Yarrawonga pips Wangaratta in Ovens and Murray one-point thriller

The Pies led by 22 points at the 17-minute mark of the second quarter, but five goals to start the final quarter saw the Pigeons grab an 18-point lead.

But the home team kicked the last three goals, including a superb one-hand mark to Michael Newton, to cut the margin.

Jesse Smith snapped a major on his non-preferred left with 32 seconds left, but the Pigeons held on 13.9 (87) to 12.14 (86).

Wangaratta won last year's decider 12.14 (86) to 13.5 (83) and the scoreline wasn't the only similarity with the Pies again dominating the first half, while the Pigeons owned the second stanza.

"That was an unbelievable win, they were in control of the game for the majority of the first half, but we got a bit of belief out of that third quarter and got the ascendancy in the last quarter and played with a lot of confidence," proud Pigeons' coach Steve Johnson offered.

Wangaratta was forced to make a change with last week's star Hunter Gottschling named for his VFL debut at Geelong, replacing another Wangaratta player in Tyler Norton (calf).

Callum Moore started where he left off against Wodonga, kicking a goal in the first minute and following it with a second shortly after.

Kicking with the aid of a strong breeze, Wangaratta midfielder Jackson Clarke destroyed the Pigeons in the first term.

The wind tailed off in the second quarter, while Clarke also didn't have the same impact, although he came up limping from a tackle.

The Pies led by 16 points at half-time and while the Pigeons kicked four goals to three in the third stanza, there was nothing to indicate the upcoming onslaught, although on-ballers Cam Wilson and Harry Wheeler had lifted their intensity.

Boom midfielder Willie Wheeler, who had also been quiet, claimed the opening clearance and Leigh Williams had a goal within 16 seconds.

Bailey Frauenfelder drilled a running 45m major, then Wheeler caught tight-marking opponent Daniel Saunders and sent a piercing pass to Williams, who unloaded from 50m for the lead.

When Wilson landed his third, the Pigeons were suddenly three goals up, before Newton's highlights threatened to regain the lead.

"We played three-quarters of footy for the day, but we dropped our bundle in the first 10 minutes of the last quarter," Pies' coach Ben Reid explained.

Pigeons' Morris medallist Leigh Masters was forced forward with a foot injury.

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