Wangaratta Rovers has a better understanding of the depth of its squad heading through the back end of the year after resting a number of key players in their 80-point hammering of North Albury in their O&M senior footy match on Saturday.

With several first-string players out, including coach Sam Murray, ruck Ed Dayman and key defender Kieren Parnell, the Rovers were still able to belt the Hoppers 14.15 (99) to 3.1 (19).

One massive in was co-captain Tom Boyd, who made a brilliant start in his first game back since round three, kicking 2.2 in the first quarter to help the Rovers to a 33-point quarter time margin.

Jack Penny would kick the Hoppers’ first goal midway through the second quarter, by which time the Rovers led by 38 points.

From then on, the Rovers were never in doubt, controlling possession and defending hard for the rest of the match.

Boyd would finish with three goals while key forward Nathan Cooper bagged four, with seven other individual goalkickers in a well-rounded effort.

Down back, even though they were missing some key defenders, the Rovers worked outstandingly to only concede the three goals.

Rovers football operation manager Mario Antonello said the win was the result of younger players stepping up and playing their role in the absence of some senior players.

“Ed Dayman was rested, Sam Murray was rested, Joel Smith was rested, Charles Ledger was rested, Keiren Parnell was rested, so a lot of young guys stood up and played really well,” he said.

“Sam Nolan played his first senior game at Rovers, it was a special day – he played with his brother Will and his cousin Harry Nolan, so it was a pretty good day for the Nolan family, there were a heap of them up there.

“The big takeaway is probably the squad of players we can use is bigger than we initially would’ve thought at the start of the year.

“There are a lot of young guys who are coming through and playing senior footy that would play senior footy at almost any other club, so if we do have a player or two go down, we’re reassured knowing we can have a like-for-like replacement.

“Whoever we put in, we know they’re not going to let us down, and they know their role.

“The biggest thing is over the last three years we’ve had really good, solid player retention – I don’t think there would be any club which has held the list together as well as we have.”

Antonello said it was wonderful to see co-captain Boyd back on the park and leading the troops.

“He’s probably one of the more influential players of the competition to be honest,” he said.

“He’s so important for us not only because he can play almost any position at either end of the ground, but his leadership and his calm head, he’s very strong, he’ll throw his body on the line.

“He’s just one of those guys you really can’t replace.

“We must’ve played 10 or 11 games without him, so we’ve really missed his leadership.

“It was good to have him kick a few goals and get through the game with no niggles or injuries – he possibly could have played last week, he’s been training for a while but we just wanted to make sure he was 100 per cent and he gets a good run through finals now.”

Meanwhile, Wangaratta Magpies secured a dominant win over the struggling Wodonga Raiders, 20.14 (134) to 9.9 (63) on Saturday.

A 10 goal to three first half meant the game was never really in doubt, despite Raiders winning the third quarter.

Matt Hedin was among the best, finishing with 21 touches, eight contested possessions and five inside 50s, while James McClounan (five goals), Jackson Clarke (four goals) and Aiden Tilley (23 disposals, 13 marks) were influential.