St Mary’s co-coach Luke Rayner is bracing for some long nights around the selection table come September as a host of big-name players return ahead of the club’s ninth consecutive finals campaign.
The Saints, who have used 39 players across the 2026 season, will close in on something resembling full availability in the next fortnight.
On Sunday against Geelong West, two-time Mathieson medallist Harry Benson, captain Jack Blood, and the versatile Charlie Sprague make their returns.
Ryan Pendlebury and Charlie Lang are also available.
The following week, Frank Fopiani medallist Keidan Rayner, who is being managed this week, talisman Paddy Dowling, co-captain Brayden Ham, and young gun Ollie Flynn should be right to take on Colac.
Rayner expects St Mary’s, which can only lose the minor premiership with disastrous losses, will get back Sam Bourke for the second semi-final, and talented ruck Fletcher Hughes could be available depending on how far Port Melbourne progresses in the VFL finals.
“If we’re healthy there’s going to be probably four or four or five genuinely unlucky players to miss out,” he said.
“Now healthy with an “if” is a big word I reckon because my experience is that you’re rarely 100 per cent healthy.
“I’d love to recognise all of the players that have pulled on a senior jumper this year, because through circumstance, through unavailability, through injury, we’ve had a lot of players that have had to carry big loads throughout the year, some of which may get to play finals and some of which may not get to play finals at senior level.
“We don’t get to the position we’re currently in now without those players.
“That’s obviously a bit of the harsh reality of a strong list is that you’re always going to have some unlucky players.”
Rayner says Benson, Blood and Sprague will play managed minutes against the Giants as they ease their way back into action.
“We’ll obviously deal with that on the day in regards to how we best do that because you can never forecast how a game unfolds,” he said.
“I wouldn’t envisage that they’ll play too much more than sort three quarters in total.”
Hughes, the reigning GFNL Rookie of the Year, earned a VFL debut with Port Melbourne last week.
With the Borough having the week off after climbing out of the Wildcard Round with a win over Collingwood, St Mary’s won’t have access to the talented ruckman this weekend.
“Fletcher’s been a revelation really over the last couple of years,” Rayner said.
“Full credit to Fletch. He’s a terrific young man with a great attitude, and he only knows one way, and that’s give 100 per cent week in, week out.
“It was nice for Fletch to get an opportunity on a VFL list, and to get a game, albeit their very last home-and-away game, and now it sounds like he finds himself in their first finals side.
“I know he’s excited about it.
“We think he’s got many great attributes to play at a really good level, but we also know that he’s got plenty of growth and development still to happen.”
South Barwon (2nd, 12-4) will welcome back Geelong VFL pair Tom Peirce and Lachie Weidemann among three inclusions for the likely qualifying final rehearsal against Newtown & Chilwell (3rd, 12-4) at McDonald Reserve.
The Swans also welcome back Hamish Sinnott after he sat out the pre-bye win over St Albans.
However, coach Mark Neeld couldn’t consider midfielder Paddy Kelly, who has been managed by the Cats ahead of their VFL finals campaign.
The experienced Kelly O’Neil and Geordie Richardson have been omitted.
Newtown & Chilwell will welcome back Ben Pennisi from Geelong VFL duty and vice-captain Connor Fopiani, while Luke Norsworthy has been named to debut and Edan Ibbetson has been promoted from the reserves for his first senior appearance since Round 17 last year.
They replace co-captain Luke Maddock, Jedd Coburn and Noah Tullio, who are being managed.
Colac (6th, 9-7) has been forced into seven changes for its must-win clash with St Joseph’s (4th, 12-5) at Central Reserve.
The Tigers have lost Kody Spokes, Zach Zdybel, Jack Fish and Darcy Lang to suspension following last week’s win over St Albans, while Ben McCarthy and Ethan Liddle are both injured.
Zdybel was set to challenge the Match Review Panel’s offer of a two-match ban at the AFL Barwon Tribunal on Thursday night before deciding to accept the set penalty.
Chaise Murray is also unavailable, as he makes the trek across the Nullarbor to see brother Tobyn make his debut for AFL club Fremantle.
Colac has included Billy Buchanan, Will Parkhouse, Steve Presani, Hamish Darroch, Ted Buchand, Charlie Seuren and Zac McCarthy.
The Tigers need to beat Joeys and have Bell Park lose to St Albans to turn its final round clash with St Mary’s into a virtual elimination final.
St Joseph’s, which can climb into the top three with a win, will be boosted by the return from a broken leg of Geelong VFL midfielder James Hose.
Star forward Jack Jovanovic is also back after missing last week’s win over the Saints, with Caleb Foster recalled.
Lachie McCallum, Eamon Hill and Tosh Lennon have been omitted.
St Albans (9th, 4-12) have lost quality quartet Hayden Elliot, Fletcher Keck, Tom Gunther and Tyson Roberts for its meeting with finals hopefuls Bell Park (5th, 11-6) at Hi Sushi Oval.
Both Elliott and Keck won’t play again this season after being concussed in last week’s loss to Colac.
Star forward Jack Sarcevic returns for the Dragons after being away since mid-season; big men Jacob Nihill and Ollie Hicks are back, and reserves captain Noah Hollard will make his senior debut for the club.
They replace captain Lachie Patten (unavailable), Henry Mansfield (unavailable), Darcy Melksham (concussion), and Charlie Trezise.
Grovedale (8th, 5-11) will welcome back Joel Martyn and Leigh Ellis for the clash with North Shore (11th, 0-17) as it chases its sixth win of the season.
They replace the injured Bradley Kreuger and Paul Roberts Potter.
The Seagulls, who have the bye in Round 20, have lost Will Milsome to a hamstring injury, Cody Harrison is suspended, and Matt Jennings has been omitted.
Leopold (7th, 8-9), which can’t qualify for the finals, has the bye.
X: @krockfootball
