The 194cm forward tore the Tigers apart in last year’s grand final win, taking the Did Simpson medal with eight goals.

“Probably with all due respect to all the defenders in the comp, if you’re going to give Mick Newton chances early with the midfielders running in and kicking the ball under no pressure, fair chance he’s going to win more contests then he loses,” Albury co-coach Chris Hyde said.

“I think what we need to be able to do is put enough pressure around the footy, not to be able to get into one-out opportunities.”

Hyde has said Michael Thompson will start on Newton.

Thompson has experience on boom forwards in grand finals, spending much of his time on Brendan Fevola in 2012-13-14 where he averaged five goals.