Werribee Centrals look set to be without playing coach Rhyce Prismall for the remainder of the GDFNL home-and-away season after injuring his knee.
The 35-year-old, who has also been battling the flu, suffered damage to his medial collateral ligament in a tackle when an opponent landed across his knee in the Round 14 win over Anakie at Galvin Park.
“I’m just getting a more structured timeline,” Prismal told K rock Football’s Beyond the Boundary podcast.
“Hopefully, (I’ll) return by finals, but there’s a lot to play out.
“I’ve got it braced up pretty heavily and doing everything I can to minimise any swelling and get it repaired as quick as I can in the first fortnight.
“Then it’s just a gradual thing from there.
“I’m probably aiming for that first or second week of finals as a best case at the moment.”
Despite Prismall’s absence, the Centurions will return to something resembling full strength for its return meeting with Bannockburn at Galvin Park.
Captain Michael Culliver and big man Paddy Daley are among six inclusions for the Past Players’ Day clash celebrating Centrals’ 1984 premiership double.
In the club’s first year in the GDFNL, it claimed the division two flags in both seniors and reserves.
The Tigers welcome back captain Tristian Battaglia and Cal Elliott for injured duo Lachie Battaglia and Callum McCarthy.
GDFNL: AT SELECTION – ROUND 16
Winchelsea will be without star midfielder Cassidy Parish for its meeting with qualifying final-bound Belmont Lions at Winter Reserve.
Parish, who has been battling calf issues in recent weeks, sat out most of last week’s upset win over Werribee Centrals.
The Blues, who unveiled former Collingwood, Werribee and Geelong VFL gun Ben Moloney as its new coach for 2025 last (Thursday) night, have also lost Jack Symmons to concussion.
After being late additions to the senior team against the Centurions, Baxter Boddington and Luke Foot will return to the reserves.
Lucas Brown, brother of Blue Caleb, will make his debut, while Luke Henry and Oliver Mahncke are back.
Star ruck Jed Evans is listed as an out for the Lions, who can book a qualifying final berth with victory.
East Geelong will welcome back Jayden Fanning and Ben Crombie and has promoted Wallace Gemmill from the reserves for its meeting with Geelong West.
They replace Tim Lee (managed), Caleb Lowndes (ribs), and Alex McDonald (concussion)
The Giants have lodged five changes
Among their inclusions is former Belmont Lion Brad Storm for his senior debut at West.
However, veteran Justin Carey will be missing.
Teetering on the edge of the finals, Inverleigh will welcome back big man Kad McEwan-Walsh and the classy Fin O’Keefe among three changes for the must-win meeting with Corio at Morton Power Oval.
Recruit Bailey Carubia has been included for his third senior game and first since the draw with the Devils in Round 6.
Kieran McNally misses through suspension, with unavailable duo Dan Grozdanovski and Billy McIntosh also out of the team that lost to Thomson last week.
Corio has lost Logan Dixon to an ankle injury, with Brayden Cotter his replacement.
Aaron Best returns for North Geelong as the replacement for Jhye Kenna ahead of its meeting with Thomson at Keith Barclay Oval.
The Tigers, who can make finals a certainty with a win, welcome back Dan Freeman and Jackson Sheedy.
However, Nick Lynch (hamstring) and Dan Mowat (soreness) is among the outs.
Bell Post Hill has welcomed back Henry Verschuren and Daniel Maher at the expense of Clancy Mackay and Tanner Martin for its meeting with Anakie at Myers Reserve.
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