Kyabram will have some impressive ‘ins’ for its crucial Gpulburn Valley League clash with Shepparton Swans at Princess Park, Shepparton, this Saturday.
And they will probably need them to be a winning chance.
Kyabram co-coach Corey Carver agrees.
‘‘We need to win this game, and we know we will have to play well to do it,’’ is how Carver summed up the clash.
On the positive side, the Bombers are hoping to welcome back Morrison Medallist Mick Mattingly, ruck ace Cameron Khoo, veteran forward Brad Mangan and Brad Whitford.
Whitford, one of the best interceptors in the league, has missed most of the season and Mangan the past two games.
But talented young utility Charlie Barnett is still on the sidelines with a rolled ankle, while hard man Tom Burnett broke bones in his foot against Tatura and will miss some games.
Against Tatura Kyabram struggled with a very young and inexperienced side that still had a decent crack to get the premiership points.
But the Swans are likely to be a much tougher challenge than Tatura for the Bombers, who should get a boost with their returning players.
The Swans have lost four of their seven games this season by less than kick, one of these narrow defeats coming against the unbeaten ladder leader Shepparton in round six.
Their 100-point plus walloping at the hands of hot premiership favourite Echuca in their last game, round seven, was their only blow-out loss for the season.
So the Bombers will need to be primed and ready because the Swans can obviously play at a high level if allowed to.
Kyabram, which slipped into the top six with an unconvincing win against Tatura in the last round could have its finals fate determined over the next six games.
After Saturday, it’s back to Shepparton again to meet unbeaten Shepparton, then it hosts current wooden-spooner Benalla before tackling Echuca at Victoria Park in Echuca, Rochester at home and Euroa and Manfield, both away, all finals and premiership aspirants apart from Benalla.