Wodonga Raiders' backman Cooper Daly out to pick up where he left off

Cooper Daly was outstanding in the club's three-point win over Wodonga on July 3, prior to COVID closing the competition for a month.

"It's always hard to judge how you're going, but it was the best game I'd played recently," he explained.

Daly is only 22, but is a seasoned campaigner after debuting at only 17 against Corowa-Rutherglen.

A product of Upper Murray club Border-Walwa, which has since folded, he joined Raiders in the under 18s, making the long trek from the family farm at Jingellic.

"When I first came in to senior football I was a lockdown defender and built my game on that," he revealed.

North is the competition's youngest outfit, but Raiders are also comparatively young.

"We're a tight-knit group at the back there," he declared.

"We're all around the same age and it's a happy place to be."

The club will debut another youngster in Mitch Way.

It's a remarkable round for the O and M in terms of the sons of outstanding players debuting, with four throughout the league, including Corowa-Rutherglen premiership player Beau Longmire's son Jedd.

Way is the son of Brendan Way, who coached the club and was a wonderful example of a player reaching their potential through hard work and desire.

It will therefore be a special moment for the club, which is the youngest in the league after joining from the Tallangatta and District in late 1988.

Meanwhile, another former well known Border player in Paul Hodgkin will have his son Jake debut for Raiders.

Meanwhile, it will also be a nostalgic match for the Hoppers.

Archer Gardiner will join his brothers Flynn and Foster at senior level for the first time.

Archer has played under 18s this season.

It will be the first time the club has fielded as many siblings since the four Holman boys played under former coach Jason Akermanis earlier last decade.

North remains winless, while Raiders are guaranteed a finals berth.

They would need results to go their way in the final two rounds to edge past Wanagartta Rovers and Myrtleford for third spot, but coach Jarrod Hodgkin is making sure complacency plays no role by telling his players positions are still on the line.

It's a unique finish to the regular season for Raiders with the game against the Hoppers followed by the unbeaten Albury.

The Tigers match should, if anything, guarantee Raiders are match-hardened for finals, with an elimination final against Myrtleford the most likely scenario.

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Coincidentally, the same pair featured in that sudden death final in 2019, with the Saints winning a three-point thriller.

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