Former Melbourne Demons star Neville Jetta will line up for Tatura this weekend in the side’s Goulburn Valley League clash with Echuca.
Tatura coach Paul Kirby said Jetta was close friends with the side’s assistant coach Neil Cooper, and was keen to play a game alongside Billy Cooper.
Kirby said it was a last-minute plot, with Jetta a development coach with Collingwood in the VFL, and Bundoora when not tied up with the Pies, but both sides have a bye this weekend, allowing him to make the trek north.
“We’re super excited,” Kirby said.
“It’s a good opportunity for us, things haven’t being going the greatest so far this year with injury and a few other things this year, so hopefully this will give us a bit of a lift.”
Jetta was an All-Australian defender in 2017, playing 159 games with the Demons across 13 seasons before retiring at the end of last season.
Kirby said he would hand Jetta his magnet on Saturday and tell him to pop it on the board.
“He can play wherever he likes,” he said, laughing.
“It’ll be good for our younger boys as well, a lot of them have had to do big jobs this year so he’ll help them out, and is also hoping to get up a bit earlier and chat to the under 16s and the thirds boys as well.
“Fingers crossed it gets a few people through the gates.”
Tatura hosts Echuca on Sunday from 2.35pm at Tatura Park.