When Wangaratta are on their game, there aren’t many teams who can go with them, which is one of the best traits for the competition's new ladder leaders.

The Magpies sit on top of the ladder after handing the promising Yarrawonga Pigeons a 36-point loss at the Showgrounds on Saturday, 16.10 (106) to 10.10 (70), led by the three-pronged attack of Jack Mapleson, James McClounan and Joel Stevens with three goals apiece.

The match was a pitched contest for three quarters, with barely more than a kick separating the two teams for long stretches of the game.

Yarrawonga held the momentum early, managing two minor scores before kicking their first through Jordan Urquhart four minutes in from a turnover in defensive 50.

James McClounan found the first for the Magpies just two minutes later, but the two sides would trade blows throughout the term.

A late goal from Yarrawonga talisman Leigh Williams gave the Pigeons a seven-point lead heading into the quarter time huddle and would kick the first of the second term.

The match started to open up with goals coming quickly at both ends.

It was goal for goal through the second quarter before the Magpies were able to string three goals together, with Joel Stevens kicking two of them, late in the piece to see the margin sit at just three points at the major break.

The match would stay in a holding pattern until the dying minutes of the third term, which saw the Magpies capitalise on last chances to head into the final break with a six-point lead.

The fourth quarter started perfectly for Wangaratta, with Joel Stevens tearing from the first centre ball up, taking a bounce and slotting his third of the day from 45 metres.

James McClounan kicked his second and third for the match within two minutes of each other, before Jack Mapleson made it all but a certainty with his third.

In just eight and a half minutes, the Magpies had blown the match apart to lead by five goals.

While the Pigeons tried to go with them, Wangaratta simply had more class and fight when it mattered most.

Magpies coach Jason Heatley said his side fought out a tough and physical match.

“They came with a plan, they were certainly very hard at the ball early and started well, which we expected,” he said.

“We would’ve liked to have been a bit better, but eventually we absorbed it and got the game back on our terms and hit the scoreboard.

“It was wet and miserable for the first half, so the game was going to be conducive to being played in tight.

“We knew that there were some passages where we got the footy on the outside and we moved the

Elsewhere, Wangaratta Rovers were stunned by Wodonga Bulldogs, falling on the wrong end of a seven-point game, 8.12 (60) to 10.7 (67).

Wodonga surged early, shocking the slow-starting Rovers to take a two-goal lead early before charging out to a 31-point lead by the half.

The Rovers clicked into gear after the long break, but weren’t able to close the gap late in the piece.

Ed Dayman starred in his return from a hand injury, while Tom Boyd kicked two goals.