Old Collegians' bolster experience ahead of Warrnambool and district league round seven clash against Panmure

The club stalwart, who has played more than 250 games for the Warriors, is among an injection of experience, with Eli Barker also returning after missing last week through COVID-19 protocols.

Forth missed the opening rounds after suffering a knee injury at work prior to round one. He returned unscathed through reserves last round.

Coach Ben van de Camp said the club was excited to see the impact Forth would have on its young group.

And while Forth has played most his senior career on ball, the Warriors are expected to utilise the former coach up forward.

"He applies a great deal of pressure, he's got a good kick, he's a great mark," van de Camp said. "But he's a little bit similar to Eli in that he provides a great deal of leadership and on-field support to the people around him.

"What it does is sets the example and the tone and with Nathan stepping into the forward 50, Eli in the back 50, and the likes of Tim Lewis and Mitch Riddell in the midfield, it gives us someone at each of those parts of the field that can teach and lead at the same time."

Riddell, Aiden Grant and Declan Gleeson also return for the Warriors, while the Bulldogs have made four changes.

The return of Wilbur Pomorin, Tyler Murnane and Isaac Sinnott will bolster the Bulldogs' midfield, while Luke Hynes provides the group with another ruck option.

Jordan Brown returns from injury for an in-form Dennington ahead of its big clash against Merrivale.

Dennington coach Ben Thornton said the team missed Brown's presence up forward last week.

Midfield-wingers Casey Simms and Ethan Dowd also return after missing last week, while Matt Dwyer plays his first senior game for the year.

"Matt's played a couple weeks in the twos and played really well, he's a bigger boy and can go down back or forward so we'll throw him around a bit," Thornton said.

Thornton said his group looked forward to the challenge of playing the Tigers.

"Merrivale are in good form and got a lot of good players," Thornton said. "The likes of (captain) Jack Gleeson, the way he plays his footy, we've got to watch them sort of blokes."

Russells Creek goes in unchanged to its away game against Allansford.

Dylan Shircore will come in as the team's rotating under 18 sub, with the teenager to be utilised in the forward flanks.

Co-coach Danny Chatfield also confirmed Sam Wilson had done an ACL in an earlier round and wouldn't be available for the rest of the season.

Kolora-Noorat has made a sweep of changes ahead of a must-win match against South Rovers, with coach Nick Bourke confident the returning players would help solidify the team's set up across the ground.

Ryan O'Connor, Ben Fraser, Jason Moloney and Joel Dillon all return after missing a week, while Luke McConnell and Tyler Beasley have missed two and three games respectively.

"They are all really important to our side and vital to how we set up," Bourke said. "And all play different position Ryan being key-back, Ben Fraser a key forward, a couple midfielders and small defender in there.

"It's great to have them all back. And It's certainly a big game for us against teams sitting around the same position as us.

"If we're looking to play finals, we really need to set ourselves up and getting a win this week will do that."

Fred Beasley and Scott Judd come out of the side after suffering injuries last round, while Sam Boyd will be rested.

Allansford v Russells Creek

Allansford

B: S. Kilpatrick, B. Fedley, J. Kirkwood

HB: C. Day, B. Edge, J. McGee

C: B. Hunger, C. Mclean, J. Crispe

HF: T. Membrey, H. Searle, J. Baker

F: J. Medley, Z. Mungean, R. Buck

R: Z. Jamieson, L. Lusher, L. Nowell

Int: R. Hare, D. Wynd

Russells Creek

B: J. Linford, J. Forth Bligh, D. Herbertson

HB: Z. Welsford, M. Rook, M. Clark

C: O. Everall, C. Templeton, S. Alberts

HF: D. McDonough, L. McKane, J. Chatfield

F: X. McCartney, B. Hewett, W. McPhee

R: D. Burns, S. Grinter, P. Chatfield

Int: K. Brumley, D. Shircore, D. Hoye, T. Wason

Nirranda v Timboon Demons

Nirranda

B: P. McDowall, M. Lloyd, J. Walsh

HB: R. Nutting, L. Weel, B. Harkness

C: L. Irving, D. Willsher, D. Philp

HF: J. Willsher, M. Primmer, J. Stacey

F: J. Folkes, D. Lees, J. Lee

R: H. Giblin, D. Craven, E. Harvey-Cleary

Int: L. Cook, A. Lane, T. Coates

Timboon Demons

B: N. Gillingham, A. Doak, H. Stansfield

HB: A. Hunt, S. Newey

C: H. Williams, B. Matthews, J. Fowler

HF: B. Bacon, K. Delaney, M. Wallace

F: T. Thorburn, B. Kelly, S. Negrello

R: C. Mitchell, M. Hickey, B. Newey

Int: T. Smurthwaite, C. Trotter, C. Dower, J. Gaut

Panmure v Old Collegians

Panmure

B: J. Norton, T. Murnane, N. Keane

HB: T. Gardiner, L. Lyons, M. Kenny

C: L. Kew, P. Mahony, W. Pomorin

HF: B. Purcell, J. Moloney, T. Mahony

F: S. Mahony, T. Wright, Z. Reeves

R: L. Hynes, L. McLeod

Int: P. Ryan, I. Sinnott, L. Bishop, H. Turnham

Old Collegians

B: M. Crosier, E. Barker, J. Cust

HB: H. Hall, E. Dawson

C: J. Dunne, A. Grant, T. Lewis

HF: D. Gleeson, M. Riddell, L. Dickson

F: P. Keane, B. Keane, B. England

R: H.White, C.Barby, J.Brooks

Int: J. Cleaver, N. Wallace, B. Brooks, J. Nyikos, N.Forth

Merrivale v Dennington

Merrivale

B: J. Brooks, J. Fary, T. Kelson

HB: J. Britton, H. Owen, M. Sandow

C: B. Bell, T. Stephens, J. Neave

HF: W. Lenehan, L. Byrne, B. Conboy

F: O. Doukas, D. Scoble, J. Wilson

R: M. Hausler, B. McCutcheon, J. Gleeson

Int: J. Sobey, J. Mahony-Gilchrist, C. Rix

Dennington

B: G. Serra, T. Noonan, J. Malone

HB: L. Pearson, D. Threlfall, T. Lee

C: J. Noonan, T. Fitzgerald, C. Simms

HF: Z. McKenna, L. Campbell-Gavin, B. Thornton

F: J. Stapleton, J. Brown, S. Lee

R: S. Curtis, B. Baker, R. Barling

Int: J. Garner, T. Noonan, E. Dowd, M. Dwyer

Kolora-Noorat v South Rovers

Kolora-Noorat

B: N. Marshall, P. Baker, J. Moloney

HB: B. Fraser, T. McKenzie, B. O'Sullivan

C: H. Darcy, L. Tebble, S. O'Connor

HF: J. Vaughan, G. Beasley, R. O'Connor

F: J. Dillon, S. Kenna, L. McConnell

R: T. Glennen, J. Larcombe, N. Bourke

Int: J. Moloney, T. Henderson, N. Castersen

South Rovers

B: B. Cooper, S. Wilde, T. Wilson

HB: A. Seabrook, N. Murphy, K. Moloney

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

HF: J. Dalton, P. Higgins

F: J. Dowd, S. Williams, E. Dowd

R: T. Bowman, J. Fedley, T. Harman

Int: X. Ellul, T. Wood, B. Oates, J. Bell

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