Raiders lead the Hawks on percentage as they come up against former coach Daryn Cresswell for the second time.

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The visitors won the round six clash in a nine-point thriller and Raiders will start slight favourites at home.

And while the four points far outweighs the Cresswell factor, his influence in moulding Raiders' spearhead Connor Newnham could prove crucial.

"He was a great help for me, he definitely taught me a lot of things and he was hard on me, which was the best thing for me," he said.

'He got me into line and got me to where I am at the minute, which is probably the best footy I've ever played.

"I liked it, definitely liked it (Cresswell's hardline stance) and it showed he cared about our boys and he really wanted us to be the best footballers we could."

Newnham had a breakout performance prior to the bye, kicking six goals in a 99-point pounding of Wodonga.

Coach Jarrod Hodgkin said he announced himself with that display and even though the Hawks have an outstanding defence, led by Victoria Country Star Nathan Cooper, if Newnham can dominate, Raiders will be tough to stop, particularly at Birallee Park, which the team plays so well on the big open spaces.

Meanwhile, the selection bombshell of the season - Wangaratta Rovers Ash Pollard - will play his first senior game in six years.

Pollard was a 76kg speedster when he last played first grade at the Hawks. He's now 91.

"I expect to use my speed, get up the ground and make them chase me," he said.

"I'll try and take the game on, run hard and hopefully find a bit of space."

The 26-year-old turned to athletics when he left football after the 2013 season at Rovers.

He pushed his 800m time within three seconds of qualifying for national selection, before moving across to study in 2015.

"I did exercise science at RMIT for three years and then went to Deakin to do my masters in clinical exercise physiology," he said.

"I've just finished and am working as a PT (personal trainer) in Melbourne, but I'm looking for a job in either the country or city in clinical exercise physiology."

Pollard played in the club's last 'big' game, the 2012 preliminary final loss to Albury, alongside Sydney Swans' premiership co-captain Barry Hall.

"The future looks really bright at the Rovers and I want to be a part of that again," he said.

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