McNeil will start alongside cousin Alex Popko with Albury on Saturday after previously captaining East Albury in the 2014-15 grand final.

The Victorian Premier League has been slated for a November 21 return, but that is dependent on Melbourne hitting its average COVID-19 cases target by October 19.

It means the dashing right-hand batsman will play the first six games, but would therefore avoid a clash with East as the pair don't meet until round 11 on December 12.

"Absolutely, it was a very hard decision (not to return to East), I've got a lot of love for everyone at East Albury, the club itself and some of my best mates are there, but the decision was purely made on having my last chance to play with Alex, obviously it might only be a few games," the 30-year-old said.

"I'm just excited to be playing with Alex again, we grew up together, he's a few years older than me (Popko is 33), and I followed him everywhere, whether it was fishing, footy or cricket.

"When we spoke about the possibility of playing a few games together and this would be the last opportunity possible, it's hard to overlook and it'd be great to have all the family, nieces and nephews running around at the games."

The pair's mothers are sisters.

"My grandfather Col used to come and watch every game, take us to all our training sessions, I think the year Alex came back and we played together at East Albury, I think that was one of grandpa's proudest moments when we played together," he said.

An exercise physiologist, McNeil has been based back on the Border due to the coronavirus.

The prospect of McNeil playing in CAW will excite cricket fans as he's not only a classy batsman, who boasts centuries in Melbourne, but his fielding is comparable with any cricketer in Australia in the last decade, including our international players.

However, McNeil suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury around a year ago and elective surgery dried up during COVID.

"It's been frustrating not being able to run around like normal, I'm not the type of person who can stand in the slips cordon, I need to run around," he explained.

McNeil left Albury the day after his high school graduation in 2008 to start a five-year stint with University of New South Wales (UNSW).

He won the fielding award there and claimed another at Melbourne Uni, along with snaring last season's clubman of the year.

IN OTHER NEWS:

North Albury will host Albury in a much anticipated preliminary final re-match.

Albury was 0-54, chasing North's 126, but lost by a run.