Yarrawonga's Michael Gibbons will debut for the club against Albury

Yarrawonga's Michael Gibbons has been forced to wait until round eight, due to a calf complaint, to make his return to the O and M after playing with Lavington as a schoolboy in 2013.

The Pigeons are away to long-time rivals Albury in the match of the round.

"I haven't played a competition game since doing my 'hammie' against the (Sydney) Swans in round 10 last year," he admitted.

"I did a full pre-season, played a couple of 'praccie' games, but they don't really count, to say I'm excited is a bit of an understatement."

Gibbons originally suffered the injury while training in Melbourne just days out from the round one clash against Wodonga Raiders on April 9.

"I did it the first time pretty bad and then I followed it up a few weeks later, they were the two setbacks," he revealed.

"But I'm completely good to go, we took the extra week, I could have played against North Albury, but knowing we had the (interleague) bye, it was better to take a cautious approach."

Gibbons was the O and M's highest profile recruit until Myrtleford signed former Western Bulldogs' captain Ryan Griffen in late March.

Griffen, who retired from the AFL after a four-year stint at GWS in late 2018, is expected to make his debut in the coming weeks.

For one of the few times since it rose rapidly to become a powerhouse in 2009, Albury will start outsiders on its home ground.

The Tigers boast a phenomenal winning strike rate, but such is the Pigeons' form, without Gibbons, they are slight favourites.

Yarrawonga sits second with a six-one record, while the Tigers are third.

It's clearly the Pigeons' best side this year, with Jack Sexton free to play given Richmond has a bye in the VFL, while Jess Koopman returns.

Koopman has blistering pace and can be a match-winner, but he missed all of last year after suffering a dislocated shoulder in a pre-season game.

The Tigers will be without key forward Mat Walker, who kicked six goals last round, while North Melbourne had the VFL bye.

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"At the moment his main club is North, we are his home club, if we can get him when he has byes or a week off, we're more than happy," co-coach Luke Daly said.

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