TRIPLE Barton medallist Cameron McNeill is free to play in Barnawartha’s blockbuster against Rutherglen after fronting the Tallangatta and District league tribunal.
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McNeill was reported for attempted striking in the Tigers’ big win over Yackandandah last round and while he was found guilty of the charge, his good record meant he escaped with a reprimand.
It was the first time McNeill, who won the league best and fairest in 2008, 2013-14, had been reported in 247 senior matches.
In a double boost for the Tigers, co-captain Josh Spence is set to play his first match since dislocating his thumb against Chiltern in round 10.
The Tigers are two games and percentage clear of sixth-placed Tallangatta and all but assured of a finals berth but coach Mitch Exton is desperate to build some winning momentum as September approaches.
The Benalla premiership player said the experience of McNeill and Spence would be crucial as the Tigers attempt to turn around a 62-point hiding at the hands of the Cats in round five.
“With Josh, the injury wasn’t that serious, we just wanted to make sure he was 100 per cent right,” he said.
“We don’t want to have to rely on other results to scrape into finals, we want to make sure we get there off our own bat.
“It’s a huge game because Rutherglen has been in pretty good form. They had an eight-goal-to-one third quarter against us last time which did the damage.
“I’d like to think we are better than that … I’d be pretty disappointed if it’s another result similar to that.”
Thurgoona’s double-chance hopes go on the line against ladder-leader Mitta United at Mitta.
The third-placed Bulldogs are on a 10-match winning streak but face a tough run into finals with clashes against the Mountain Men, Rutherglen and Kiewa-Sandy Creek to come in the final month.
Thurgoona kicked off their streak in the corresponding match in round five and will look to Barton Medal fancy Jayden Kotzur to continue his hot run of form as Kade Brown closes in on a return to the field.
Tallangatta needs to win its final four matches to stay in the top-five mix and should get the job done when it travels to Yackandandah. In other games, Kiewa-Sandy Creek should have few problems in accounting for Wahgunyah while Beechworth and Chiltern will look to chalk up their fifth wins of the season against Wodonga Saints and Dederang-Mt Beauty respectively.