NORTH Ballarat coach Clint Proctor is confident the Roosters have the depth to cover the absence of key midfielders Reggie Palmer and Brock Leonard ahead of a top-of-the-table clash against Sebastopol.<\/p>\n
A knee injury to Leonard in the Roosters’ impressive 77-point win over Melton in round 5 was compounded by Palmer sustaining a broken arm in a 44-point victory over Redan before the interleague bye.<\/p>\n
It has deprived the red-hot Roosters of a full-strength midfield in what shapes as a tantalising clash between the league’s two biggest improvers a third of the way through the season<\/p>\n
Proctor said the extent of Palmer’s injury was not uncovered until a few days after the Redan game.<\/p>\n
“He’s got a scaphoid one that is pretty bad, so it will be six or eight weeks at least,” he said.<\/p>\n
“And Brock did his knee the week before and we are suspecting an ACL.<\/p>\n
“That’s footy \u2026 but it creates opportunity.<\/p>\n
“I think that’s been our greatest strength this year; we’ve had a whole range of good players each week stand up.<\/p>\n
“We don’t rely on the same guys, as much as they are consistent every week.<\/p>\n
“Hopefully, a few of them can take their opportunities now. There will be a few of them get some time.”<\/p>\n
The clash at Marty Busch Reserve looms as arguably the biggest the Roosters have played in Proctor’s two seasons at the helm, rivalled only by their round 18 encounter last season against Darley with a finals spot up for grabs.<\/p>\n
They had a chance to win it, with a late shot on goal from Josh Morris missing to hand the Devils a three-point win, confining themselves to a seventh-place finish.<\/p>\n
With every win in 2026, so too does the significance of the occasion for Sebastopol, which is coming off a stirring 22-point win against reigning premier Darley before the break, the Burra’s third victory this season over one of last year’s finalists.<\/p>\n
“It’s good for the boys; it will be a great challenge and hopefully we embrace the occasion,” Proctor said.<\/p>\n
“Two Ballarat teams and obviously whoever wins goes to the top and kicks a game clear.<\/p>\n
“Look, one game won’t define our year, but we want to put a good performance in and see what the outcome is.”<\/p>\n
Proctor believed there was likely no bigger challenge to overcome in BFNL football right now than the Burra, who have impressively made their way to 5-1, their only blemish a round 5 loss to Sunbury.<\/p>\n
“They’re healthy and that helps, but they have a great list,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I was actually looking at their team this week and they have eight to 10 players rating over 100 ranking points a game. It’s off the charts.<\/p>\n
“It’s a long list of good players in form, including their veterans Kiel and Cassidy and Tony Lockyer, and their new recruits Henderson and Edwards, who have been top shelf, and Toby Hutt is in the best form of anyone in the comp.<\/p>\n
“They are a dangerous team.<\/p>\n
“We’ll have our strategies and a couple of ideas about how we match up, but I think the team that adjusts better to the pressure first will be the one that can get the game on their terms.<\/p>\n
“I’m not sure what the conditions will be like at Sebas, but it seems to be quite windy and the game is sometimes played in two halves.<\/p>\n
“The conditions and the contest itself will likely determine who comes out on top.”<\/p>\n
North Ballarat will again rely on multiple avenues to goal, with Jye Lockett, Declyn Mcguigan and Jamie Quick all having days out at various stages during the club’s current five-game winning streak.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NORTH Ballarat coach Clint Proctor is confident the Roosters have the depth to cover the absence of key midfielders Reggie Palmer and Brock Leonard ahead of a top-of-the-table clash against Sebastopol. A knee injury to Leonard in the Roosters’ impressive 77-point win over Melton in round 5 was compounded by Palmer sustaining a broken arm […]<\/p>\n