THE Murray Bushrangers will be out to build momentum ahead of the TAC Cup finals when they take on Northern Knights at Wangaratta’s Norm Minns Oval on Saturday.
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After dropping successive matches to Greater Western Victoria Rebels and Geelong Falcons, coach Leon Higgins is keen to return to the winning list.
Nathan Oakes, Riley Bice, Ben Kelly and Will Christie (debut) have come into the line-up with Jake Bradshaw (shin soreness), Daniel Johnston (back), Matt Walker (foot) and Logan Hamilton (neck) dropping out.
Oakes returns to the side after missing two months with a neck injury.
“We showed improvement last week, but our ball use needs to get better,” Higgins said.
“When the group put in a four-quarter display and execute strategies that have been simulated at training throughout the year, we will play to our standards.
“The transition from defence to attack was a real highlight on the weekend, when we ran and carried the ball.
“It seems like a long time since we played at Wangaratta so the boys are looking forward to that.”
The Bushrangers defeated their opponents by 26 points earlier in the season.
Saturday’s match starts at 1pm.
The Bushrangers team is:
B, Murray, Paech, Beasley; hb, Lane, Butts, Donaghey; c, Langlands, Bond, Bruce; hf, Clarke, Boyd, Barzen; f, Bice, Kelly, Richards; foll, Marriott, Paton, Hicks; inter, Wilson, Garoni, Oakes, Vandermeer, Christie; emerg, Smith, Oates, Carmody.