WHEN North Ballarat Roosters were most successful, they prided themselves on travelling well.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Selkirk Roosters coach Gerard FitzGerald is keen to lead his team back to being a force on the road in the Victorian Football League.
And so the challenge is set: Richmond at Punt Road in a Saturday morning fixture.
The Roosters have plenty to prove, especially after an 81-point thrashing from Williamstown at Eureka Stadium last round.
“We must show we’ve absorbed the lessons of that defeat,” FitzGerald said. “We’ve had a good week on the track – most teams would say that – but we’ve done a lot of deep analysis, including areas in which we were deficient.”
The Roosters will make significant changes to their line-up coming off the loss.
FitzGerald said part of this is to fit back in forward James Keeble and versatile tall Bryce Curnow, who are both considered in the Roosters’ starting best, and North Melbourne-listed Aaron Mullett in his return from shoulder surgery.
Keeble has diligently worked his way back from a knee strain he sustained in the Roosters’ final practice match against Collingwood.
Curnow has missed the past two matches with a side strain.
Meanwhile, defender-turned-forward option Liam Hoy is in doubt with general soreness and will continue to be monitored for the clash.
This match will be a curtain-raiser of sorts – the VFL game is scheduled for 1pm and should finish in time for supporters to watch the broadcast game between each club’s AFL arm in Hobart.