WDFNL teams: Skipper bolsters team, key players return for finals contender

Russells Creek will be without its vice-captain Zak Welsford for at least the next few rounds but will welcome back its skipper on the weekend against Old Collegians.

The defender was concussed in the club's narrow loss to Allansford and will enter the now mandatory AFL Victoria concussion protocols, which requires 21 days before players can return to play.

But Creek will be bolstered by the inclusion of captain Blake Rudland-Castles who missed last week but provides a timely injection of class.

"It's a bit of leadership we've lost (in Zak) but we've got an even spread of guys," coach Dylan Herbertson said.

"He's (Welsford) struggling a bit and my big thing is your own health is really important, so we'll see how Zak is travelling along and support him."

Herbertson said Rudland-Castles would add a layer of class to the side.

"He's got so much leadership, so classy and just a steady head, so it's good to have him back in the side and add to a pretty stable group of lads," he said.

Old Collegians will wait until after its main training session to make a final call, but coach Ben van de Camp confirmed all-time games record holder Nathan Forth will return for his first match since the round one clash on April 6.

Dennington has been provided a boost as it looks to return to the winners list with a duo of experienced players to return against Timboon Demons.

Recruit Harry Ponting and important key position player Jake Hamilton will be welcomed back for the tricky road trip which is an important clash for the Dogs if they want to remain in touch with the top-five.

Coach Leigh Anderson said Daniel Threlfall would be managed with some soreness.

Timboon Demons have made the one change for its clash against the Dogs, with Martin Angus to return to the side.

Coach Marcus Hickey said Josh Worboys, who was on permit from Cobden, would return to his club after playing for the Demons last week.

The Demons mentor said he believed his group wasn't far off breaking through for their first win of the season.

"We're going in super confident, I think if you take away the Nirranda game we've played some good footy but just had lapses that have let us down," he said.

"On the weekend it was only 14 points, so we've been right in games. Our focus is not lapsing during games."

Allansford will be full steam ahead as it looks to maintain its winning run with the inclusion of gun ruckman Zach Jamieson and "dangerous" utility Ruben Swan.

The duo will return to the unbeaten side against win less South Rovers, with coach Tim Nowell admitting he was unclear at this stage who would come out.

"We've got some decisions to make," he said.

Nowell said his side had to maintain the rage and take in the same approach that had them top of the ladder after five rounds.

"One of the key things each week is that every side we come up against we need to win four quarters of football and that will win us games," he said.

"We'll go in not knowing what to expect from South Rovers and take the same approach as last week's win against Russells Creek."

South Rovers will be forced into at least four changes with Kye Brereton, Lachie Cook, Archie Laidler and Bailey Grant all out of the side with coach Luke Kenna weighing up his options at the selection table.

Merrivale mentor Josh Sobey has confirmed one of his most experienced players will return for his first game in more than a month in a crunch clash against Panmure.

2014 premiership midfielder Sam Gleeson will return for his first game since round one in a huge boost for the Tigers as they look to bounce back from a round four loss against Allansford.

Panmure, meanwhile, will make a swag of changes for the home match against the Tigers, with Brad Gedye to return to North Warrnambool Eagles, Hudson Owen to South Warrnambool and experienced duo Matt Colbert and Rylan Rattley returning home after one-off appearances.

The Bulldogs will welcome back gun goal kicker and vice-captain Lachie McLeod, Tim Wright, Jack Coyle and John Malone for the clash.

Kolora-Noorat, meanwhile, have lost three key players for the Reid Oval clash against Nirranda.

Co-coach Sam Uwland is out with another hamstring injury, while Brad Lucas (knee) and Alex Kenna (hand) are also confirmed outs at this stage with the Power still weighing up selection options, confirmed mentor Justin Wallace.

Nirranda is set to welcome back triple-premiership player Brayden Harkness for his 100^th match.

