Hampden round seven teams: Major blow as midfielder likely to miss season

Seagulls coach Dustin McCorkell said Kaine Mercovich had torn a tendon in his bicep and was likely to need surgery.

Mercovich was hurt a fortnight ago in the Seagulls' loss to Terang Mortlake and missed round five against Camperdown.

Medical assessments have since highlighted the severity of the injury.

McCorkell said Port Fairy, which plays Hamilton Kangaroos on Sunday, May 26, was disappointed for the on-field leader.

"It is most likely the remainder of the season," he said.

"He is booked into see a specialist. He is a big part of our team, vice captain and a really good midfielder.

"The last couple of weeks we've been without him and it gives blokes like Olly Myers and Oscar Pollock a chance to step up in the midfield."

Port Fairy was also dealt a further injury blow with recruit Tyrone Ross, who was hurt in round one, requiring a full knee reconstruction.

Tough midfielder Jett Hopper is also under an injury cloud with hamstring tightness.

"We have about nine or 10 injuries at the moment but that's footy," McCorkell said.

The Seagulls will be without defender Colin Harwood (work commitments), Jett Hopper (injury), Murray Staude (concussion) for their round seven clash too.

"Col is just playing with us once a month at the moment, he's been doing fly in, fly out for work," McCorkell said.

Two players - utility Joe Nelson-Hill and teenage defender Xavier Kenna - will make their Hampden league senior debuts for the Seagulls while Arley Fleming comes in too.

"Joe came over from Warrnambool late in the pre-season and has been playing some good footy in the reserves," McCorkell said.

"Xavier is one of our juniors who has come through the under 18s."

Hamilton Kangaroos coach Brad Thomas confirmed midfielder Rory Gill would miss an extended period with a broken hand.

North Warrnambool Eagles coach Nathan Vardy will lead from the sidelines against Warrnambool at Bushfield Recreation Reserve as he enters the AFL Victoria concussion protocols.

The ruckman-forward said he had recovered well after he was injured against Koroit when he laid a tackle.

"I am feeling fine. I wasn't great Saturday but days have gone by I've pulled up better and better," he said.

Callum Grundy will come in for his first senior game of the season, replacing the omitted Liam Anders.

Warrnambool will be without Otto Opperman (knee).

There will be six forced changes at Camperdown for its clash against ladder-leader South Warrnambool at Leura Oval.

The Magpies, coming off back-to-back wins, lose midfielder Cameron Spence (soreness), youngster Luke Kavanagh (broken ankle), Gus Gordon (hip knock), Matthew Field (unavailable), Archie McBean (unavailable) and Shane Morgan (unavailable).

Spence is the Pies' leading disposal winner, averaging 24 touches across the first six rounds with a 75 per cent kicking efficiency.

Zach Sinnott, who trained with Essendon's VFL side in the off-season, returns from injury while "hard-nosed defender" Jacan Brooks will debut after impressing in the Pies' under 18 side.

Nick Jones, James O'Neil, Wilba Cheeseman and VFL-listed Hamish Sinnott (Geelong) also come into the side.

Camperdown coach Neville Swayn said recruits Isaac Stephens and Fraser Lucas were building form and fitness in the reserves.

"Isaac did one ankle really badly last year at Nirranda, probably midway through the year and then got back for finals," he said.

"Then he did his good ankle just before Christmas, bad ligament damage in it. He got through his first game in the reserves last week. He's coming from a long way back because he's done very limited running on it.

"We just have to give him time to get match fit now and Fraser is pretty similar. He went back (to the reserves) two weeks ago and he's got to get his body right. He had an interuppted pre-season, his body kept letting him down and he couldn't get any consistency in his training."

South Warrnambool has made four changes with the in-form Archie Stevens returning to Carlton's VFL side.

Max Irving, who is enjoying a breakout season, and experienced pair Sam Thompson and Sam Kelly are all out managed.

Ben Rantall, Josh Saunders, Liam Mullen and Bailey Osborne are the Roosters' inclusions.

Koroit has made one change for its away clash with Terang Mortlake at Terang Recreation Reserve.

In-form recruit Tyler Stephens (ankle) is out with Dylan Shircore his replacement.

Terang Mortlake will be boosted with the inclusions of top-liners Max Lower, Scott Carlin, Xavier Moloney, Dylan Jones and Matt Arundell, who were all unavailable in round six, with Zeke Reeves also returning from injury.

Rhys Buck, Tom Arundell, Jack Fowler and Jordan Harris were omitted while Jacob Moloney and Sam Crawley are injured.

Portland will unveil two debutants - 16-year-old Klay Nicholls and fellow teen Oscar Barbary - in its clash against Cobden at Hanlon Park.

Brett Uebergang (work commitments) and Kostya Vallance (injured) are the Tigers' outs.

The Bombers' inclusions are Christian Koroneos, Michael Koroneos, Kurtis Baker, Tarj Anderson and Jordy Fowler.

