Collingwood v North Ballarat
at Victoria Park
Saturday, 1pm
NORTH Ballarat coach Gerard FitzGerald’s decision to take a conservative approach with co-captain Matt Austin’s return from injury is Sebastopol’s gain.
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Rather than go straight back into the Selkirk Roosters’ line-up to meet Collingwood on Saturday, Austin will have a hit out with the Burras against Sunbury at Sunbury.
In his first year with Sebastopol as his home club, Austin has already played two Ballarat Football League games - back in April.
As long he gets through Saturday’s match, Austin is also likely to play with Sebastopol against Bacchus Marsh before lining up with the Roosters against Coburg in the last VFL home and away round. The Roosters have a bye next week.
FitzGerald said it was all about minimising risk – for Austin and the team. Austin has not played since round nine on June 13.
FitzGerald said giving Austin game time with Sebastopol would enable him to be eased back and ensure he was fully fit for North Ballarat’s last game.
The Roosters have also decided to give James Keeble more time after missing one week with a hamstring strain.
Keeble is expected to do more running on game day with the Roosters with a view to also playing with Sebastopol next week and then being okay for the last round in the VFL.
FitzGerald has always been careful not to rush back players after injury and with a wealth of talent at his disposal for the assignment at Collingwood’s Victoria Park the decision to give Austin and Keeble more time was an easy one.
Daniel Wells is one of three North Melbourne-listed players added to the team which thumped Geelong and is chasing four wins in a row. Aaron Mullett also returns with Max Warren.
North Ballarat’s other inclusion is Rebels under-18 player Yestin Eades as 23rd player.
FitzGerald said playing alongside a fellow indigenous player of the standing of Wells would be a special moment for Eades.
He said Wells had been great role model in the AFL for the indigenous community.
“He’s an elite indigenous player. I’m sure this is an experience which will long stay with Yestin.”
FitzGerald said having a player of the calibre of Wells in the side was always a boost for team. He said opportunities of this nature had been one of the great things to come out of the decade-long relationship with North Melbourne.
North Ballarat goes into the Collingwood clash upbeat and in close to season-best form.
The Roosters have been building momentum through the past month, but unfortunately the run has come too late for them to press for a finals berth.
Roosters line-up:
B: Tippett*, Schache, Warren*
HB: Lockyer, Boseley, Kiel
C: Tsitas, Dumont*, Peters
HF: Couch, Sewell, George
F: Lanyon, Black*, A Hooper
R: Stephenson, Bastinac*, McKenzie*
Inter: Rippon, Eades^, Preuss*, Mullett* Wells *
Emerg: Werts
IN: Eades, Warren, Mullett, Wells
OUT: S Hooper (inj), Hoy (inj), Bolton, Tucker
*North Melbourne listed