Albury’s fringe players face a nervous wait ahead of Sunday’s grand final with the club’s three Murray Bushrangers in contention.
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Unlike last year’s disrupted preparation with injuries, the Tigers have everyone available to face Wangaratta at Norm Minns Oval.
Mat Walker could cap a remarkable rise from O and M obscurity as he’s never played a game at any level with the Tigers.
Forward Riley Bice has played three games, but hasn’t played since June 30, while ruckman Ben Kelly has also played three matches.
“We’re in a different situation I guess to previous years, we have basically a full list to choose from,” co-coach Chris Hyde said at yesterday’s grand final press conference in Albury.
“We’ve got the guys who’ve got us to the position where we are and won the first semi, so it’s a really difficult situation.”
The Tigers will hold a captain’s run on Saturday morning, so Hyde naturally wasn’t prepared to give too much away.
We’re in a different situation I guess to previous years, we have ... a full list.
- Chris Hyde
However, Albury will have to make at least one change from the team which pipped Wodonga Raiders by two points in the second semi.
Boom utility Dean Polo hasn’t played for a month with a calf complaint, but the club is adamant he will pass his fitness test.
Semi match-winner Brady Morton, who kicked the goal against Raiders with 57 seconds left, will be one of a handful in the firing line.
Walker started the year with the Bushies at half-forward, but transitioned to an inside midfielder, where he played superbly.
Bice can play forward, kicking 10 goals in those three games, while 202cm Ben Kelly is capable of playing in the ruck, forward or back.
Albury has beaten Wangaratta by 50 and 97 points respectively, although the Pies were missing a stack of stars.
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