LAKE Wendouree full forward Robbie Gregg was a surprise starter for the Lakers' intra-club hit-out at Learmonth on Wednesday.
Gregg kicked several goals and dished off quite a few others in a promising comeback from a work-related hand injury sustained during the off-season.
"He looked in good nick for someone who hasn't been training," Lake Wendouree president Gavin Maher said.
Having missed much of the pre-season, however, Gregg is not a certain starter for the club's first match of the MECU Ballarat Football League season, a round two match against Redan.
The Pring brothers, Nathan and Carngham-Linton recruit Jake, reportedly performed well, while Ben Taylor was also impressive.
* THERE is a strong Ballarat regional flavour in the Collingwood leadership group.
Two players drafted from the North Ballarat Roosters are featured - former Sydney ruckman Darren Jolly (Lexton), who is a surprise addition, and captain Nick Maxwell.
Then there is Shane O'Bree (Beaufort), who was drafted from the North Ballarat Rebels.
* A THIRD player has a suffered a broken leg in a practice match at Eureka Stadium in eight days.
North Ballarat's Josh Beardsell fractured a fibula in a VFL reserves match against Werribee on Saturday after a player fell across the leg.
Football manager Marg Richards said would learn how long Beardsell was likely to miss after he visited a surgeon.
She said it was extremely disappointing, given he had been hampered by a broken hand and hamstring trouble last year.
Ed Lower (North Melbourne) and Simon Taylor (Hawthorn) broke legs in an AFL practice match in Ballarat on March 6.
Chris Giampaolo (shoulder) and Ryan Luke (knee) are also under injury clouds for North Ballarat after the same reserves encounter.
Luke is having trouble with a knee he had reconstructed last year.
The Roosters have their next practice match against Geelong in Ballarat on Saturday, March 27.
Their reserves will meet Ballarat league premier Redan on the same day.
* AN UNDER-STRENGTH Redan team matched Football Geelong club St Albans early in their practice match in Geelong before the Saints kicked away in the second half.
Redan coach Brendan Peace said the Porter Plant Lions had 25 players unavailable with other commitments, so took the chance to blood a number of junior players.
The team did include 10 players from last year's premiership side, including Jarrod Edwards, Matt Pitt and Sam Giblett, while new recruit Tom Cashin played a promising game to put his hand up for selection in round one.
* AN EVEN younger East Point side took on Grovedale in a six quarter combined seniors-reserves match at Bell Post Hill, the so-called senior side, having just six players from last year's BFL grand final.
"We went really young and we were really impressed by under-18s Daniel Tung and Hayden Walters," Red Lion Kangaroos coach Michael Hynes said. "Alex Bartlett from our under-16s was also very good."
East Point has conceded it will lose eight out of the 21 players it fielded in last year's grand final due to retirements and departures.
* THERE was no mucking around at Bacchus Marsh's intra-club practice match, youngster Ethan Tibbles copping a suspected broken nose.
New coach David Callander was pleased with the standard after a scrappy start.
"In terms of intra-club matches, from my experience, it was pretty good. It was fast-flowing, and players made good decisions," he said.
Darren Tanti, Tyson Shea, Ben Jenkins, along with Tibbles were prominent in the midfield, according to Callander, as were Dan Velden and James Dickinson up forward and under-18.5 Xavier Kearney in a sweeper role.
* NORTH Ballarat City's recruits Nathan Barnes, Jacob Storer, Lucas Atchison, Brenton Walker and Jason McNamara stood out in a six quarter practice match against the club that replaced it in the Bendigo league, Strathsfieldaye.
Coach Simon Payne said all are expected to play in a conventional four quarter practice match against Bendigo team Sandhurst at Eureka Stadium this Saturday.
* NO score was kept for Darley's hit-out against strong Ovens and Murray club Lavington in Albury, although the home team probably had the better of it. More importantly, there were no injuries for the Devils, and Jake Edwards,
Darren Leonard, and Brad Inglis all performed well.
* ESSENDON great Terry Daniher will land in the Eagles' nest tonight.
Daniher will assist in training for both the junior and senior groups at Gordon, commencing from 5.30pm.
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