Terang Mortlake footballer Lachlan Wareham awaiting MRI on shoulder injury

Wareham, who was sidelined for the entire 2022 Hampden league season, was hurt in the Bloods' loss to North Warrnambool Eagles on Saturday.

He was playing a key defensive role when he was injured in the first term and was sent to hospital.

Terang Mortlake coach Ben Kenna said Wareham - also one of the region's talented cricketers - would have a MRI on Monday.

"He is expecting the worst from his experience of shoulders," he said. "He is expecting the worst, so hopefully it's better than worst case but we'll wait and see."

Kenna said it was "pretty disappointing" for an athlete who had dealt with his fair share of injuries early in his career. It also means the second-placed Bloods will have to alter their back line given Alex Moloney is away on an overseas trip for a number of weeks.

"(Against the Eagles) Dylan Jones went into ruck - he'd been playing backline - Sam Crawley took a more key position role even though he's a bit undersized and Matty Arundell, who has been rucking in Darcy Hobbs' absence, went back just to try something different," Kenna said.

"I thought it all worked alright and that's probably my initial thoughts (for round 12).

"If we get (ruckman) Darcy Hobbs back in the next couple of weeks, well that would take the pressure off the backline players a little bit."

Hobbs has been sidelined with a leg injury since the Bloods' win against Warrnambool on May 27.

"It took a while to get the right diagnosis but he ended up having a fracture in his leg," Kenna said.

"He thought it was a corkie in the calf initially but it took probably two or three weeks to learn what it was.

"Hopefully he might only be a couple of weeks away (from returning)."

Kenna is confident the Bloods, who were also without Kane Johnstone and Jarryd Hay against the Eagles, have the depth to cover sidelined players.

"Every (team) gets their injuries but some get more than others at any one time and you just have to try and manage them as best you can," he said.

Terang Mortlake has four players - Ryley Hutchins and Rhys Buck (under 23) and Ned Roberts and Tyler Vickers (under 17) - available for Hampden interleague selection on Saturday.

"It's something for players from Terang Mortlake and other clubs to look forward to," Kenna said.

"I'd assume Saturday at (Mars Stadium) Ballarat, it would be a fairly good surface.

"Most guys have been playing on heavier grounds for the best part of the season and it will be good to get on a firmer surface where it's more predictable."

Teenage duo Roberts and Vickers played for Terang Mortlake's senior side in round 11.

"Ned played his first game (of the season) on the weekend and I thought he was quite serviceable in a game that we struggled in a bit," Kenna said.

"Tyler played his second game. Tyler's thereabouts as well.

They're both potentially going to get opportunities in coming weeks."

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