NORTH Warrnambool Eagles were forced to swing changes at the selection table ahead of their clash with fellow finals aspirant Portland.
Eagles coach Adam Dowie confirmed Tom Batten (COVID-19), Jarryd Lewis (knee), Jackson Grundy (quad) and Adam Wines (suspension) would miss the road trip to Hanlon Park on Saturday.
Former Tiger Felix Jones returns to the Eagles' senior side along with Austin Sinclair, Nathan Vardy and Jack Johnstone, a lock-down defender who is "as hard as nails".
Dowie said Lewis had an MRI on his knee and received positive results and was expected to only miss three to four weeks.
Portland has made one forced change with the dangerous Jackson Dunlop unavailable due to work commitments.
Ty Deans will come in for his first senior game of the season.
"Ty is someone who has been pushing for senior selection," Tigers coach Jarrod Holt said.
"He's a crafty forward, similar to Jackson, so it's good to have another forward come in."
Top-five contender Warrnambool has stabilised its defence ahead of a showdown with cross-town rival South Warrnambool at Reid Oval.
Blues coach Ben Parkinson said the addition of James Chittick and Jordy Foott would help negate the Roosters' multi-pronged forward line on Saturday.
"It adds a bit of height down back which is probably important with the way South have recruited and the way they structure up forward," he said.
"They have quite a few through there - Shannon (Beks) is obviously one, Sam Kelly and their two new guys Dylan (Weir) and Jack (Dye), so it's really important to get Jordy and James back."
The Blues also bolstered their midfield with ball winner Thomas Ludeman returning to the line-up.
Creative play-maker Luke Cody (ankle) is out and awaiting scan results but Parkinson is hopeful he has avoided major damage.
Lachie Worden and Nick Cowan will make way.
Camperdown has made five changes as it prepares to host Port Fairy at Leura Oval in what will be Luke Clarke's 200th senior game for the club.
Magpies coach Neville Swayn confirmed the experienced Luke Molan would join emerging players Harry Sumner, Ethan Coates, Toby Kent and Ned Payne in the team.
Jarrod Evans (COVID-19) and Luke Ball will both miss through illness while Brayden Draffin is out injured. Leigh Ball and Devon Coates were omitted.
Port Fairy welcomes back ball-winning midfielder Andy McMeel among nine changes.
George Swarbrick, Murray Staude, James Van Der Aa, James Duncan, Daniel Brogdan, Daniel Chapman and Liam Kelly will also play against the Magpies.
Seagulls coach Winis Imbi said McMeel would play his first game of the season.
"He is just really good for our energy; he's one of our leaders," he said.
"We are also realistic about what he'll do on the weekend. It would be great if he could come out and have 30 touches but we don't expect that of him.
"The good thing is he's been watching for a long time. He out of everyone should have a good understanding of the importance of executing roles.
"He's an infectious spirit and we've missed that a lot."
Koroit welcomes back premiership players Ben Dobson and Tim McIntyre for its match against Cobden at Victoria Park.
It will be Dobson's 150th senior game for the Saints.
Paddy O'Sullivan (illness) and Jake McCosh (under 18s) go out of the side.
Koroit coach Chris McLaren said two potential debutants - Conor Byrne and Curran McDonnell - were waiting in the wings as the Saints had players under illness clouds.
He said the teenage would deserve their spots if they were selected.
McLaren said O'Donnell was a midfield prospect while Byrne was likely to play small forward and was "dynamic, crafty and a good mark".
