The West Coast Eagles premiership player and ex-Geelong ruckman, who retired from AFL football after the 2021 season, will miss the crunch Hampden league clash against the Blues with a groin injury sustained prior to the bye against Koroit.

The Eagles have brought in Joseph Mckinnon to replace the gun forward-ruckman after spending the past two matches in the reserves.

Coach Adam Dowie told The Standard the big man was managing the injury and wouldn't miss too many games.

"He'll probably be touch and go for next week but hopefully he'll be right for the Portland game," he said.

"He's had it before, he's had treatment so he knows his body pretty well - he hasn't been able to train but last time we thought it'd be a while but it comes good pretty quickly.

"Hopefully next week but it might be the week after."

Dowie said the loss of Vardy and inclusion of McKinnon could re-jig the structure of the side slightly.

"Vards has been playing up forward a bit and Joe's traditionally played as a defender and we've got Adam Wines who has been playing back but he might play forward," he said.

"Ben Kellett and Ben Mugavin will play in the ruck at this stage, so Joe will probably play ruck or forward."

The Eagles mentor said his side needed to be on their guard against a Blues side which beat them by 15 points earlier this season.

"They came out and were really aggressive and we got caught into playing the way they wanted to play," he said of the earlier fixture.

"They were really up for the fight - we were probably reactive early on."

Port Fairy, meanwhile, has been forced into making four changes for its clash against South Warrnambool.

The winless Seagulls - fresh off the bye and arguably their most competitive performance of the season against Terang Mortlake - have lost George Swarbrick (unavailability), Jake Hamilton (thumb), Tom Sullivan (hamstring) and Isaac Martin.

Coming into the team is youngster Segdae Lucardie, Darcy Smith, Nick Hayes and Tim Martin.

Seagulls mentor Winis Imbi said his side understood the task at hand against one of the premiership fancies.

"South are a quality outfit and we have to challenge them in the way we want to play," he said.

"We have to respect them defensively when they have ball in hand as well. We've been poor in that area at times and that's really hurt us on the scoreboard.

"It doesn't get any easier - a couple weeks ago we had North, now we've got South so the challenge is there for us."

Camperdown coach Neville Swayn confirmed his side would make three changes for the clash against Cobden.

The Magpies have lost Cameron Spence, Nick Jones and Zach Anderson for the match, with Isaac Stephens and Myles Sinnott to return while Archie McBean is set to come in for his debut.

Swayn said the group was excited by the challenge ahead this weekend.

"It doesn't matter if one of the sides is on top and the other is on the bottom, it's always tight against Cobden and we don't think it'll be any different," he said.

"We believe if we play the way we want to play we believe we're in for a chance."

Koroit is another side set for some big changes with the Saints losing four players for the clash against Terang Mortlake.

The Saints have lost Ben Dobson and Jarrod Korewha to injury, while young guns Finn O'Sullivan and Connor Byrne will both miss due to various representative commitments, with the latter to make his debut for the GWV Rebels.

Coach Chris McLaren confirmed "exciting" under 16 player Mitch Lloyd will make his debut for the seniors, Will Petersen has returned from a nasty ankle injury, while Benny Goodall and Seamus Brady have both been called up.

