack Chesser marked his senior Wodonga debut with a goal, having slotted 18 in his last three reserves outings, but the Bulldogs then registered just one point in a tepid second quarter.

Rovers were fiercer in the contest and more fluent with ball in hand, Marklew and Dylan Stone hitting the scoreboard as the visitors went into the main break leading by 34 points.

Two goals in as many minutes from Oscar Willding suggested the Bulldogs may be mounting a comeback in the third term but the Hawks slammed the door shut.

Boyd had the Rovers supporters on their feet after booting his third early in the last, before Tom 'Prime Train' Baulch kicked a magnificent goal from 50 metres and stirred up the home crowd with a big celebration in front of the grandstand.

Two late Hebron goals iced a win which cements Rovers' place in the top five, with Murray's side now eight points clear of Lavington and the rest of the chasing pack.

"This is what we expect," Murray insisted.

"I don't think this is something that's out of the blue for us.

"We've come out and done something no-one expected us to do but this is what we expect internally.

"We know we're a good side, we were undermanned in the games against Myrtleford and Albury, with some big injuries, but we know, when our best side's on the park, we're a really competitive side.

"Collectively, we need to continue driving with poise and connection.

"These are small, fundamental things and we have let that drop at times and everybody gets a little 'in themselves' but today we felt collective from start to finish.

"We've got really good leaders as well, who drive standards consistently.

"Pup Clark coming back in didn't lose a one-on-one, Ryan Hebron's a great player, and Stuart Booth plays a role, so our leadership improved a lot."

Cody Schutt and Paddy Murray starred in a solid Rovers backline while Stone, Brodie Filo and Lockey McCartney excelled around the stoppage.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: