Wangaratta Rovers will wheel out the big guns in the midfield and a former O and M club best and fairest at home against Wodonga on Saturday.
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"There will be a few changes (after the loss to Albury), 'Roosy', (Tyler Roos), 'Jonesy' (Matt Jones), Cal McFadden and Todd Grayson will play his first game too," coach Daryn Cresswell revealed after the 37-point loss.
Grayson is yet to play for the club after signing in late December.
"He'll come straight in, he's done a lot of training, we could have played him today (Saturday), but to play a physical side like Albury we just thought we would give him another week off, but providing he gets through training on Tuesday and Thursday night, he will play," Cresswell explained.
Defender Grayson made a startling impact in the league in 2015, claiming Wodonga Raiders' best and fairest in Cresswell's first year at the club.
He broke his ankle playing for Palm Beach Currumbin two years ago and elected to have the shortened 2020 season off to allow his body to recover.
When Grayson signed with the Hawks, he said he took the year off as he wasn't the type of player to run out unless 100 per cent committed.
That will be just want the Hawks want to hear as they look to cement their current top three spot and therefore double chance in finals.
Grayson will need to play only three of the final nine home and away games to qualify for finals.
Rovers were belted around the ball by the Tigers, although it must be said two of their best in Tom Thynne and Sam Carpenter started in the middle against Fletcher Carroll and Alex Jones respectively.
The addition of North Melbourne VFL on-baller Roos, ex-Melbourne player Jones and former Sydney Uni midfielder McFadden will add depth to help that hard-working pair.
"We were probably a bit light on around the ball," Cresswell offered.
Cresswell admitted the Hawks "butchered" the ball against the Tigers but Roos is averaging 42 disposals from his five games, Jones rarely makes a mistake in possession, while McFadden is also a clever user of the ball.
"We didn't look after the footy at all and good sides like Albury and Wangaratta will kill you on turnover and we didn't execute in that area," the coach offered.
Rovers will start favourites against Wodonga, which is riding high after claiming two straight wins for one of the few times since just missing finals by a game and slight percentage in 2017.
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Bulldogs' coach Jordan Taylor is also hopeful of playing his first game in 11 weeks.
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