PANMURE and Merrivale have backed two young footballers for this Saturday's important encounter.
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Bulldogs' coach Chris Bant handed 19-year-old Jarrod McConnell his senior debut while Tigers' mentor Jason Rowan has recalled Wil Flaherty from the under 18s after he recovered from a knee complaint.
McConnell is joined by Thomas Wright in Bant's final side with Kallan Melican (unavailable) and Hugh Porter making way for the pair.
Flaherty is the only change for fourth-placed Merrivale, who is eight points clear of the chasing pack in South Rovers (fifth), Allansford (sixth) and the Bulldogs (seventh), with Scott Kelly (holiday) going out.
Rowan said he was pleased with the recent progress of the teenager.
"He has a lot of potential and he is definitely in the senior mix going forward," he said . "He has earnt his spot back and hopefully he can hold it."
Bant said McConnell provided a welcomed dynamic to his side.
"Jarrod can play anywhere. He can play ruck, key forward or key back so we will look to use him all around the ground," he said.
"It's something I like to have in the side and it makes it a lot easier when we need to swap."
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In contrast to the Bulldogs and Tigers approach, Old Collegians and Kolora-Noorat bring in a host of experience for their big clash.
Brodie Edge (unavailable), Ben Fraser (knee) and Josef O'Sullivan (ill) return to the undefeated Power side with Nicholas Hoare (hamstring), Bailey Kemp (reserves) and Charlie Scanlon (under 18s) making way.
Coach Ben Walsh said it was pleasing to have the experience of Edge back in the side and the target of Fraser would be handy for the Power attack.
The Warriors have Nick Sheehan, Bodie Hibberson, Connor Barby and Matt Lynch back while Jamie McKenzie, Patrick Keane, Nathan Forth and Jordan Telford go out.
Russells Creek and Allansford have made a heap of changes with seven alterations for the Creekers and six for the Cats for their respective clashes.
Their opponents Timboon Demons and East Warrnambool made two changes while Dennington and Nirranda made three switches for their encounter.
FINAL TEAMS
East Warrnambool
B: Bradley Rees, Joel Richards, Tyronne Grayson
HB: Reihana Heremaia, Ty Clarke, Tony Weetra
C: Liam Feros-Collins, Cody Richards, Ethan Rhyne
HF: Corey Brown, Jyran Chatfield, Jesse Cruickshank
F: Matthew Kenny, James Richards, Kyle Ryan
R: Dylan Burns, Phillip Chatfield , Sam Grinter
Int: Aaron Hagan, Roy Oakley, Jacob Taylor
In: Jacob Taylor, Matthew Kenny
Out: Andrew Ferguson, Paul Hrabar
Allansford
B: Dylan Hare, Noah Keane, Stephen Kilpatrick
HB: Matthew Lenehan, David Finnigan, Jason Wilson
C: Brett Hunger, Dylan Cross, Bronte Baker
HF: Brett Membrey, Beau Dignan, Sam Byron
F: Joseph Meade, Benjamin Lenehan, Jeremy Ellis
R: Robert Hare, Justin Fedley, Benjamin McLean
Int: Bradley Edge, Joby Baker, Dylan O'Keeffe, Reuben Gleeson
In: Joby Baker, Reuben Gleeson, Dylan O'Keeffe, Beau Dignan, Joseph Meade, David Finnigan
Out: Travis Membrey, Brendan Chatfield, Brent Fedley, Kye Bunworth, Patrick Higgins, Taylan Jones
Timboon Demons
B: Luke Smith, Craig Dower, Darcy Tribe
HB: Leigh McKenzie, Ethan Dalton, Lyndon Alsop
C: Lachlan Rosolin, Ryan Smith, Steven Crees
HF: James Faulkner, Tyler Fowler, Nathan Gillingham
F: Kyle Delaney, Andrew Hargreaves, Benjamin Newey
