The Bulldogs, who welcome back Matt Colbert on Saturday, sit a game behind Nirranda while their percentage pails in comparison to the Blues' 340 per cent.

Colbert missed last week's game against Dennington, with Liam Lyons making way if everyone gets through Thursday training unscathed.

Bant said the Bulldogs were eager to face Nirranda a week out from finals, particularly after recent comfortable wins on their end against bottom five sides.

"It will be good to really test ourselves and Nirranda are clearly the best team and on top of that all year," Bant said. "I think we'll find out plenty about ourselves."

Old Collegians, who are out of finals contention, will make several changes ahead of its last game of the year against Kolora-Noorat.

Coach Ben van de Camp said Billy Keane, Elijah Dawson and Tim Lewis were unavailable, with Kobi Bidmade, Ben England and Liam Dwyer all returning. Harry White also comes in after missing last week through concussion protocols.

van de Camp said Hayden Jenkins would maintain his spot after the wingman was a late call up from reserves last round. Jenkins featured in the Warriors' best against Panmure.

"He's finished the year quite well," van de Camp said.

Dennington has handed "fan favourite" Messiah Sciascia-Kennedy his first senior appearance for the club.

Coach Ben Thornton said it was great reward for effort for Sciascia-Kennedy, who joined from Woorndoo this year and rarely missed training throughout the season.

"He's an absolute ripping bloke and put in the work all year," Thornton said. "I think everyone at the club is pretty pumped for that one."

The Dogs will be without experienced defender Luke Pearson to a hamstring, along with Brandon Barton who played on permit from Warrnambool last round. Teenager Henry Hose returns, as does Sean Fogarty.

Thornton said the Dogs were determined to finish the season on a good note in a bid to boost its recruitment credentials for 2023.

"It's what's fresh in a lot of people's minds," he said. "It's been difficult coming up against three top sides in Merrivale, Panmure and Russells Creek and injuries aren't helping.

"But I guess it's getting games into these young lads against these top tier teams that we'll take out of these last few games."

Allansford will welcome back Aiden Gordon and Tyler Mungean for its final game against TImboon Demons.

Gordon played in the Cats' season opener before injury curtailed the majority of his 2022 season.

Coach Tim Nowell credited the Demons for getting a team on the park this year but hoped his side wouldn't be the ones to give the Demons their first and only win of the season.

Nowell said there was a strong turnout for their final training session of the year.

"Everyone's up and about and there is a good feeling at the footy club," he said.

Round 18 teams (as provided by the clubs)

Panmure v Nirranda at Panmure Recreation Reserve, Saturday, 2.20pm

Panmure

B: T. Wright, B. Cook, N. Keane

HB: T. Gardiner, T. Mahony, Z. Reeves

C: L. Kew, M. Colbert, S. Mahony

HF: W. Pomorin, J. Moloney, T. Murnane

F: J. Dalton, C. Bant, L. McLeod

R: D. Roache, P. Mahony, B. Gedye

Int: B. Purcell, L. Bishop, I. Sinnott

Nirranda

B: P. McDowall, L. Weel, B. McCann

HB: B. Harkness, R. Nutting, M. Lloyd

C: J. Stacey, D. Willsher, E. Harvey-Cleary

HF: J. Spokes, D. Lees, J. Willsher

F: D. Philp, N. Couch, J. Lee

R: D. Craven, H. Giblin, L. Irving

Int: C. Wagstaff, A. Rosolin, J. Folkes

South Rovers v Merrivale at Walter Oval, Saturday, 2.20pm

South Rovers

B: B. Turland, S. Wilde, J. Dalton

HB: B. Oates, K. Moloney, A. Seabrook

C: K. Lenehan, P. Higgins, J. Bacon

HF: E. Dowd, J. Dowd, J. Higgins

F: T. Ryan, S. Williams, N. Murphy

R: D. Cox, T. Bowman, J. Fedley

Int: S. Nicolson, K. Picken, M. McMillan, X. Ellul

Merrivale

B: T. McLaughlin, D. Scoble, W. Lenehan

HB: O. Watson, J. Fary, A. Campbell

C: L. Nagle, C. Rix, T. Stephens

HF: J. Neave, S. Barnes, M. Hausler

F: N. Krepp, J. Brooks, B. McCutcheon

R: B. Bell, M. Sandow, J. Gleeson

Int: J. Henderson, J. Wilson, J. Mahony-Gilchrist, H. Owen

Dennington v Russells Creek at Dennington Recreation Reserve, Saturday, 2.20pm

Dennington

B: D. Threlfall, T. Lee, T. Noonan

HB: Z. McKenna, E. Dowd, L. Campbell-Gavin

C: M. McLaren, D. Davidson, T. Noonan

HF: J. Turner, R. Barling, K. McKenna

F: J. Woodall, B. Thornton, B. Moor

R: T. Fitzgerald, B. Baker, J. Garner

Int: S. Fogarty, C. Simms, M. Sciascia-Kennedy, H. Hose

Russells Creek

B: D. Finlayson, J. Forth Bligh, O. Everall

HB: W. McPhee, T. Wason, Z. Welsford

C: D. Gunning, B. Rudland-Castles, Z. Timms

HF: T. Smith, C. Templeton, B. Hewett

F: J. Chatfield, X. McCartney, D. Nicholson

R: D. Burns, S. Alberts, D. Herbertson

Int: C. Mifsud, S. Grinter, D. Cross, J. Chatfield

Old Collegians v Kolora-Noorat at Davidson Oval, Saturday, 2.20pm

Old Collegians

B: M. Crosier, E. Barker, K. Bidmade

HB: L. Dwyer, H. Hall, A. Grant

C: H. Jenkins, D. Gleeson, J. Bowles

HF: J. Nyikos, N. Wallace, L. Dickson

F: J. Malone, H. White, B. England

R: C. Barby, J. Brooks, M. Riddell

Int: J. Cleaver, J. Dunne, J. Wallace, E. Kalfas

Kolora-Noorat

B: J. Larcombe, J. Dillon, S. O'Connor

HB: L. Tebble, R. O'Connor

C: N. Marshall, J. Moloney, T. McKenzie

HF: J. Moloney, L. McConnell, L. Boyd

F: B. Reid, B. Fraser, F. Beasley

R: S. Kenna, B. O'Sullivan, S. Judd

Int: J. Brooks, N. Castersen, J. Wallace, S. Boyd

Timboon Demons v Allansford at Timboon Recreation Reserve, Saturday, 2.20pm

Timboon Demons

B: A. Doak, C. Dower, B. Kelly

HB: C. Trotter, B. Newey, S. Newey

C: I. Arundell, B. Matthews, J. Fowler

HF: T. Hunt, B. Bacon, K. Delaney

F: L. Rosolin, S. Negrello, H. Williams

R: M. Bond, A. Hunt, M. Hickey

Int: B. Hickey, T. Marshallsea, T. Thorburn

Allansford

B: B. Fedley, B. Hunger, B. Deluca

HB: T. Mott, B. Edge, B. Lee

C: M. Gristede, Z. Mungean, C. Mclean

HF: R. Buck, C. Day, L. Lusher

F: R. Hare, H. Searle, K. Jans

R: Z. Jamieson, B. Coutts, L. Nowell

Int: T. Jones, T. Mungean, A. Gordon

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