Graetz returns along with teammates Cal Gardner (hamstring) and Tyler Cunningham (neck) providing a significant boost to a Bombers side facing a mid-season test of its premiership credentials.

Coming off a loss to Coleambally before last week’s bye, Marrar face East Wagga-Kooringal after TRYC. 

“We’re knocking on the door there of the top three so we really need to knock off one of the top sides and show that we are contenders, not just making up numbers,” coach Matt Molkentin said. 

“So we really want to knock off one of these in the next couple of weeks and get a bit of distance between us and the sides coming up.”

Molkentin said Graetz’s return is timely.

“Real handy – he can swing both ways, plays tall in attack or defence, he’s got good hands on him and a real competitor so he’ll give us a fair bit,” Molkentin said.

“He was probably leading our b-and-f last year until he went down.”

Graetz has tested his knee with two games in reserve grade and is just happy to be back after the long haul on the sidelines.

“It’s a bit frustrating, you can’t do much,” Graetz said.

“There’s been a lot of work on the bike and then a bit of gym work, it’s a long process.”

Helping run the bench most weeks this season, the 23-year old said consistency is where the Bombers need to improve.

“we struggle to play the four quarters,” he said. 

“Against Coly we played half a game and then the third quarter they came out firing and put us away.”

Cal Gardner’s comeback from a hamstring also adds some speed and class to the Marrar midfield which Molkentin says will need to be at its best against the Pies. 

“That’s why (Mitch) Ward and (Andy) Carey are so good because they get such good delivery and quality ball from their midfield and if you can limit the midfield a bit then you go a long way to winning those games against them,” he said.

“That’s where they get their grunt and with people like (Dave) Pieper – he’s all class and wins a lot of the footy and doesn't miss too many targets.

“And (Tom) Yates, (Justin) Driscoll, (Dale) Hugo – they’re experienced but they’re still quality players.”

Tyler Cunningham returns to the forward line in time to take the place of Graeme Reid (broken thumb). 

“Tyler will pop up and be that small forward and he can also go through the middle,” Molkentin said.

TRYC have had some good news of their own with reliable defender, Aiden Ridley, back in after being cleared of a fractured eye socket. 

Without their assistant coach, the Pies were still too good for the Northern Jets last week. With their midfielders running off a dominant Josh Meiselbach, they set up victory with a big first quarter. 

The Pies-Bombers rivalry almost always ensures close encounters.

“We only kicked away in the second half of the last quarter,” TRYC co-coach Andy Carey said of their round three encounter under lights at Robertson Oval.

“It’s always a tough game.”

Carey kicked eight of his team’s nine goals – without missing a shot – to get the Pies home against the Bombers at Victoria Park last year.