R: Marcus Hickey, Ashley Hunt, Jordon Fowler
Int: Max Bond, Thomas Hunt, Brandon Barnett, Oliver Stansfield
In: Benjamin Newey, Craig Dower
Out: Ewan Flanagan, Charlie Trotter
Russells Creek
B: Jacob Linford, Leigh McKane, Caleb Bourke
HB: Joe Dwyer, Thomas Smith, Ryan McElgunn
C: Callum Dunn, Andrew McMeel, Blair Hewett
HF: Ryan Keogh, Connor Macleod, Joe Kenna
F: Griffen McLeod, Jayden Askew, Noah Edge
R: Ryan Bunney, Caleb Bidmade, Caleb Templeton
Int: Blake Evans, Jude Forthbligh, Zachary Norris, Marcus Askew
In: Jayden Askew, Marcus Askew, Caleb Bourke, Ryan McElgunn, Callum Dunn, Griffen McLeod, Jude Forthbligh
Out: Matthew Petherick, Liam Boyle, Lukas Essenwanger, Brady Katsaros, Dylan Keane, Lucas Wensley, Joseph Wensley
Merrivale
B: Oliver Doukas, Sean Barnes, Tyler Stephens
HB: Todd McLean, James Fary, Angus Campbell
C: Will Ryan, Blair McCutcheon, Joshua Keilar
HF: James Kelly, Rob Bright, Corey Britton
F: Jyron Neave, Jason Rowan, Kyden Jarvis
R: Michael Boyd, Leatham Robe, Tate Porter
Int: Jalen Porter, Samuel Astbury, Charlie McDonald, Wil Flaherty
In: Wil Flaherty
Out: Scott Kelly
Panmure
B: Samuel Mahony, Patrick Ryan, Jarrod McConnell
HB: Patrick Mahony, Josh Boyd, Tom Mahony
C: Ben Robertson, Jacob Moloney, Christopher Bant
HF: Louis Kew, Michael McKenzie, Marcus Kelly
F: Josh Parsons, Daniel Meade, Bradley Cook
R: Ben Mahony, Liam Bishop, Lachlan McLeod
Int: Adam Lee, Bradley Gedye, Thomas Wright, Matthew Smith
In: Thomas Wright, Jarrod McConnell
Out: Kallan Melican, Hugh Porter
Kolora-Noorat
B: Stephen O'Connor, Jake Richardson, Nicholas Marshall
HB: Luke Tebble, Paul McSween, Nicholas Bourke
C: Harry O'Sullivan, Scott Judd, Benjamin O'Sullivan
HF: Luke Justin, Ben Fraser, Edward Lee
F: Benjamin Reid, Mark Clissold, Luke McConnell
R: Brodie Edge, Benjamin Walsh, Jason Moloney
Int: Henry Kenna, Josef O'Sullivan, Bradley Lucas
In: Brodie Edge, Ben Fraser, Josef O'Sullivan
Out: Nicholas Hoare, Bailey Kemp, Charlie Scanlon
Old Collegians
B: Paul Campbell, Mason Crosier, Daryl Beechey
HB: Eli Barker, Daniel Weel, Nicholas Sheehan
C: Samuel Thomas, Matthew Lynch, Michael Lambevski
HF: Benjamin Turner-Dwyer, Aaron Williams, Thomas Lambevski
F: Joshua Reichman, Michael Darmody, Rick Dolphin
R: Scott Lenehan, Colby Rix, Blake Rudland-Castles
Int: Connor Barby, Timothy Lewis, Bodie Hibberson, Jacob Brooks
In: Nicholas Sheehan, Bodie Hibberson, Connor Barby, Matthew Lynch
Out: Jamie McKenzie, Patrick Keane, Nathan Forth, Jordan Telford
Nirranda
B: Dylan Philp, Luke Weel, William Templeton
HB: Brayden Harkness, Mathew Lloyd, William Paulin
C: Dylan Willsher, Jack Primmer, Dylan Lees
HF: Aaron Searle, Rick Spokes, Ben Threlfall
F: John Paulin, Inoke Ratu, Jason Lee
R: Bronte McCann, Peter McDowall, Jonathon Benallack
Int: Aaron Smith, Luke Irving, Josh Irving
In: Max Primmer, Jack Primmer, Dylan Philp
Out: Kalon Cottee, Daniel Threlfall, James Willsher
Dennington
B: Jack McCutcheon, Geoffrey Keane, Steven Smith
HB: Tyson Umbers, Luke Moutray, John Vincent
C: Jordan Cruickshank, Benjamin Thornton, Luke Pearson
HF: Ethan Dowd, Thomas Noonan, Lewis Campbell-Gavin
F: Jackson Cruickshank, Jordan Brown, Tully Allwood
R: Mitchell Fogarty, Samuel Lee, Tom Fitzgerald
Int: Sean Fogarty, Trent Torney, Jack Lock, Dillon Paton
In: Tully Allwood, Ethan Dowd, Jordan Brown
Out: Ben Moor, Mark Jones, Josh Keen
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