THE Rural Bank Bendigo Pioneers will be striving to bounce back from consecutive losses against the Northern Knights in the TAC Cup on Sunday.
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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).