Cassidy has only featured twice this season, having torn his hamstring off the bone during his side's round three loss to Redan.

"It's huge; he's a really important player for our midfield brigade," Sebastopol coach Michael Searl said.

"He adds leadership to our group and provides toughness around the contest. (His return) is really positive for us.

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"We're going to lower our expectations of him. We know he's not going to come back in and be at the level he wants to be.

"It's going to take a few weeks for him to get back to full strength and get confidence back in his own body."

Cassidy's comeback comes at a good time for the injury-ravaged Burra.

Searl expected to be without rucks James Richards (broken arm) and Dean Robertson (MCL) for extended periods of time.

The hit to the Burra's ruck stocks comes as they prepare to face Melton star Mark Orr, fresh off a 68-hit out performance last weekend.

"(Those injuries) mean we haven't got a specialist ruckman as such who can go into that role," Searl said.

"We're probably going to throw some key forwards in there and maybe even play a bit of a hybrid model or something different. We'll just have to wait and see."

This weekend heralds the latest chapter in one of the league's newest rivalries.

Only one point separated the two last season, the Bloods enjoying a win that took them to the top of the table.

The meeting before, in 2019, ended in dramatic scenes as the Burra faithful packed the changing rooms to celebrate a first grand final appearance in 19 years after a three-goal preliminary final win.

All the pressure is on Sebastopol as its heads down the highway with the knowledge it could crash out of the top six with a loss.

The sixth-placed Burra are only in front of Bacchus Marsh, in seventh, by percentage, with the Cobras favourites to beat a visiting Lake Wendouree on an eight-match losing streak.

"(Melton) has got a lot of things going right for it, but at the same time, we need to have that belief that we can get the job done," Searl said.

"We're going to have to play a brand that we aren't used to and that means there'll have to be some really disciplined changes from our players and some who will play significant roles which are probably going to be really selfless and sacrificial.

"I'm a big believer that they've got to be close to their next loss as well, so why can't it be us?"

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