Jake Page will debut at home against Wodonga Raiders, 23 years after his father Glenn first played at the Albury Sportsground.

He’ll also wear the number 10 his father wore with distinction in a stellar career.

“It means a lot to the club and to me,” co-coach Shaun Daly said.

“We had Daniel Cross come back last year and his dad (Peter) obviously played a lot of games for Albury and Daniel wore number four, just like Peter did.

“It’s a good tradition that we want to keep going and there’s nothing better than seeing a son of a gun come back and play football.”

A Wagga product, Glenn Page joined the Tigers after 18 games with the Sydney Swans and five at North Melbourne.

He’s regarded by some as the greatest player of Albury’s modern era, an enormous compliment given the Tigers have won nine premierships since 1995.

“It’s exciting, I’m proud that he’s playing for the club,” Glenn said.

“There’s some similarities, I think one of his strengths is that he can read the play really well.

“He probably covers the ground better than I did, he’s a good runner.”

The 19-year-old has been named on a half-back flank.

“He’s ultra-fit, he can run all day,” Daly said.

“He can play on a wing, or play half-forward, or half-back.”

Coincidentally, Page’s first cousin Cooper, the son of another former Tiger in Brett Page, also played his first game against Raiders last year. 

Page is one of four debutants, but it’s the selection of two-time premiership player Elliott Powell on the interchange bench which has grabbed the attention of opposition clubs.

Powell ruptured the Lisfranc ligament in his foot during the second semi-final win last year and, while he was able to play in the premiership, he underwent surgery after the season.

Opposition clubs were adamant the dangerous forward would miss the first half of the year.

“Around early January we thought he might not be right for round one,” Daly said.

“But it’s come up really well the last two months, so he’s been training fully for the last month.

“We certainly won’t play him if he’s not 100 per cent right.”

If Powell is unavailable, the Tigers will be without seven premiership players, while former GWS midfielder Sam Schulz is still unavailable following knee surgery.

In an interesting sidelight, Raiders’ Brad St John will come up against his boss, Tigers’ recruit Brad Hibberson.