*All teams are provided by clubs

Terang Mortlake Bloods Seniors v Koroit Seniors

Terang Mortlake Bloods Seniors

B: D.O'Connor, E.Arundell, J.Crawley

HB: G.Bourke, T.Densley, I.Kenna

C: B.Carracher, H.Roberts, J.Hay

HF: D.Kenna, J.Lehmann, X.Vickers

F: M.Baxter, N.Roberts, W.Kain

R: D.Jones, R.Hutchins, H.Porter

Int: C.Cardwell, J.Harris, M.Arundell

Koroit Seniors

B: M.Petersen, L.Hoy, F.Robb

HB: A.Pulling, D.Mooney, C.Byrne

C: J.Whitehead, P.O'Sullivan, C.O'Donnell

HF: S.Dobson, J.O'Sullivan, T.Mckenry

F: T.McPherson, W.Couch, J.Lloyd

R: J.Neave, J.Hausler, D.McCutcheon

Int: W.Petersen, J.Coghlan west, S.Brady, M.Lloyd

Portland Seniors v Hamilton Kangaroos Seniors

Portland Seniors

B: C.Peters, J.Edwards, P.Haylock

HB: T.Haylock, N.Haylock, P.Procter

C: C.Harvey, K.Richardson, L.Huppatz

HF: S.Hampshire, M.Curtis, K.Lovell

F: L.Goldby, T.Sharp, A.Shepherd

R: D.Jackson, B.Malcolm, T.Jennings

Int: A.Rogers, M.England, H.McIntyre

Hamilton Kangaroos Seniors

B: B.mason, M.McMeel, C.Pither

HB: J.Hickey, T.Morris, L.Barnes

C: A.Noske, D.White, R.Gill

HF: E.Knight, L.Uebergang, C.Murrie

F: H.Cook, D.Russell, B.Starkie

R: A.Pepper, B.Hicks, J.Whyte

Int: T.Cook, A.Glare, C.Whyte

North Warrnambool Eagles Seniors v Warrnambool Seniors

North Warrnambool Eagles Seniors

B: B.Kellett, C.Grundy, J.Johnstone

HB: L.Wines, A.Wines, B.Jenkinson

C: B.Smedts, J.Grundy, J.Lewis

HF: J.BERMINGHAM, D.parish, F.Jones

F: J.Greene, N.Vardy, J.Burke

R: D.johnstone, M.Wines, B.Mugavin

Int: A.Sinclair, J.Mckinnon, T.Porter

Warrnambool Seniors

B: L.Bidmade, R.Mast, E.Boyd

HB: T.Okeeffe, O.Opperman, A.Lowe

C: L.Worden, D.Mccorkell, P.Anderson

HF: J.Chittick, D.Graham, J.Bell

F: T.Opperman, J.Turland, J.Rowan

R: A.Radley, J.Turland, M.Bidmade

Int: B.Bull, N.Turland, B.Howard, H.Ryan, C.Hoffmann, F.Radley

Cobden Seniors v Camperdown Seniors

Cobden Seniors

B: T.Marshall, T.Anderson, J.Worboys

HB: C.Koroneos, S.Thow, Z.Green

C: J.Hickey, L.Smith, L.Hickey

HF: M.Kemp, T.Spokes, R.Mcvilly

F: P.Pekin, J.Hutt, H.Robertson

R: G.Rooke, L.Cahill, C.Darcy

Int: O.Darcy, L.Darcy, L.Loubey

Emg: H.Herschell

Camperdown Seniors

B: J.O'Neil, A.Royal, J.Evans

HB: L.O'Neil, A.Gordon, B.Draffin

C: J.Dundon, H.Sumner, C.Lucas

HF: C.Spence, T.Fitzgerald, I.Stephens

F: T.Kent, S.Gordon, L.Clarke

R: Z.Sinnott, E.Coates, J.Place

Int: L.Molan, D.Coates, Z.Harrop- Anderson, N.Payne, N.Jones

South Warrnambool Seniors v Port Fairy Seniors

South Warrnambool Seniors

B: R.henderson, L.Youl, J.Saunders

HB: I.Thomas, C.Gallichan, B.Rantall

C: T.Williamson, H.Lee, J.Hussey

HF: J.Maher, M.McCluggage, A.Stevens

F: S.Beks, J.Dye

R: J.Henderson, O.Bridgewater, J.Herrmann

Int: O.Smith, M.Irving, P.Doukas, T.Freitag

Port Fairy Seniors

B: J.van der Aa, C.harwood, B.Goonan

HB: G.Swarbrick, X.Stevens, B.Dalton

C: R.Mohan, K.Mercovich, J.Duncan

HF: M.Sully, O.POLLOCK, H.Elliott

F: A.Luxa, H.Gleeson, D.Chapman

R: T.Adamson, A.Mcmeel, D.Smith

Int: N.Hayes, H.Peake, J.Gibb