Hooper from North Ballarat City will visit a surgeon on Friday to assess the extent of an anterior cruciate ligament issue.

The Rebels have added five players to an extended squad for an encounter with Bendigo.

Jacob Wheelahan (Bacchus Marsh), Tom Ludeman (Warrnambool), Ben Simpson (East Ballarat) and Luke McLeod (Warrnambool) are all vying to make their debut in the under-18 football competition.

Xavier Vearing, who is in his third season with the Rebels, is the other addition to the team.

 Angus Martin and Sam Glover are also out of the line-up which lost to Geelong Falcons by 28 points at Camperdown in the Rebels' first assignment of the season.

Martin, who kicked three goals against the Falcons, is unavailable owing to family commitments.

North Ballarat coach David Loader said the Rebels were going into the game confident they were capable of getting the points.

REBELS LINE-UP

B Brennan Richards O'Beirne

HB Bennett Mason Webster

C Hopper Templeton Tucker

HF Johnston McDonald Symons

F Kemp Palmer Vearing

R Marshall Butler Guthrie

Inter from Neville Jasper Wheelahan Ludeman Smith Simpson Schnerring McLeod

IN: Vearing, Wheelahan (Bacchus Marsh), Tom Ludeman (Warrnambool), Ben Simpson (East Ballarat), Luke McLeod (Warrnambool)

Out: Martin, Glover, Hooper