Raiders stunned the premiers with a 20-point win in the season-opener, running the visitors off their feet at the league’s biggest ground, Birallee Park.

“I think just our ball movement, coming out of defence, just our speed, our run and carry, it was second to none really, they couldn’t keep up,” Raiders’ on-baller Raven Jolliffe said.

Of course, the weather conditions in late March are a long way from late June, particularly given last week’s wet weather.

But spectators will be hoping Norm Minns Oval will be a fast track to allow both Raiders and the Pies’ speed merchants to shine.

The prospect of Wangaratta’s pacy quartet – Mat Grossman, Jessie Smith and Joe and Nick Richards –against a stack of speedy opponents, including Brodie Filo, Shane Munro and Dillon Blaszczyk – will be one of the season’s highlights.

It will be interesting to see what tactics Pies’ coach Dean Stone uses on another flyer in running defender Matt Neagle.

Neagle was shut down by Albury tagger Will Blomeley last week and Wangaratta has the league’s other ‘troubleshooter’ in Will Reilly, who’s also been handed some monster challenges in the past two years.

Jolliffe has impressed in Raiders’ eight-two run after a slow start last year from Balranald.

“It was pretty hard at first, obviously my first half of the year was pretty quiet and then I found my feet towards the end of the year,” he said.

The 22-year-old plays aggressively, launching himself almost kamikaze-like at contests.

He almost cleaned up Neagle when the pair smashed into each other on half-time in the loss to Albury.

At 78kgs, Jolliffe is no hulking giant, but he has a presence.

“I was sort of taught only one way when I was younger, just go the ball,” he said.

“I love it.”

Raiders are a more dangerous outfit since former Goulburn Valley representative Daniel Bowles started to find his feet.

“Yeah for sure, he’s a bigger body, which is just what we needed and a good bloke to go with that too,” Jolliffe said.

“He’s got an elite left foot and is good in the air.”

Raiders will also be looking to improved defender Jordan Rouse to handle Pies’ star forward Michael Newton.

He restricted the league’s top forward to only three goals.

Rouse had a blinding opening six weeks, but he’s plateaued in the past three and no defender can expect to tame Newton unless he’s in top form.

The winner will grab second spot and a potential two-game break on fourth-placed Yarrawonga.

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