The Cambodian Eagles, having beaten Thailand Tigers and Myanmar Fighting Cocks, are to clash with old rivals the Vietnam Swans in the third Aussie rules football match of the season this Saturday at the International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP), the Eagles’ home ground.

The Eagles are looking good welcoming back some of their old firm to play their first games of the year.

Big, hard-hitting powerhouse Dave “Paz” Parrot is back and fighting fit, and the whippet Ritchie “Aye Pal” Munroe returns to play one of his last games for the Eagles before he relocates.

Senior coach Nick “Clarko” Hattingh said the Eagles will go in with a wary but confident attitude towards this game.

“The boys are all training and playing together very nicely at the moment and it would be great to have a 3 and 0 start to the season before our away campaign,” the coach said.

“Having Grant ‘Fatzy’ Fitzgerald out on holidays in Sri Lanka is a big loss; however, we see the return of a couple of key lads who were injured or unavailable last game,” he said.

“Local Khmer lads like Nas, Oun, Kun and Tar, with their agility and speed, and a new-found love of the hard ball, should see us over the line in what is sure to be our most passionate game thus far,” Hattingh added.