The March 10 NAB Cup game threatened to be a fizzer before its starting time was pushed back from 3.10pm to 5.30pm, due mainly to constant lobbying from Albury Council.

Sheedy, who was unhappy with the 3.10pm start time, hoped to use the lure of local Giants-listed players such as Anthony Miles (North Albury), Tim Segrave (Corowa-Rutherglen) and Tom Downie (Benalla) to boost the crowd figure.

Culcairn’s Sam Schulz will not play because of a hip injury.

“I’d be very disappointed if we don’t get 10,000 to all our matches,” the four-time AFL premiership coach said.

“We’ll be playing Collingwood and Western Bulldogs at Blacktown and hope to get a good crowd there.

“We’ll be playing some of the boys that come from down that Border area like Anthony Miles, and Tom Downie has been very good.

“I’d say we’d probably bring three or four boys from the region down.

“I think that helped last time to get a few people through the gate.”

The Giants, who will make their debut in the AFL this year, attracted more than 6000 to Lavington for a practice match against North Melbourne last year, a figure boosted by the inclusion of O and M players Dan Leslie, Luke Garland, Chaz Sargeant and Chris Varsamakis to the Giants squad.

While GWS won’t play O and M-listed players again, Sheedy is confident the pull of watching some of the country’s best young talent will be enough.

“We’ll bring a good side down, don’t worry about that.

“We’ve also got a function to do down there for Wodonga Raiders and we are looking forward to creating a lot of interest about the game.

“It’s nearly 10 seasons since Gary Ablett played there and he’s coming back which is great.”

One player fans will not get to see in action is the Giants’ No. 1 draft pick Jonathon Patton, with the key forward having knee surgery in Sweden last month.