Unheralded Myrtleford recruit Jaxon East celebrated his re-signing with a blockbuster display against Wodonga in the Ovens and Murray Football League on Saturday.
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The West Australian utility had an equal match-high 33 touches, along with Wodonga's Matt Wilson, and a match-high 23 contested possessions in the home 4.10 (34) to 3.9 (27) win in wet conditions.
"He's been outstanding for us every week this year," Saints' coach Craig Millar praised.
"His ability to get in and under and win the ball on the outside and use the ball has been terrific.
"We're certainly pleased during the week that he re-signed, that says a lot about him, he wants to buy into our culture and he's done that, he's been a really consistent performer."
When one of the league's best players in Wodonga Raiders' Cam Ellis-Yolmen racked up a 24 contested possession game against Myrtleford last year, it was lauded as one of the season's best individual performances, so East's effort sits him in elite company.
The Saints went into the match without their best player this year in Lachie Dale (suspension) and their best player from their last game in Tom Cappellari, but they benefitted from the inclusion of Murray Bushrangers' Lachie Miotto and Ashton McPherson, along with veteran Simon Curtis and VFL players Alex Jacobs and Toby Cossor.
"It was a really good team performance, everybody played their role," Millar added.
Wodonga carried a one-point lead into the final quarter, but the Saints then kicked the only goal.
Zac Pethybridge, Josh Muraca, who's been in top form in recent weeks, and Cossor joined East in the best.
Myrtleford's season is tracking similarly to North Albury's 2023 resurgence.
The Hoppers won only one game to claim the wooden spoon in 2022, but bounced back superbly in former Collingwood player Tim Broomhead's debut coaching season to grab seven wins.
The Saints also had just the one win last year to finish last, but already have four wins and given they face the bottom two in Corowa-Rutherglen and Wodonga Raiders in successive weeks in early August, they will finish with at least six victories, which would be an outstanding effort.
Meanwhile a month ago, the Bulldogs were minor premiership contenders, but injuries have decimated them and they're now outside the top five, on percentage, after four successive losses.
Co-coach Jack O'Sullivan missed the game after dislocating his shoulder against Yarrawonga in the final 45 seconds the previous week and given it's the same shoulder which forced him to miss the 2022 season at Seymour, there's genuine fears for his season.
Co-captain Charlie Morrison and Matt Wilson were limping after that loss to Yarrawonga, but they responded with the former posting 29 disposals.
Josh Mathey and Murray Bushranger Reuben Bourke also impressed.
