It’s the third game in a row at the QEO for the Pioneers, but they haven’t been able to take advantage of their home ground in their previous two, going down to the Oakleigh Chargers by 34 points and Gippsland Power by 26.

The season is only four games old, but already the Pioneers have used 37 of their 65-listed players in their team.

“We haven’t had a lot of injuries, most of what we’ve had so far is AFL Academy boys playing games or being rested, Vic Country games, private school footy or the odd player who has been rotated back to local footy that has made players unavailable,” Pioneers coach Rick Coburn said on Friday.

“It has been very tricky from a coaching point of view where we’ve been having five in and five out every week, but it’s across the TAC Cup where everyone is in a similar position.”

There’s another six changes to the Pioneers’ team for Sunday’s clash against an opponent Bendigo hasn’t beaten since 2012.

The Pioneers head into the game with a 1-3 record, while the Knights are 2-2.

Sunday’s game starts at 1pm.

Who has played for the Pioneers already this year:

Brent Daniels

Lewin Davis

Bailey Henderson

Daine Grace

Lachlan Wallace

Matthew Harvey

Coby McCarthy

Jobee Warde

Lochie O'Brien

Billy Robertson

Jye Caldwell

Kane Farrell

Angus Schumacher

Brady Hore

Braydan Torpey

Caleb Sheahan

Cooper Barber

Darby Henderson

Hugh Schaeche

Injidup Fyfe

Jacob Atley

Jose Miliado

Joshua Nitschke

Keelin Betson

Koby Hommelhoff

Lachlan Gill

Laine Fitzgerald

Liam Marciano

Mitchell Christensen

Mitchell Kemp

Paddy Dow

Rhys Mutch

Riley Burns

Rourke Turner

Steven Gunther

Tom Campbell

Zachary Denahy

BENDIGO PIONEERS v NORTHERN KNIGHTS – 1pm Sunday at Queen Elizabeth Oval.

Bendigo Pioneers

B: 19. M. Kemp, 5. T. Campbell, 43. J. Nitschke

HB: 2. K. Farrell, 69. A. Mertz, 16. J. Atley

C: 18. B.  Henderson, 31. C.  Sheahan, 29. J.  Thomas

HF: 25. L. Davis, 4. K. Betson, 10. B. Daniels

F: 12. L. Wallace, 27. B. Torpey, 47. R. Mutch

R: 35. J. Warde, 15. D. Henderson, 52. R. Turner

Int: 24. B. Hore, 57. K. Hommelhoff, 7. M. Harvey, 39. L. Gill, 14. C. McCarthy

23P: 70. L. Marciano

In: A. Mertz, B. Daniels, J. Thomas, B. Torpey, C. Sheahan, J. Nitschke

Out: D. Grace,  L. Fitzgerald,  A. Schumacher,  B. Robertson,  J. Miliado

Northern Knights

B: 43. L. Sinclair, 48. L. Zhang, 30. O. Wilson

HB: 11. E. Penrith, 45. S. Uzelac, 2. M. Andrews

C: 7. J.  Petruccelle, 28. S.  Binion, 5. M.  Lentini

HF: 37. L. Sutton, 21. M. Baker, 18. J. Shea

F: 23. V. Nativo, 34. M. Harman, 22. M. Wild

R: 1. J. Grace, 8. N. Coffield, 13. O. Stapleton

Int: 3. B. Gillard, 32. P. Howe, 25. J. Ciranna, 41. C. Taplin, 35. K. Agosta, 15. A. Fable, 33. J. Randall

23P: 42. H. Grace

In: C. Taplin, S. Binion, V. Nativo, J. Randall, O. Wilson, P. Howe, M. Lentini, L. Zhang, S. Uzelac

Out: P. Naish, T. McKenzie, M. Dreher, N. Barro, K. Nasser, A. Tomaro

Last time: Northern Knights 11.15 (81) d Bendigo Pioneers 8.9 (57).