Louis Robertson, Luke Hickey, Daniel Watson, Caleb Smith and Lachie Davis are their outs.

Portland v Cobden - 2pm Saturday, Hanlon Park

Portland

B: O.Barbary, L.Evans, P.Procter

HB: C.Piergrosse, T.Oakley, H.Kerr

C: N.Nicholls, T.Sharp

HF: G.Kissane, M.Curtis, B.Field

F: J.Wilson, L.Goldby, W.Hunter

R: T.Jennings, L.Huppatz, B.Malcolm

Int: M.England, K.Johnson, H.Reynolds, D.Campbell

Cobden

B: S.Darcy, C.Koroneos, J.Hutt

HB: S.Thow, S.Lucas, J.Fowler

C: P.Pekin, H.Herschell, J.Williamson

HF: J.Hammond, L.Herschell, A.Armstrong

F: M.Koroneos, B.Berry, H.Robertson

R: B.Mahoney, T.Auckland, L.Robertson

Int: L.Smith, Z.Green, T.Anderson, J.Hickey Emg: L.Darcy, L.Hickey

North Warrnambool Eagles v Warrnambool - 2pm Saturday, Bushfield Recreation Reserve

North Warrnambool Eagles

B: J.Lewis, R.Scoble, J.Johnstone

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

C: T.James, D.Bermingham, J.Grundy

HF: S.McKinnon, F.Jones, A.Wines

F: T.Keast, T.Batten, W.Brennan

R: J.Bermingham, H.Cobb, J.Dillon

Int: D.Parish, C.Grundy, X.Harris, A.Jennings

Emg: J.Burke

Warrnambool

B: F.Timms, J.Chittick, N.Hooker

HB: T.Wason, A.McCarthy, F.Radley

C: T.Ludeman, W.Lord, A.Steere

HF: S.Cowling, L.Bidmade, J.Wells

F: J.Bell, S.Lampton, B.Cunnington

R: J.Turland, J.Walters, D.Weymouth

Int: J.Turland, J.Foott, R.Jansen van beek, D.Graham

Emg: R.Warfe

Camperdown v South Warrnambool - 2pm Saturday, Leura Oval

Camperdown

B: S.Bradshaw, J.Place, B.Richardson

HB: J.Dowell, J.O'Neil, R.Arnold

C: J.Dundon, H.Sinnott, Z.Sinnott

HF: C.Lucas, I.McVilly, H.Sumner

F: E.Guthrie, W.Cheeseman, S.Gordon

R: W.Rowbottom, T.Baker, P.Baker

Int: D.Absalom, L.O'Neil, N.Jones, J.Brooks

South Warrnambool

B: T.Williamson, I.Thomas, H.Lee

HB: C.Gallichan, L.Mullen, P.Anderson

C: J.Henderson, N.Kol

HF: J.Rantall, J.Folkes, J.Dye

F: W.Owen, N.Thompson, S.Beks

R: J.Saunders, M.McCluggage, R.Thomas

Int: O.Smith, D.Nicholson, M.Wollermann, B.Osborne

Terang Mortlake v Koroit - 2pm Saturday, Terang Recreation Reserve

Terang Mortlake

B: D.Jones, H.Roberts, S.Crawley

HB: A.Moloney, J.Arundell, G.Bourke

C: K.Johnstone, X.Moloney, F.Beasley

HF: X.Vickers, R.Buck, R.Tanner

F: S.Carlin, S.Mclean, J.Moloney

R: M.Lower, D.Hobbs, R.Hutchins

Int: J.Slater, D.Hutchins, I.Kenna, J.Hay

Koroit

B: P.O'Sullivan, A.Campbell, T.Hines

HB: T.Baulch, T.Stephens, M.Petersen

C: C.Nagorcka, L.Hoy, N.Whiting

HF: J.Block, M.Bradley, D.Mooney

F: W.Couch, C.Byrne, H.Noonan

R: J.Neave, J.McCosh, J.Mcinerney

Int: B.Keane, D.Shircore, D.O'Keefe, J.Coghlan west

Emg: K.Moloney

Hamilton Kangaroos v Port Fairy - 2pm Sunday, Gardens Oval

Hamilton Kangaroos

B: T.Hawthorne, H.McGinley, J.Donehue

HB: W.Povey, T.Morris, C.Pither

C: J.Murray, L.Barnes, R.Gill

HF: V.Huf, C.Whyte, N.Herrmann

F: L.Urquhart, R.Sigley, H.Cook

R: J.Whyte, J.English, E.Knight

Int: C.Field, D.White, B.Hicks, H.Waldron

Port Fairy

B: I.Martin, K.Fleming, L.Gunning

HB: L.King, C.McDonald, D.Gunning

C: O.Myers, R.Hall, S.Lucardie

HF: M.Sully, R.Mohan, M.Ryan

F: J.Moloney, J.Rowan, Z.McKenna

R: J.Bartlett, T.Macilwain, O.Pollock

Int: J.Nelson Hill, J.hopper, X.Kenna, B.Dalton