Panmure coach Chris Bant says his group is excited to challenge top side Nirranda, despite a winning result unlikely to push the Blues out of top spot.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
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
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.standard.net.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines and newsletters
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
- Tap here to open our Google News page.
- Join our Courts and Crime Facebook group and our dedicated Sport Facebook group
- Subscribe
Now just one tap with our new app: Digital subscribers now have the convenience of faster news, right at your fingertips with The Standard: