The Seagulls welcome back Guy Phelps, Xavier McCartney and Sam McCartney from injury for their Hampden league clash with Hamilton Kangaroos at Melville Oval on Saturday.

Phelps has missed six weeks – five matches due to a bye – with a knee injury.

Port Fairy coach Brett Evans said the trio would boost the ladder-leaders.

“Matt Sully has been able to take his (Phelps’) spot a little bit forward but he is a strong contested mark and a great avenue to goal,” he said.

“He can pinch-hit in the midfield. We were probably down a rotation or two when he was out.

“(The McCartney brothers) are both very important to the team. Sam can play forward and back and Xavier works so hard when he is down forward to give us an option and contest.”

Evans said the Seagulls’ depth – their reserves are second on the ladder – was helping their cause.

“Brad Thomas is playing well in the reserves and Robbie Hare came back last week,” he said.

“We have 10 or 11 players missing out on the reserves each week.

“(Coach) Scotty (Kelly) has a tough job. It’s good for them to be a strong team as well as it keeps giving us headaches as well.”

Koroit made three changes for its meeting with Camperdown at Victoria Park.

Tim McIntyre (finger), Tim Martin (unavailable) and debutant Connor Hinkley come in for Dallas Mooney (illness), Damian O’Connor (groin) and Will Templeton (omitted).

Saints coach Chris McLaren said Hinkley was a promising forward with strong hands who broke a finger playing in the Greater Western Victoria Rebels’ under 16 program earlier this season.

McLaren said O’Connor needed a rest after a heavy workload in the Saints’ engine room.

“He was due for a rest (in the Terang Mortlake) game but given it was his home team, he was super keen to play, and the same last week (against North Warrnambool Eagles),” he said.

South Warrnambool brought in teenage small forward James Edmonds in place of Travis Parsons for its game against Warrnambool at Reid Oval.

Roosters coach Mat Buck said Edmonds had been playing well for Geelong Grammar.