The Dogs - who sit in seventh place - were missing 10 players through injury in Saturday's 72-point loss to Russells Creek, according to coach Ben Thornton.

"I'm not sure how we'll go line-up wise (against Nirranda)," Thornton said to The Standard.

"We had another lad go down on the weekend against Russells Creek. We probably won't know until possibly Friday really who will be available."

Some of the Dogs who missed round nine included Sam Lee (shoulder), Josh Stapleton (shoulder), Reggie Barling (knee), Tom Lee (knee) Sam Curtis (bicep), Jordan Brown (illness), Lewis Campbell-Gavin (concussion) and John Malone (ankle).

Tom Noonan played in that match but sustained a hamstring injury.

Thornton said 50 per cent of the side's injuries were long term while the rest were a week-by-week proposition.

"Tomorrow night and Thursday we'll see if they can get through training and otherwise they might look at having a bit longer of a rest," he said.

Thornton said the silver lining was seeing reserves and under 18s players get an opportunity in the seniors.

"It was good for them to get a chance, obviously in a perfect world you don't make that many changes and bring them all in at once, but we were able to do that," he said.

"Those boys that we brought in played their role well."

Thornton said Dakota Davidson was one of the under 18 players who had impressed him in making the leap to seniors.

The rising talent has played five senior matches in 2022 and Thornton said he had been playing some "pretty good footy".

Nirranda lost its first match of the season on Saturday against Panmure and Thornton expects the Blues will look to bounce back strongly in Saturday's clash at Dennington Recreation Reserve.

"We'll just go out there and play the way we've been playing all year because it's worked," he said.

"Obviously tweak a few things, depending on who comes back and who's available.

"We know they are a pretty strong team, we're just going to have to be right on our game."

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