Dom Brew to play first game at North Albury in five years

The Werribee co-captain has been cleared by his VFL outfit to play at home against Wangaratta Rovers.

"Obviously I have family ties, my uncle (Andre Dowding) was president here, and (captain) George Godde is one of my best mates, I couldn't get back for his 100^th, so the club let me come back for this one," he suggested.

"North Albury's my home club, I bleed the green and gold."

Brew joined North Albury in 2016, looking for a senior opportunity and he delivered, claiming the club's best and fairest.

He then joined Werribee and continued his rapid improvement, being elevated to the co-captaincy role in March with 2019 JJ Liston Trophy winner Tom Gribble.

"It's huge mate, it's hard to finds words for it really (how much it means to me)," he said proudly.

Brew hasn't played for the Hoppers since the Easter clash against Myrtleford in 2017.

"This is something really special for me to come back, I probably won't get another opportunity to do it for a while," he admitted.

"I'm committed to Werribee for the next few years, but I always follow really closely how North is going."

Brew has played around 60-odd games with the VFL Tigers, with the two Covid seasons impacting on that.

North hasn't played finals in the time since Brew left the club, but there's some positive signs in recent weeks, despite a thumping 124-point loss to second placed Yarrawonga last round.

The Hoppers will field two ex-AFL players for only the second time this season in Doulton Langlands (St Kilda) and Tim Broomhead (Collingwood,) while the development of a number of youngsters, particularly Sam Azzi, will also be helped by Brew's midfield muscle.

"I hope to get the boys up and about, we'd love to get the win, it's been a tough time, but we've got to stick fat, we've got the new lights, there's things happening around the club, there's good times on the horizon," he praised.

And the club is delighted to have the inspirational Brew back.

"To have him at training this week has been amazing, the boys all got around him and he's not frightened to pull guys up if he sees something he can help them with, given his leadership role at Werribee, he's been awesome," Hoppers' co-coach Clint Gilson enthused.

The Hoppers' hopes of causing an upset against the Hawks haven't been helped with the heavy suspension to unheralded defender Grady Nigsch.

He was found guilty of intentionally striking Yarrawonga's Tim Lawrence and received a two-match ban, while he had another week added when found guilty of wrestling Lawrence.

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The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a 90 per cent chance of rain, up to six millmetres, and given Rovers love to use their pace and spread the ball, the Hoppers will be confident of an improved showing after the Yarrawonga loss.

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