TURVEY Park coach Michael Mazzocchi is confident Truman Carroll is the hard nut they badly need to make a surge for finals in the back half of the season.
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After getting a clearance from Marrar the former Bulldogs coach was one of the standouts for the reserves in their win at Mangoplah last week, and is likely to be elevated to seniors for Saturday's vital clash with Wagga Tigers at Maher Oval.
Sixth-placed Turvey Park (2-4) are desperate for a victory against their crosstown rivals (3-3) to try and stay within touching distance of the top five.
Mazzocchi has always stated it would take time with a new-look team in his first year in charge, but knows crunch time is now if they are to avoid giving themselves too much to do in the back end of the season.
"The importance of where we're at with our season now, we have to make sure we start winning games and put ourselves in a position to play finals. Now's the time to start putting that into action," Mazzocchi said.
"We probably went away from our game plan a bit on the weekend (loss at Mangoplah), but that happens playing a really good side and they put pressure on you.
Rhett Weidemann will return from a one game suspension while key forward Tyler Cunningham (thumb) will be available after kicking four goals on his return in reserves.
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Patrick Voss is also available after his NAB League commitments were cancelled, while Mazzocchi rates forward Brad Ashcroft a "90 per cent chance" of finally returning from a back injury.
"As far as I'm concerned he (Carroll) ticked all the boxes he needed to tick and he's definitely available for selection for first grade," Mazzocchi said.
"He's just a tough player and is probably a point of difference. He'll tackle to kill, he gives us that pressure we haven't had and a bigger body that can lead the inexperienced boys around the ground."
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