KYABRAM has two games to settle its line-up for a finals attack on its third GVL flag in four years but co-coach Paul Newman said the make-up of team for the first week of finals will not be settled until the last home-and-away round.
The unbeaten Bombers will make the long trip to Mansfield in the penultimate round this Saturday, with some players returning and others unavailable.
Expected to be available for this week’s game are Luke Morris, Nic Coulstock and co-coach Sam Sheldon, who all missed the Euroa game two weeks ago with niggling injuries.
This trio would be expected to be certain selections in Kyabram’s best side.
Key defender and premiership skipper Josh Vick could also be ready to resume after three weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring strain but livewire onballer and goalkicker Hayden Gemmill is unavailable due to work commitments.
Tough nut Axel Child is a 50-50 chance to play.
The Kyabram defence, which has been a pivotal part of the Bombers' success over the past three seasons, has been disrupted by the absence of key positional players in veterans Jason Morgan and Josh Vick in recent games.
Morgan has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a severe hamstring tear.
In its last game, against Euroa, the Kyabram defence leaked the second-most goals (nine) for the season, which didn’t impress Newman.
Newman made clear his disappointment at the second-half performance in particular, and accused some of his players of being ‘‘unaccountable’’ and ‘‘getting ahead of themselves’’.
He said Tom and Jack Sheldon were the only Kyabram defenders to stand up in the game against Euroa.
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