Lake Wendouree is still to make a final call on the fitness of Isaac Kirby for Saturday’s Ballarat Football League preliminary final at the Eastern Oval on Saturday.
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Kirby missed the Lakers’ first semi-final win over Redan with what coach Tim Malone described as knee soreness.
This continued an interrupted latter part of the season for Kirby, with him having missed a month of football with a hand issue.
Lakers football department’s Brent Olszewski said Kirby was potentially still in the mix for selection.
He said the defender would face a fitness test on Thursday.
Lake Wendouree has taken a no risk policy with all injured players this season and it is clear Malone is not about to waiver from that approach for a cut-throat final.
The second of the Kirby brothers, Gus, has already been ruled out for the second week in a row.
“Gus won’t play. We won’t being taking a risk,” Olszewski said. He strained a hamstring in the qualifying final against Bacchus Marsh.
Olszewski said Kirby might be a chance to play again if Lakers progressed to the grand final.
Olszewski told a BFL press conference on Wednesday that it would difficult to make changes for the rematch with Bacchus Marsh.
“Our 22 were all really good at the weekend.
“It’s hard to make changes when everyone plays their role.”
He described the first semi-final win over Redan as “polar opposite” to what Lakers experienced the previous week in losing to Bacchus Marsh.
“We want hard decisions to make because we want the most competitive group out there,” Olszewski said.
Lake Wendouree and Bacchus Marsh are vying to play Darley in the grand final at Mars Stadium on Saturday, September 23.
