North Albury coach Tim Broomhead reserved special praise for defender Fletcher Ramage following the one-point win over Wodonga in the Ovens and Murray Football League on Saturday.
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The unheralded Ramage was best on ground as the Hoppers moved into the top three.
"He's full of courage, goes hard at the ball and stops his man," Broomhead explained.
"I think everyone at North Albury knows the sort of player he is, a lot of people outside the club probably don't."
Ramage had 22 touches, including six marks.
North has been one of the league's best stories over the past 18 months.
After claiming the 2022 wooden spoon, with only one win, the Hoppers pushed to sixth last year with seven victories.
After nine rounds, the club now has six wins to jump ahead of Wodonga, on percentage.
Broomhead and his coaching staff deserve tremendous praise for the way so many players have improved under the ex-Collingwood on-baller.
"Fletcher's come a long way in the last year and a half, we touched on that post-game," Broomhead offered.
"He keeps stepping up and takes the big jobs and he'll do whatever the team needs, he's one of the first picked every week."
Unlike Ramage, Cayden Winter arrived at the Hoppers with a profile in the Riverina after coaching North Wagga for three years in the Farrer League, claiming the club best and fairest every time.
"He's such a massive impact on us, what he brings on-field and as an assistant coach," Broomhead praised.
North will now play the first Saturday of the split round.
The Hoppers are home to an ever-improving Myrtleford, while Albury must quickly find form at home against Corowa-Rutherglen.
