Merrivale playing coach Todd McLean is one of the club's three returning players this round.
Alister Porter will return this week.
MERRIVALE will be bolstered for its must-win clash with Panmure tomorrow with the return of coach Todd McLean.
The fourth-placed Tigers take on the ladder-leading Bulldogs in round 17 of Warrnambool and District league action.
McLean expected to return against Timboon Demons last week but was a late withdrawal.
He is one of three changes to the Tigers’ line-up.
Claye Cassidy (calf) and Alister Porter (general soreness) also come in.
Nick Roberts is out with a knee injury and Nathan Crute and Jordan Brown were omitted.
McLean said Roberts’ injury was likely to sideline him for the remainder of the season.
“His ACL is no worries, it’s just some cartilage,” he said.
Panmure welcomes back onballer David O’Sullivan and wingman Shaun Griffin.
Griffin was a late withdrawal against Kolora-Noorat last week with illness.
Ben Mahony and Nick Jones make way.
Third-placed Kolora-Noorat made three changes for its clash with seventh-placed Nirranda.
Steve O’Connor returns from a six-week stint on the sidelines with a knee injury and Adam Roberts and Luke Kenna come back into the Power line-up after missing last week’s loss to Panmure.
Dominic Kenna is out with a collapsed lung and Jason Harlock and Jacob Lee were omitted. Nirranda has made one change, with Corey Lambert coming in for Cordie McKendry (away). Blues coach Brad Wiggins will miss again with cracked ribs.
Fifth-placed Dennington has included Brad Distel for its match against East Warrnambool, with Sean Fogerty making way. Dogs coach Darcy Lewis is pleased his side is settled approaching finals.
“It’s really good. All year we’ve had four or five changes every week and the past three weeks we have been able to settle it,” he said.
South Rovers teenager John Paulin will make his senior debut against Russells Creek. Lions coach Brett Evans said Paulin, 15, would play forward.
“He’s a really good inclusion for us,” he said.
“He’s made representative squads, so this will be a bit more experience for him.”
South Rovers will also welcome back Mark Evans from suspension, along with Brendan Coffey and assistant coach Drew McCaskill.
Bernie Hickey is out with a knee injury, along with Josh Campbell, Matt Farmer and Brad Pattison.
Sixth-placed Timboon Demons made two changes for their clash with Deakin University.
Midfielder Daniel Hackwill returns and Paul Vogels has been elevated from the reserves.
Andrew Powell (knee) and Luke Davison (illness) will miss.
Deakin University made three changes.
Allansford brought in Josh Brown and Wayne Parry for its clash against Old Collegians.
