THE Murray Bushrangers will have to combat former player Nick Murray when they take on Greater Western Sydney Academy at Albury Sportsground on Saturday.
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Murray, who is playing as a 19-year-old for the club, featured among the Giants' best players in a key defensive role against Gippsland Power last week.
The Wangaratta Rovers player was in the Bushrangers' leadership group with Jacob Koschitzke, Kyle Clarke, Zane Barzen and Hudson Garoni last season.
"He's a terrific defender and a terrific kid," coach Mark Brown said.
"We will come up against him and it will be interesting to see how he goes."
Albury's Will Bowden will debut against GWS while Lachie Ash, Ethan Baxter, and Liam Andrews have also come into the side.
Zane Barzen, Ben Kelly and Will Christie will play in the Young Guns game.
"It's a great opportunity for our 19-year-olds," Brown said.
"It gives other players a chance as well.
"It's a shame it's against GWS because they are a bigger and stronger side and have a real rugby league background.
"We will try and play it on our terms by getting it on the outside and using our run."
The Murray Bushrangers lost to a talented Sydney Swans Academy team by 24 points last weekend with inaccuracy proving telling.
Although trailing the Bushrangers were always in the game.
Midfielders Cameron Wild, Jye Chalcraft and Sam Durham and forwards Kade Chalcraft and Cameron Wilson energised the side in the second half.
The match starts at 12pm.
The Bushrangers are 12th on the ladder with one win after four matches.
The team is:
B, Byrne, Baxter, Parnell; hb, Quirk, Andrews, Irvine; c, Durham, Keogh, Clarke; hf, Chalcraft, Keogh, Clarke; f, Wilson, Cook, Chalcraft; foll, Sykes, Boyer, Chandler; inter, Shepherd, Holt, Hillary, O'Dwyer, Bowden; emergencies, Hallows, Crisp, C. McLeod.