By Brett Stubbs (Mercury)
THE Devils will give star fullback Mathew Jovanovic every opportunity to be fit for Sunday's big clash against North Ballarat at Bellerive.
After the VFL tribunal failed to come to the Devils' aid and rub out star Roosters full-forward Nathan Saunders, Devils coach Mathew Armstrong will be hoping Jovanovic (calf) is right to go.
A former Western Bulldogs full-forward, Saunders, at 193cm and 95kg, is the Roosters' key forward, having booted 20 goals this season.
Jovanovic, 189cm and 92kg, held Saunders to three goals during the Roosters' 25-point round-five win.
But after Saunders was placed on report last round for charging, there was hope the Devils would not have to worry about him at all.
But Saunders and teammate Cameron Wright were cleared of charging offences on Tuesday night.
Similar incidents cost the Devils' Brett Geappen a match and his younger brother, Tim, two.
After viewing last round's Frankston-North Ballarat game, Armstrong said he would speak to the VFL about the verdicts.
"I will ask the questions how I can lose two and they get two off,'' he said.
"I will ask the questions but I can't comment [on the verdict].''
Having served his suspension, Brett Geappen will return Sunday as will star forward Justin Plapp -- if he pulls up fine from last night's training.
Back-pocket Nathan Street (back) will also have to pass a fitness test as he will be needed to quell the Roosters' leading goalkicker, small forward Djaran Whyman.
The side is far from settled with Nick Paine (ankle) and Daniel Archer (hamstring) also under injury clouds.
As is the norm this season, the Devils will go in vastly smaller than their fellow non-aligned opponents.
The Roosters, sitting in eighth, two wins ahead of the Devils in 11th, have selected a side with six players 193cm or taller, including former Carlton and Kangaroos ruckman Mark Porter.
North Ballarat has included former AFL players Anthony Franchina (Carlton), Craig Biddiscombe (Geelong and Richmond) and Jim Plunkett (Western Bulldogs and Carlton).
Teams for Sunday
Tasmania
B Street Jovanovic Shackleton
HB Atkin Grima Wager
C B Geappen M Geappen Triffett
HF Hall Savage Plapp
F Brown Beams Callinan
R Ronaldson Ritcher Robinson
Int Archer Henley Heazlewood
Johnson Britton Paine
Setchell Stephens
North Ballarat
B Greig Ryall McConnell
HB Biddiscombe Clark Moloney
C Sharkey McNamara McCorkell
HF Franchina McLean Hutchinson
F Whyman Saunders Porter
R Bye Plunkett Field
Int Miller McMahon Searl Goodes Wright J Spolding J Edwards Chester
Last Modified on 01/07/2005 10:15