Wounded Tigers wary of North Shore
COLAC coach Kane Leersen says he remains wary of a beefed-up North Shore as his side bids for its first win of the season.
As the Tigers prepare for tomorrow’s clash without gun midfielder Joffy Simpkin (suspension) and Tom Simpkin (knee), Leersen said the Seagulls would provide his side with a stern test.
“From what I’ve seen they have definitely improved and they seem on the right track,” he said.
“I haven’t played against Sam Darley before, but he’s a great footballer and they’ve got some quality forwards, Nathan Peoples down back and, of course, Jason Davenport.
“If you look at their top six or seven players, they’re probably as good as anyone in the competition now.
“We’ve got a lot of respect for them and we look forward to a great hitout.”
Adam Garner is likely to return for Tom Simpkin after playing a solid match in the reserves, while Sam McLachlan could replace Joffy Simpkin in midfield.
McLachlan was a late callup for Geelong’s VFL side, but it is unclear whether he will line up for the Cats or return to meet North Shore.
In other news, Colac is set to be boosted by the return of stars Meyrick Buchanan and Michael Bolitho.
Bolitho has been cleared from the Essendon & District Football League, while former Footscray VFL player Buchanan is set to be cleared from the Heathcote District Football League.
“They’re Colac boys, and with work commitment, they are limited in their commitment to footy,” Leersen said.
“They’re back in Colac quite regularly, so there might be a chance they’ll play a couple of games in the reserves here and there, but at this stage it won’t be anything more serious than that.”