ROUND FIVE TEAMS:
Camperdown v Port Fairy at Leura Oval, 2pm Saturday
Camperdown
B: A.Royal, Z.Harrop-Anderson, L.Clarke
HB: L.Molan, A.Gordon, L.O'Neil
C: M.Sinnott, J.Dundon, C.Spence
HF: C.Lucas, I.Stephens, H.Sumner
F: N.Payne, S.Gordon, T.Fitzgerald
R: N.Jones, J.Place, Z.Sinnott
Int: J.O'Neil, E.Coates, T.Kent
Port Fairy
B: G.Swarbrick, M. Staude, B. Goonan
HB: James Van Der Aa, Xavier Stevens, J.Gibb
C: J.Duncan, K.Mercovich, S. Lucardie
HF: O. Myers, M.Sully, B.Dalton
F: D. Smith, J. Bartlett, D.Brogden
R: T.Sullivan, A.McMeel, D. Chapman
Int: N.Hayes, O.Pollock, L. Kelly
Hamilton Kangaroos v Terang Mortlake at Melville Oval, 3.40pm Saturday
Hamilton Kangaroos
B: D.Rentsch, J.Hickey, T.Morris
HB: C.Quinn, L.Barnes, M.McMeel
C: N.Fall, R.Gill, B.Hicks
HF: H.Waldron, L.Uebergang, H.Cook
F: B.Starkie, Z.Burgess, D.Russell
R: A.Pepper, C.Murrie, C.Whyte
Int: D.Arnold, B.mason, E.Knight
Terang Mortlake
B: E.Arundell, D.Jones, T.Royal
HB: I.Kenna, J.Lehmann, M.Arundell
C: H.Porter, X.Vickers, J.Arundell
HF: M.Baxter, D.Kenna, H.Roberts
F: W.Kain, N.Roberts, S.Mclean
R: R.Hutchins, J.Harris, D.Hobbs
Int: R.Tanner, W.Berryman, D.O'Connor
Portland v North Warrnambool Eagles
Portland
B: L.Huppatz, M.Curtis, N.Haylock
HB: J.Jenner, D.Jackson, T.Sharp
C: T.Jennings, K.Richardson, A.Shepherd
HF: T.Oakley, S.Hampshire, T.Deans
F: J.Walsh, K.Lovell, P.Procter
R: C.Peters, H.McIntyre
Int: J.Edwards, M.England, Z.Stuchbery, P.Haylock
North Warrnambool Eagles
B: T.James, J.McKinnon
HB: A.Sinclair, L.Wines, C.Grundy
C: H.Keast, D.Johnstone, M.Wines
HF: J.Porter, D.parish, T.Keast
F: J.Greene, S.Morter, B.Kellett
R: J.BerminghamM, N.Vardy, T.Porter
Int: J.Johnstone, B.Mugavin, F.Jones
Warrnambool v South Warrnambool at Reid Oval, 2pm Saturday
Warrnambool
B: B.Bull, J.Foott, A.Lowe
HB: T.Ludeman, A.Radley, R.Mast
C: D.McCorkell, J.Bell, L.Bidmade
HF: S.Cowling, H.Ryan, P.Anderson
F: O.Opperman, B.Howard, J.Rowan
R: M.Bidmade, J.Turland, J.Chittick
Int: E.Boyd, J.Turland, T.O'Keeffe
South Warrnambool
B: H.Lee, T.Williamson, L.Mullen
HB: S.Thompson, B.Rantall, I.Thomas
C: J.Hussey, J.Henderson, B.Beks
HF: N.Thompson, S.Beks, D.Weir
F: S.Kelly, J.Dye, R.Henderson
R: O.Bridgewater, A.Stevens, J.Saunders
Int: J.Maher, L.Youl, C.Gallichan
Koroit v Cobden at Victoria Park, 2pm Saturday
Koroit
B: P.O'Sullivan, T.Martin, M.Petersen
HB: J.Whitehead, J.Neave, L.Hoy
C: D.McCutcheon, W.Couch, J.Lloyd
HF: J.O'Sullivan, T.Baulch, J.Block
F: S.Dobson, P.Haberfield, F.Robb
R: J.Hausler, A.Pulling, B.Harrington
Int: D.Mooney, J.McCosh
Cobden
B: T.Marshall, C.Koroneos, H.Herschell
HB: J.Worboys, L.Darcy, T.Anderson
C: G.Rooke, J.Hickey, S.Thow
HF: T.Spokes, L.Hickey, M.Kemp
F: L.Cahill, L.Smith, C.Darcy
R: R.McVilly, P.Pekin, T.Humphrey
Int: O.Darcy, H.Robertson, L.Loubey
Justine McCullagh-Beasy
Sports journalist with an interest in feature reporting. Email: justine.mc@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Sports journalist with an interest in feature reporting. Email: justine.mc@austcommunitymedia.com.au
