The Doug Strang medallist, who recently joined rival Lavington, is locked in another clearance wrangle after the Hoppers said they would not release him from his contract.

North Albury coach Jason Akermanis labelled Prior a required player for this season.

But the Ovens and Murray goalkicking ace has no interest in returning to Bunton Park.

“It was maybe an option originally, I still get along with a lot of the players, but I wouldn’t say it is any more,” Prior said.

“I hate going through all this.

“I’m pretty confident it (the clearance) will go through but we’re just going through bits and pieces at the moment.

“We’ve got plans in place.”

Prior spoke at length with Akermanis last week, but the pair failed to come to a ­resolution.

The Hoppers are in the midst of a player drain after the club revealed it was $123,000 in debt last month.

Akermanis told The Border Mail recently his club would “enforce its rights” after Prior and star midfielder Matt 

McDonald decided they wanted to change clubs after news of the Hoppers’ financial plight became public.

It is believed a host of senior players are still to receive match payments for last season.

Prior has been paid by the Hoppers, but that didn’t ­happen until after he had agreed to join Lavington.

He has been training with the Panthers.

North Albury had to pay a hefty transfer fee to get Prior back to Bunton Park almost a year ago after WAFL club East Perth refused to let him go.

Lavington and North Albury officials are expected to meet this weekend to discuss Prior’s move.

McDonald, meanwhile, is confident of being cleared to Jindera, despite ­having his initial attempt to join the club blocked by the Hoppers.

Almost half of the North Albury team that played in last year’s elimination final loss to Wangaratta Rovers have since left Bunton Park.

McDonald missed that game because of injury.