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JUST who will be in Sandhurst's final 22 to tackle Strathfieldsaye in the Bendigo Football Netball League grand final may not be known until just hours before Saturday's clash.
All week the Dragons will sweat on the recovery of dual Michelsen medallist and No.1 ruckman Tim Martin and key onballer Nick Stagg from ankle and shoulder injuries respectively.
Ahead of Tuesday night's training session at the QEO, Sandhurst senior coach Brett Fitzpatrick said no player had definitely been ruled out of contention for the grand final.
"The early assessment for Nick was not so great, but we will give him time," Fitzpatrick said.
"Tim is such a crucial part of our team.
"If both are ruled out then we have to go in with a totally different mindset."
The most obvious switch should Martin not play is for Matt Thornton, who is usually at centre half-back or centre half-forward, to go to the ruck contests.
"Just what role Matt plays is one of many discussions we will have at selection," Fitzpatrick said.
"Tom Calvert has rucked a lot in the reserves and played a couple of senior games.
"There are a few options we can consider," Fitzpatrick said.
A massive plus for the Dragons will be the return of captain and key midfielder Blair Holmes from injury.
The Dragons' skipper watched on anxiously as the team fought back to win Saturday night's preliminary final against Gisborne by five points.
In his first year as senior coach at Sandhurst, Fitzpatrick said the preliminary final victory was a big jump on the learning curve.
"I was so rapt that as a group they kept on fighting."
The message leading into the grand final is not too complicated.
"Give it your all. No-one can complain about that."
Meanwhile, the Central Murray Football League sat on Tuesday night to hear Kerang's appeal after its reserves team was disqualified during last Saturday's preliminary final.
Kerang's score was wiped following claims it fielded an ineligible player.