Stawell Westlift Warriors will need to bring their 'A' game tomorrow if they are any chance of victory against Horsham in the Wimmera Football League.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Horsham have had strong wins over both Ararat and Dimboola in recent weeks and will be looking for a similar result when they take on Stawell.
With the week off football Stawell has had the chance to get a couple of influential players back into their lineup.
Aidan Potter has played just one game in the last six weeks, missing their second win for the season over Nhill.
Potter injured his knee in the Ararat game, before testing it out against Minyip-Murtoa.
The week off has given him the time that he needs and he will be welcomed back with open arms tomorrow.
Jesse Eckel will also return to the lineup after sitting out with a shoulder injury for the past month.
Both Eckel and Potter will run through the midfield and provide Warriors with a much needed spark.
Making way for those two players will be Scott Rathgeber, who has hung up the boots for season 2014.
After fracturing his jaw against Dimboola, Rathgeber had surgery and will now recover in time for next year.
Stawell will again have some young blood in the team, but which of the juniors play, was still unknown.
Structurally Stawell will line up differently to the way they have in previous weeks, with Jackson Dark showing some promise in the middle of the ground against Dimboola.
Coach Brad Cassidy was pleased with Dark's efforts and has rewarded him.
"Jackson looked really good in the middle," Cassidy said.
"It is another option we haven't really tried so we will line up that way tomorrow."
Dark will join the likes of Potter, captain Tom Eckel and in form Cam Kimber in what will be a strong midfield combination.
Having just four games left Cassidy is still confident of finding at least one win before the season comes to an end.
"It is not so much about the next four games, but just developing and improving for next year," Cassidy said.
"We really need to go into next year on the front foot. The Wimmera League standard has improved and it's not okay to train twice a week and expect to win games."
This week saw Stawell add one night to their schedule with a boxing session taking place on Wednesday.
"You can't leave anything to chance anymore, you need to give yourself the best opportunity to win games," Cassidy said.
Last time Horsham and Stawell met Nic Pekin kicked ten goals and was clearly best on ground.
Stawell will stick to their own game plan, but are fully aware of the damage Pekin can do.
"He is in my eyes the best player in the league," Cassidy said.
"We need to play our head to head game. We have to show that we want to win the ball."
Stawell will continue with their motto of 'hunt the ball, hunt the man', but when they are in possession they need to take more time with the football and dispose of it efficiently.
"We are all in it together," Cassidy said.
"After Saturday's game we will have results or reasons. Reason why we weren't up to it or results that show we were."