Vic Country was forced to make three late changes for its third match of the U18s National Championships against South Australia at Ballarat on Wednesday morning.
Gippsland pair Marlon Neocleous and Cohen Dent and Geelong's Ned Badrock were all excluded.
Neocleous, viewed by some as a top 10 prospect, ruled himself out of Vic Country's game on Friday due to back spasms. He was given every opportunity to play the third game, but with just a five-day break, the small forward was unable to get up.
Badrock, meanwhile was ruled out with illness, while Dent was also a late exclusion.
Bendigo's Max Thompson, Geelong's Jett Elek and Gippsland's Oscar Henwood were the late inclusions.
Thompson and Henwood are two of the most highly regarded 2027 prospects and have had a promising championships so far which has them in Tasmania's sights with the club's ability to pre-list 17-year-olds later this year.
It follows first-round prospect Wil Malady being ruled out after he rolled his ankle in the first minute of Friday's Vic Country game against Western Australia.
Malady played out the game and took four contested marks in a hard working duel on rising Claremont defender Tom Brown.
All four are expected to be available for selection for Vic Country's final game of the National Championships against Vic Metro on July 19.
