For more than 20 years, Myers Reserve has been a second home for Adrian Fantella.
So it is fitting that the Bell Post Hill great will celebrate his 300th game for the club on the ground he knows like the back of his hand when the Panthers host Corio.
“I’ve basically lived my life up there,” Fantella told K rock Football’s Beyond the Boundary podcast.
“It will be good to get out there and hopefully have some family and friends around and look back and talk about some good times we’ve had.
And there are plenty of good times to talk about for Fantella, who becomes the fifth player to reach the mark at Bell Post Hill.
He is a seven-time premiership player with Bell Post Hill and one of only two players, alongside Shane Lymer, to feature in each of the flags the Panthers won between 2010-12 and 2014-17.
However, Fantella says pinpointing his favourite of the premierships is not easy.
“I thought about this – I won’t lie – through the week a bit more than normal,” he said.
“It is a bit hard; every one has its own story which you could make a case for.
“In the last group of four – the bookends, 2014 and maybe ’17 kind of standouts as my favourites, I guess.”
After starting with a shock win over East Geelong in Round 1, the Panthers’ only other victory was against Anakie in Round 6.
Despite the rare lack of success this season, Fantella is confident that Bell Post Hill can return to being a contender in 2025.
“I’m pretty excited with the list that they have and the young kids that they’ve got playing this year, which definitely look like a good nucleus going forward.”
Bell Post Hill has made three changes for the clash.
St Joseph’s recruit Matt Purnell will make his debut, Mitch Miller has been promoted for his first senior appearance of the season, and Daniel Clissold returns.
Jett Herrmann, Sam Harmer and Daniel Maher are missing from the team that lost to Inverleigh last week.
Corio will be without Herschelle Carr for the remainder of the season after the star forward headed overseas.
Carr has been an impressive addition to the Devils after arriving from GFNL club North Shore, sharing the lead on the league goal-kicking table with Inverleigh veteran Adam Donohue on 42 goals.
Jayden Kealey will return after missing last week’s loss to Belmont Lions.
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Ladder-leader East Geelong will welcome back Jaydan McLauchlan, Conor McKinnon and Caleb Lowndes for its clash with Inverleigh at Richmond Crescent.
However, under the concussion protocols, the Eagles will be without captain John McIntyre, while Sam King and Luca Mamone have been omitted.
The Hawks, who can jump into the top five with victory, regain premiership duo Luke Wilson and Paddy Bourke at the expense of youngsters Cam Sewell and Harvey Bauer.
Werribee Centrals has been boosted by the return of captain Daryl Chesterman, big man Paddy Daley, and Bryce Linehan-Cunningham for the meeting with Anakie at Galvin Park.
Joel Croswell will return to the Centurions under-18s after making his debut last week, while there was no room for Jordan Leggieri and Henry Egan.
The Roos defeated the Centurions in Round 3 and lodged an unchanged team.
Thomson will begin a three-week stretch without Billie Smedts when it meets Bannockburn in a potential elimination final preview at Godfrey Street.
The City Tigers have lodged four changes, with Josh Camm, Jack Stoneham, Jeremy Cain and Robert Tomlinson out of the team that lost to East Geelong before the bye.
However, captain Travis McGuire, Dan Freeman, Mitch Hodgson, and Tom Major all return in a timely boost for Paul Lynch’s team.
Skipper Tristan Battaglia passed a fitness test on his groin and was among the two inclusions for the Country Tigers.
Doug Thomas is also back, with Bailey Rathje and Brode Harding omitted.
North Geelong has promoted Ryan Humphries from the reserves and welcomes Paddy Cleary, Dylan Fisher and Luke Schwennesen back for its season-defining clash with Winchelsea at Eastern Reserve.
They replace Jacsen Jewell, who underwent surgery on Thursday after suffering a punctured lung and broken ribs in the loss to Anakie, Jake Dalziel (shoulder), Aaron Best (unavailable) and Juanito Ramos.
A win for the Magpies could see it back within a game of the top five if Inverleigh can’t overcome East Geelong.
The Blues have lost Cassidy Parish, Luke Henry, and Shaun Morris to injury.
They have been replaced by Declan Chibnall, Reuben James, and Jack Harcoan.
Harcoan last appeared at 2pm for the Blues in 2022 having missed all of last year after undergoing a knee reconstruction.
Belmont Lions will be without injured duo Ben McPherson and Dave Allitt for Sunday’s NAIDOC Game against Geelong West at Winter Reserve.
Brock Mahoney returns from injury, while Mikali Harrison has been recalled from the reserves for the clash that starts at 1:15pm.
The Giants have submitted an unchanged team.
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