MOBILE tall Bryce Curnow will play his first game for North Ballarat Roosters this season after a delayed start with a knee injury.
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Curnow has played two solid games with Bendigo Football League club Strathfieldsaye and is promoted as a straight replacement for Angus Grigg, who is expected to miss one week with a hamstring injury.
The Selkirk Roosters return home to Eureka Stadium the first time this Victorian Football League season to host Sandringham.
Two games in, the Roosters are still chasing a win after two competitive, close matches with Collingwood and Essendon’s VFL franchises at their club spiritual home bases.
Sandringham should have plenty of spark about its game too, after an undefeated start to the season that featured, most notably, a high-scoring draw with a Hawthorn-laden reigning VFL premier Box Hill Hawks last week.
The Roosters will also regain North Melbourne-listed midfielder Mitch Wilkins as one of six Kangaroos named for the mach.
Wilkins was a late withdrawal from facing Essendon last week when he woke up ill.
He was replaced in the team by the promising David Peel.
Curnow proved a handy tall forward and defence option, performing well in both roles last year when he began to firm a senior spot.
In a breakout season, Curnow chalked up nine senior matches last year, having made his senior VFL debut in 2012.
The Roosters will retain midfield young gun James Tsitas as 23rd man for a third time and final time under the VFL rule for a first-year player.
Defender Tony Lockyer has kept his spot after impressing last week with his rebounding work alongside Oli Tate and Liam Hoy in the backlines in what his first game as a fully-fledged Rooster.
Lockyer, a second-year Rooster, played three VFL games as Roosters 23rd man last season.
INJURY LIST: Angus Grigg (hamstring, one week), Daniel Semmens (hand, three weeks), Mitchell Rodd (abductor, indefinite).
melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au