![Wangaratta Rovers' defenders Tom Boyd (left), Will Nolan and Charles Ledger face a tough test against Callum Moore (back, second from right), whose hot form is comparable with recent century goalkickers Josh Mellington (back left), Setanta O'hAilpin and Brendan Fevola. Main picture by James Wiltshire Wangaratta Rovers' defenders Tom Boyd (left), Will Nolan and Charles Ledger face a tough test against Callum Moore (back, second from right), whose hot form is comparable with recent century goalkickers Josh Mellington (back left), Setanta O'hAilpin and Brendan Fevola. Main picture by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/andrew.moir/8a70a1d6-72fb-452e-9e86-0c54170800de.jpg/r0_0_2269_1825_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Wangaratta Rovers' defence faces Ovens and Murray Football League's toughest job on Sunday - stopping Callum Moore.
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The 2021 Morris medallist and runner-up the past two seasons, Wangaratta's Moore has never been in better form, kicking 30 goals in the last four games.
"It's a great question, he's a quality player," Rovers' co-captain Tom Boyd replied when quizzed on the best method of stopping the Pies' spearhead.
"It's not a one-man job, we have to put pressure on the ball carrier with the footy coming in and get 22 guys on the same page."
Moore claimed last year's Doug Strang Medal and is currently leading with 43 after nine rounds. North Albury's Josh Minogue has 37, but has played an extra game.
Rovers' Jace McQuade has traditionally played on Moore in recent years.
"Jace is great at locking down that one player, he does an excellent job and we love him for it and trust him to do the job again," Boyd added.
No player has kicked a century of goals since Albury's Josh Mellington in 2016, but Moore's stunning last month has him in that type of form.
Mellington (106 goals) completed a stunning four-year period where Wodonga Raiders' Patty Rose (104 goals - 2012), Yarrawonga's Brendan Fevola (110 - 2012) and Albury's Setanta O'hAilpin (116 - 2014) dominated.
No player had booted a century before that since Lavington's Chris Stuhldreier, who claimed a hat-trick from 1996-98.
Moore has kicked 213 goals in 58 games with the Pies, averaging 3.7, with his greatest output of 81 last year.
However, he has shared the forward line with Michael Newton and Ben Reid, while he's also played in the ruck, so it's unfair to compare Moore's overall record with that most recent quartet of century goalkickers.
But Reid has retired, while Newton is still out injured, so Moore is the 'main man'.
"We seem to be able to stop talented sides from scoring at the moment, we just want to kick more of a score ourselves, changing the way we enter the 50 and giving our smalls a bit more of a chance to impact the game," Boyd offered.
"At the moment we go in and it comes straight back out, if we keep it in our forward half as much as possible, we're more of a chance to score."
Rovers upset the Pies by 12 points on Good Friday in front of a bumper crowd.
Hawks' recruit Kieran Parnell was outstanding on debut and the Northern Territory star will play his first game since May 18.
Ruckman Will Christie hasn't been named after he was injured against Yarrawonga in the last game a fortnight ago, but Stuart Booth has after he bravely battled an AC joint complaint.
The Pies welcome back defenders Mark Anderson (ribs), Mat Grossman (overseas) and Tyler Norton, midfielder Fraser Ellis after breaking a pinkie finger against Corowa-Rutherglen on May 18, while youngster Charley Holland-Dean will support Moore in the forward line.
Boom midfielder Alex Federico and key defender Michael Bordignon are the players missing from the 101-point win over Wodonga Raiders on June 8.
Rovers sit third, on percentage, with a seven-two win-loss record and Wangaratta is fifth on five-four.
On paper, it looks more important for Wangaratta, but given the Pies don't have one of their first four on-ballers - Jackson Clarke (finger), Brad Melville (foot), Daniel Sharrock (knee) and Federico (overseas) - the argument will be if the home team can't beat them now, will they this year, particularly given all but Sharrock are expected to return.