The Cobras are already sitting on their player points cap limit of 43.

To fit in Sherlock, who is worth four points, coach Travis Hodgson would have to leave out at least one frontline player.

Jake Owen, Ben Speight and Jacob Chisari each carry five points.

However, their places in the side are non-negotiable.

This would put Matthew Chisari, who like Sherlock is a four-point player, in the firing line.

Chisari joined Bacchus Marsh this season and is one of seven Cobras to have played in all 16 games.

The only other option would to be leave out two players with a combined total of five points and find a one-pointer to add with Sherlock.

This would involve at least one of the trio Aaron Willitts (three points), Daniel Burton (two) and Jackson Bolton (two), and again it would be a big call to leave out any of these match-hardened Cobras. 

Curiously, had Sherlock played on through his back issues, Hodgson would already have had to made a decision along this line.

When Sherlock was playing, a series of injuries to Jacob Chisari and late start to the season by Bolton –  he did not play until round 14 – provided some breathing space in the points cap.

As well as points to consider, Hodgson would have to think about the risk factor of bringing Sherlock back with the injury worry.

Sherlock showed himself to be in the top handful of players in the BFL and Bacchus Marsh would have no hesitation recalling him if he was match fit.

The Cobras could not afford to see him sidelined early in the game and be left short. They suffered that fate last year when they lost Kane White (knee) and Trent Angwin (hamstring) in the opening quarter against Darley in the second semi-final.