WANGARATTA has received a double boost at the selection table with Michael Newton and Matt Kelly returning for the Magpies’ crunch clash with Yarrawonga.
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Newton has been named to play his first match since the Wangaratta derby on April 24, where he left the field in the opening minutes with a calf injury.
The former Melbourne forward reinjured the muscle at work and was a late withdrawal from the Magpies’ round nine win over Wodonga, meaning he has played just two matches since returning to the North East after a stint with Norwood in South Australia.
“We’ve always had plans of him playing again this season, it was just one of those things we struggled to get on top of,” he said.
“The scans came back all good so we’re rapt to have him back in the side.”
Cairns said Newton would be a welcome inclusion to the Magpies’ forward line as they looked to improve on their round three draw against the Pigeons.
That match was one of a handful of honourable performances for the seventh-placed Magpies that has failed to yield four points.
“It would be good for Mick and for the team as well if he was able to string the next six or so games together and finish off the season well,” he said.
“We’ve only won four games. Excluding one or two games, we’ve had a reasonable effort and we’ve been in most contests but in a lot of those games we haven’t got the chocolates and it doesn’t add up in the ‘W’ column.”
Myrtleford has regained Frazer Dale and Sam Confait for its important match with North Albury at Bunton Park.
The Saints could move two games clear inside the top five with victory against the Hoppers and go a long way toward securing their first finals berth since 2006.
Lavington has included Sam Harris, Jono Spina and Kade Garland for its showdown with Wodonga Raiders at Birallee Park.
Harris is back from a one-game suspension while Spina will play his first match since being struck down with a hamstring injury at interleague training just over a month ago.
Albury has dropped Joel O’Connell for its match against Corowa-Rutherglen, with big guns Joel Mackie, Brayden O’Hara, Michael Thompson and Jim Grills returning in an ominous sign for the Roos.