Magpies lose key forward after injury turns out worse than expected

Biermann injured his shoulder in the final minutes of the Magpies' win over Temora at Nixon Park last Saturday.

Biermann had been arguably best-on-ground with a five-goal haul but dislocated his shoulder in the final minutes of the Farrer League clash.

Initial indications were that Biermann had escaped serious injury but he pulled up sore post game and is now set for an extended period on the sidelines.

TRYC co-coach Heath Russell expects Biermann to miss a month at least.

"He did his shoulder in the last minute. We took him off and one of the boys said 'I need a break' so we put him back on," Russell explained.

"It popped in and out. It went straight back in and he said it was really good, it passed all the strength tests.

"He was never going to play this week but it pulled up a bit sore. He'll probably miss about a month."

It continues an interrupted run for Biermann, who missed half of last season with an overseas holiday but returned in time to play a key part in the Magpies' premiership.

A best and fairest winner in his first year at the club, Biermann forms a lethal partnership in attack at TRYC with full-forward James Roberts.

Russell said pending Biermann's recovery, the Magpies could still take a conservative approach where he would miss longer.

"We've got Barellan (on Saturday), then Marrar, Coly, North Wagga and then a bye. So he'll have a month at least," Russell said.

"Then we've got two more then a bye so whether we give him the whole lot, we'll see."

Biermann and Jack Brooks (calf) go out of TRYC's team to take on Barellan on Saturday. Ben Merrills will make his debut, while Mitch Stephenson also returns.

Barellan, meantime, will unveil their latest recruit against the Magpies on Saturday.

Jai Sandbrink is the latest Melbourne-based recruit to join the Two Blues.

Like a few of his fellow recruits, Sandbrink is a talented basketballer but spent last football season playing reserve grade at Eastern Football League club The Basin.

Sandbrink has been named on-ball for Barellan, who will be without ruck Jack White again, while best and fairest winner Dean Schmetzer will miss a third consecutive week.