THE Rural Bank Bendigo Pioneers host their long-time nemesis at the QEO on Sunday when they take on the Murray Bushrangers from noon.
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While TAC Cup teams always change significantly from year-to-year, the Bushrangers have been able to maintain their edge over the Pioneers for more than a decade, winning the past 23 meetings between the two country rivals.
“The Bushrangers have been a very good side for a long time. They have a really good football region to draw from with a couple of really powerful leagues in particular (Goulburn Valley and Ovens and Murray),” Pioneers coach Rick Coburn said on Friday.
“We know they are going to be very tricky opposition this weekend, but we certainly feel our boys have come a long way in their football development.”
The Pioneers last beat the Bushrangers in 2004 when they came from 41 points down to win 17.12 (114) to 12.12 (84) at the QEO.
The Pioneers’ team for Sunday includes Kane Farrell, Angus Schumacher and Bailey Henderson, who were this week among seven listed players with the club invited to the AFL Draft Combine at Etihad Stadium in October.
Also invited to the Draft Combine are Brent Daniels, Paddy Dow, Lochie O’Brien and Jarrod Brander.
“We’re really excited for the boys to get an opportunity to go to the national Draft Combine with the top prospects from across the land,” Coburn said.
“We’re also looking forward to some of our other boys getting a chance at the state-based Combine, which is also coming up.”
Sunday’s game against the fourth-placed Bushrangers (9-4) will give the Pioneers a chance to gauge their development from round one when they were beaten by 51 points by Murray.
“We’ve watched the footage from the first round and we think we’ve come a long way in regards to our organisation around the field,” Coburn said.
“There will obviously be different personnel for both teams, but we’re confident we can give a good account of ourselves like we have for most of the year.”
For one of the rare times this season the Pioneers will go into the contest without any first-gamers.
Despite losing their past five matches to now be 3-10, the Pioneers are only one game outside the top eight with five rounds remaining.
