After a three-and-a-half month absence, NAB League football returns to the Queen Elizabeth Oval this weekend.
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The Bendigo Pioneers host the Murray Bushrangers at the home of Bendigo football on Sunday in the final round of the NAB League season.
The Pioneers last match on the QEO was on May 1 when they lost by 17 points to the Gippsland Power.
The return to the QEO corresponds with the Pioneers fielding, arguably, their most potent team of the season.
"We've got a number of players back from the VFL and national championships, so everyone is excited to get back playing together,'' Pioneers' coach Danny O'Bree said.
"We've been through a really exciting period where a number of our young players have had the chance to experience NAB League footy and some of them have now forced their way into one of our strongest sides of the year.
READ MORE: Catch up on the latest local footy news
"Each week is always something different in NAB League. You're never with the same team, you have players who are close to being drafted, the state and national combine guys are in...I think our younger guys are really enjoying training with the more experienced guys.
"It's a good place to be around at the moment."
One of the key inclusions for the Pioneers is Victoria Country representative and national combine invitee Noah Long.
"I think the start of last year was the last time he played a full four quarters with the Pioneers,'' O'Bree said.
"He played two minutes of the opening round game this year before he was injured.
"It will be great to see him back in our colours.
"He's played some footy with Geelong Grammar and he's starting to get back to full fitness.
"He's really excited to be back playing NAB League footy."
Win, lose or draw on Sunday, the 12th-placed Pioneers will play at least one final, starting on the weekend of August 27-28.
If the Pioneers' remain in 12th place they'll play the fourth-ranked team in the wildcard final.
The top three teams on the ladder have a first-round bye in the finals.
Teams ranked fourth to 13th play knockout finals in the first week and the five winners advance to the second week.
The Bushrangers, who are ninth on the table, defeated the Pioneers by 10 points in their first clash this year.
"We're pretty confident we can match it with any team in the competition,'' O'Bree said.
"If we can keep 23 players sounds for the entire game, and get some confidence through it, we can be more than competitive (in the finals).
Zac Tickell will make his NAB League debut for the Pioneers this week.
Bendigo Pioneers' team to play the Murray Bushrangers from 11.30am on Sunday:
B: S. Deola, N. Dignan, H. Kelly. Hb: H. Gallagher, J. Nihill, S. McKay. C: B. Cain, H. Reid, J. Gillbee. Hf: O. Poole, E. Pearce, C. Hillier. F: S. O'Shannessy, M. Gordon, M. Kiraly. Foll: J. Brereton, N. Long, C. Barnett. Inter: M. Dow, B. Cameron, T. Poyser, H. Geddes, Z. Tickell. Emerg: W. Burke, B. McGregor.
READ MORE: Weekend footy teams
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