From the Ballarat Courier
Reported by David Brehaut
Full article Click here
NORTH Ballarat has made a multitude of changes two weeks out from the Victorian Football League finals.
Injuries and a transitional period at North Melbourne might result in up to nine different players lining up for the Selkirk Roosters against Bendigo Bombers at Windy Hill on Sunday.
Six are already confirmed as outs - Brett Goodes, Ryan McKenzie and the North Melbourne quartet of Aaron Edwards, Ed Lower, Cruize Garlett and Shannon Watt.
Goodes strained a calf in the opening five minutes against Port Melbourne on Sunday, but played out the match and might miss up to two weeks.
McKenzie has traded places with All-Australian under-18 and North Ballarat Rebels playmaker Andrew Hooper under the VFL's 23rd player rule, which allows teams to have five on interchange.
This will be Hooper's second VFL appearance, having played in a loss to Box Hill Hawks on July 11.
Watt has been confirmed as a starter against St Kilda on Sunday for what will be his farewell game for the Kangaroos
Watt yesterday announced he was joining the ranks of the retired.
Lower has been selected on a half back flank, Garlett on a half forward flank and Edwards in a forward pocket.
And there is the potential for another three changes.
Tom Roach and Jacob Spolding are in doubt and will need to pass fitness tests tonight if they are play, and Josh Smith is another under consideration for promotion by North Melbourne. Smith is named on the Kangaroos extended interchange.
Roach is struggling with a back complaint, while Spolding is recovering from a core injury.
X-rays have cleared Spolding of any structural damage, but being so close to the finals head coach Gerard FitzGerald will not be taking any risks with his mobile forward.
As well as Hooper, Kangaroos Gavin Urquhart and Corey Jones are the only definite inclusions to date.
However, Daniel Pratt, Sam Power and Lindsay Thomas are others with their heads on the chopping block and could find themselves at Windy Hill.
Waiting in the wings from the Roosters' list to get their opportunity again are Clinton Benjamin, Dean Chester, Tristan Cartledge, Cam Richardson, Nick Peters, Jackson Hall, Luke Murnane and Warren Benjamin.
All have been named on an extended interchange.
