Injuries have forced the hand of Greater Western Victoria Rebels at the selection table ahead of their clash with Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup under-18 football competition at Mars Stadium on Sunday.
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Tom Berry, Jed Hill, Joe Dodd and Angus Gove could not be considered as the Rebels made six changes coming off a competition bye.
Rebels talent manager Phil Partington said Berry had lower back trouble and would not play again this season.
Hill re-injured an ankle while playing for Ballarat in Ballarat Football League and Dodd is recovering from a dislocated knee suffered playing school football.
Josh Chatfield (Koroit) and Aaron Shepherd (Portland) return for the Rebels after injury.
Joel O'Connell (Lake Wendouree), Tom Morrish (Redan), Dale Cox (Halls Creek (Camperdown) and Lochie Dawson (Hamilton Kangaroos) get another opportunity.
Sitting 10th with three wins and a draw, the Rebels badly need to taste victory again.
They have not won since having the better of the Western Jets in round seven.
GWV has had five losses and a draw in the six games since, but still remain in the hunt for eighth position and a finals berth with five rounds to play.
Geelong Falcons continue to be a hoodoo team for the Rebels.
They met in the opening round, with the Falcons running away by 82 points and now sitting second on the ladder.
This TAC Cup game will be at 2pm – following the VFL fixture between North Ballarat Roosters and Richmond.
THE GWV Rebels raised $4100 at their Ronald McDonald House Charities Day at Mars Stadium on July 16.
GWV Rebels talent manager Phil Partington said this was the highest single amount raised over the four years of the charity day.
He said this took the total raised in that period to almost $15,000.
He praised the 250-strong crowd present at the charity day.
“It’s fantastic that the GWV Rebels community could come together once again to raise so much money for Ronald McDonald House Charities.”