THE injury-riddled Devils finally received some good news last night, with three of their top players passing fitness tests.
Star wingman Ben Atkin (shoulder), rover-cum-goalsneak Ian Callinan (severe corking) and tough on-baller Ben Setchell (severe corking) have all been passed fit for tomorrow night's VFL game against the Springvale Scorpions at Launceston's Aurora Stadium.
Devils coach Mathew Armstrong has been forced to make three changes because of injury and suspension and could still make more to the team that recorded its second win for the season last week against Frankston.
Back pocket Nick Paine will have his ankle checked today, with Armstrong placing Kurt Heazlewood on standby.
Armstrong was not able to consider Brett and Tim Geappen because of suspension, while full-forward Daniel Archer is out with a hamstring strain.
Armstrong said the loss of key personnel had not dented the side's confidence.
"It is probably more annoying for the coach,'' he said.
"You get a win and everything went well, and then you get all these injuries.
"I probably didn't want to make too many changes because they went very well, but actually on paper we line up pretty good still.''
Despite losing two of the Geappen brothers on charging suspensions, Armstrong does not want his players to lose their physical style.
"They were a couple of aggressive acts, [but] they didn't maim or hurt the person massively,'' he said.
"We are going to miss them but I certainly don't want to take the aggression out of our game. But there is a time and a place and a better way of doing it, and we have discussed that.''
Springvale has included eight St Kilda-listed players and three rookies and have a distinct height advantage.
Former Mariner Barry Brooks, the Scorpions' leading goalscorer with
22 majors in eight games, has been named in a forward pocket.
Matt Smith and Ashley Eames are at least 200cm, while Brooks, Nick Stone, Josh Homann, Ed McDonnell, Dylan Pfitzner and Troy Schwarze are 190cm-plus.
Teams for Tommorrow
Tasmania
B Street Jovanovic Paine
HB Robinson Ritcher Triffett
C Atkin Setchell Beams
HF M Geappen Grima Shackleton
F Brown Ronaldson Callinan
R Savage Hall Millhouse
Int Ling Henley Viney
Peterson Wager Britton
Heazlewood Stephens
Springvale Scorpions
B Bruin Homann McGough
HB Rigg Gwilt Gram
C Brewer Guerra Mullins
HF Harrison Fredricks Carmody
F Brooks Schwarze Stone
R Eames Taylor Sammartino
IntMorse Smith Biagi Blake
Last Modified on 24/06/2005 12:14