Brady Purcell delivers on the run at Koroit training.
TEENAGE Port Fairy ruckman Jack Carter will make his Hampden league senior debut when the Seagulls take on North Warrnambool Eagles at Bushfield tomorrow.
Carter will take over the tap duties from injured big man James Vickers, who rolled an ankle playing basketball last Monday night.
Coach Bernie Harris said he had full faith in Carter, an emerging tall, after a string of strong performances in the under 18 competition.
Harris said Vickers was likely to miss one match with the ankle injury, news which was a silver lining to yet another setback.
“He’s not playing this week but we hope to have him next week. It’s not broken, he just rolled it,” Harris said.
Carter is one of seven inclusions to the Seagulls side, which was competitive against Terang Mortlake a fortnight ago, although selectors have named an extended bench.
Isaac Martin, Ben Smith, Colin Harwood, Jay Solomon, Jeremy Sheehan and Ben Polson also come in for the match.
Vickers, Francis Vigona-Daniel, Xavier McCartney, Sam McCartney, Sam Burchell, Trent Anderson and Louis Fary go out.
“The frustrating thing is we’ve got to make a few changes every week,” Harris said.
“It’s been a bit hard because we haven’t been able to settle from one week to the next.
“But that’s the way it goes. We’ve had a few injuries and a few blokes unavailable.”
North Warrnambool Eagles has made four changes to the side which lost to Warrnambool.
Nigel Roll, Tom Ludeman, Kory Howlett and Darcy Keast are the inclusions.
Coach David Haynes missed with an ankle complaint, Tom Smith returns to North Ballarat Rebels and Rob McElgunn has been omitted. Sam Batten is an emergency.
Captain Ben Goodall is one of four omissions for Koroit ahead of this weekend’s match of the round against Camperdown at Victoria Park.
Goodall aggravated a back injury at work this week and the Saints have taken a cautious approach with their key midfielder.
Martin Gleeson will play with the Rebels, while key position utility Chris Chambers and James Mugavin have calf injuries.
Karl Dwyer and Sam Dobson return, while Koroit handed Jordan Scott and Daniel Harrington their first senior games.
Camperdown has also made four changes, with Jamie Titmus available again, Darren Cheeseman promoted from the reserves, and Eddie Lucas and Jesse Hanegraaf back from injury.
Warrnambool made one enforced change for its road trip to Cobden, with onaller Dustin McCorkell out with a hamstring strain suffered representing the Hampden league on Sunday.
West Gambier recruit Kane O’Brien comes into the side, having overcome an ankle injury which sidelined him for three weeks.
Cobden has added enthusiasm by including youngsters Tom Spokes and Sam Cunnington, along with the super-fit Leigh Evans in a side which has an extended bench.
Coach Matthew Peake is one of five inclusions which will bolster reigning premier South Warrnambool for its clash with Terang Mortlake at the Friendly Societies’ Park.
Danny Finn and Brad Miller also return, while Thomas Bowman and Sam McCosh have received promotions from the reserves.
Terang Mortlake welcomes back strongly-built midfielder Damian O’Connor and ruckman Zac Pickett, while defender Pat Heffernan will miss with a calf injury.
