Wangaratta has seven players in Saturday’s Community Championships match against Western Region.
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The premiers comprise half the team’s defence in Michael Bordignon and debutants Jamie Anderson and Dylan Van Berlo.
Wingman Mat Grossman returns to the team after missing through injury, while another debutant in youngster Joe Richards joins Michael Newton in the forward line.
Teenager Daniel Sharrock will also play his first game from the bench.
Sharrock grabbed the headlines three weeks ago when he straightened his broken nose and returned to the field against Yarrawonga.
“They’re the current premiers and they’ve got quality right across the board,” co-coach Brad Murray said.
There’s seven debutants, with boom Lavington defender Nick Meredith, former Goulburn Valley star Harry Wheeler and Albury veteran Luke Daly joining the Pies’ quartet.
“We’ll be trying to attack the game as much as we can, we think our side’s got a really good balance,” Murray said.
“We’ll be trying to move the footy as quickly as we can.”
Murray is delighted with the balance of the team and its ability to think on its feet.
We’ll be trying to attack the game as much as we can.
- Brad Murray
“Absolutely, obviously we’ve got to adapt to the situation of the game and I think we’ve got some really strong experienced players in there that can dictate that and control that out on the ground for us,” he said.
The home team will go into the clash as the fifth-ranked team in AFL Victoria.
The winner of the clash at Yarrawonga’s JC Lowe Oval will tackle next year’s three v four game with the chance to play for the state’s top crown in 2020.
The O and M defeated Goulburn Valley in last year’s seven-eight match, with Newton proving the difference up forward.