With Michael Hogan injured, and Tim Blades preparing to leave for Australia, there's a shortage of front rows specially as the Stags take on Barnard Castle .. also at home.
The former skipper will takes his place on the bench alongside Aaron Myers, who took last night's training session, and Joe Willis who has been looking back to his silky best in the Stags as he comes back from an operation in the summer.
Hogan was injured in the Boxing Day game which also saw John Bunter and Gavin Painter taking knocks which keep them out of this week's game. Zac Southern takes over at fly half with Luke Mallinson dropping to full back and Greg Edwards starting in the centre.
We go into 2017 still on top of North One East – but only just. A couple of defeats has allowed the chasing pack to close in with form side Pocklington now level on points - only in second place by virtue of having lost one more game.
So the visit of second bottom Guisborough is a vital one with Pocklington hosting another form side in Bradford & Bingley.
A year ago the two sides faced each other in the first game of 2016. We struggled to a 10-5 win on the College pitch - the main pitch suffering after days of heavy rain.
Since then the gap between the two sides appears to have opened with the visitors only managing two wins so far. However, they have a dangerous runner in full back Christian Pollock who wore the No 10 shirt back in the first fixture in September - a 29-15 victory for West.
West: Luke Mallinson, Rob Thorn, Greg Edwards, Peter Youll, Eldon Myers, Zac Southern, Ryan Painter, Ross Wood, Andrew Rollins, Adam Coates, Joe Rafferty, Dan Boatman (capt), Carl Miller, Lee Maddison, Sam Miller.
Changes: Anth Carr, Aaron Myers, Joe Willis.
Guisborough: Christian Pollock, Charlie Stockeld, Alex Ruff, Matthew Robinson, Mark Ferguson, Will Muir, Tony Conway, Andrew Milne, Matthew Storey, Rob Berriman, Michael Henderson, Rob Leggott (Capt), Oliver Taggart, Oliver Muir, Lloyd Russell.
Changes: Sam Whyman, Jonny Wills, Paul Towers