**All teams are as supplied by clubs

Old Collegians Seniors v Russells Creek Seniors

Old Collegians Seniors

B: H.Hall, S.Walker, J.Lucas

HB: N.Wallace, M.Petherick, J.Wallace

C: E.Kalfas, H.Jenkins, C.Duro

HF: B.Brooks, J.Mckinnon, G.Bond

F: J.Cleaver, H.White, N.Forth

R: J.Brooks, D.Gleeson, C.Barby

Int: J.Cust, O.Noonan, J.Zippel

Russells Creek Seniors

B: X.Short, R.Cooke, B.Rudland-Castles

HB: Z.Timms, N.Edge, G.McLeod

C: J.Chatfield, A.Mcmeel, P.Brady

HF: T.Boyle, T.Smith, M.Rook

F: D.Finlayson, J.Chatfield, S.Brady

R: D.Burns, L.McLeod, S.Alberts

Int: O.Everall, C.Hoye, L.MacKley

Panmure Seniors v Merrivale Seniors

Panmure Seniors

B: T.Wright, L.Lyons, H.Fleming

HB: J.Anderson, T.Gedye, N.Keane

C: T.Murnane, J.Parsons, L.Gavin

HF: J.Norton, M.Sinnott, D.Bourke

F: J.Malone, T.Wright, L.McLeod

R: S.Melican, S.Mahony, J.Lewis

Int: D.Meade, J.Coyle, A.Courtney

Merrivale Seniors

B: J.Britton, T.McLaughlin, W.Lenehan

HB: S.Barnes, F.Atchison, J.Lenehan

C: H.Owen, O.Doukas, B.Bell

HF: H.Gurry, C.Graham, J.Neave

F: N.Krepp, O.Watson, J.Mahony - Gilchrist

R: C.Mcdonald, S.Gleeson, M.Sandow

Int: L.Hinkley, J.Sobey, M.Hausler, R.Barling

Timboon Demons Seniors v Dennington Seniors

Timboon Demons Seniors

B: K.Gristede, L.Smith, S.Newey

HB: A.Hunt, C.Trotter, L.Alsop

C: N.Deppeler, M.Hickey, O.Stansfield

HF: M.Angus, R.Ziegelaar, E.Gaut

F: T.Hunt, R.Couch, M.Gristede

R: M.Wallace, K.Delaney, B.Newey

Int: T.Groves, H.Stansfield, E.White

Dennington Seniors

B: T.noonan, L.Pearson, B.Barton

HB: J.Shircore, M.Mavroudakis, B.Thornton

C: J.Turner, C.Fenn, L.Campbell-Gavin

HF: J.Blackney-noter, T.Noonan, J.Garner

F: N.Alexandrou, A.Keen, H.Ponting

R: B.Baker, T.Fitzgerald, F.Rowe

Int: T.Moana, D.Hoye, J.Hamilton, D.Davidson

Allansford Seniors v South Rovers Seniors

Allansford Seniors

B: J.Kirkwood, K.Gordon, K.Jans

HB: Z.Jamieson, B.Lee, A.Gordon

C: Z.Mungean, J.Fedley, B.Hunger

HF: B.Williams, L.Read, J.Boyle

F: R.Hare, P.Drake, F.Gleeson

R: C.Day, B.Coutts, S.Pukallus

Int: C.McLean, P.Higgins, B.Edge

South Rovers Seniors

B: B.Bushell, B.Oates, C.Mailes

HB: S.Wilde, T.Bishop, E.Boylan

C: L.Wilde, M.Edwards, S.Williams

HF: J.Bell, R.Mentha, S.Kelson

F: B.Goodall, S.Barker, S.Nicolson

R: K.Lenehan, J.Morton, B.White

Int: L.Cook, J.Cashin, H.O'Callaghan, L.Mcfadyen

Nirranda Seniors v Kolora-Noorat Seniors

Nirranda Seniors

B: B.McCann, L.Weel, C.Wagstaff

HB: M.Lloyd, L.Kew, M.Primmer

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

HF: D.Philp, J.Willsher, J.Primmer

F: J.Lenehan, J.Couch, B.Dobson

R: B.Ubergang, J.Paulin, H.Giblin

Int: N.Couch, T.Dalton, J.McLaren, D.Craven, R.Nutting, B.Harkness

Kolora-Noorat Seniors

B: T.Beasley, N.Marshall, O.Curran

HB: E.Wyss, J.Evans, J.vaughan

C: R.Kelly, C.Scanlon, G.Beasley

HF: J.Aitken, A.Robertson, T.Kenna

F: T.Barrett, C.Kavanagh, N.Castersen

R: J.Wallace, L.Cahill, J.Carlin

Int: F.Guthrie, M.Wyss, C.Scanlon, T.Glennen