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STAR Bell Park midfielder Nick Batchelor maintains he is fit despite being ruled out of the Vic Country squad with injury.
Batchelor was cut from the 37-man squad by coach Peter Knights, who claimed the premiership player was struggling with a chronic ankle injury.
While Batchelor conceded he had an ankle injury, he believed it was not enough to keep him off the park.
"I'm not out through injury. I rocked up to training on Sunday, and I'm generally sore after a game, and I couldn't train," Batchelor said.
"They had a full training session and I didn't participate, and I got a call from him (Knights) yesterday saying if I wasn't able to train on Sundays he couldn't commit to picking me in the team.
"He said if you're not right to train on Sundays, you can't play."
Batchelor was unable to train in Vic Country's first session at Visy Park on Sunday with general soreness and was assessed by Knights' medical team.
Knights said the injury was restricting Batchelor to training one night a week in an attempt to manage him throughout the season, a claim both the club and player reject.
"He certainly hasn't been omitted from the squad," Knights said.
"The medical staff examined him and felt he wasn't able to meet the requirements and I've got a lot of faith and confident in our medical team.
Batchelor dismissed the talk and said he was disappointed to be axed.
"I think it was an excuse to make another cut because it would be pretty hard to pick a team from 40," Batchelor said.
"I'm sure I would've been right to play, but that's his decision.
"I was keen to play, but that's the way it goes."
Batchelor was one of two omissions from the first training session with Wandin's Justin Myers withdrawing from the side, while Newtown & Chilwell spearhead Jai Sheahan was among a host of players who missed the first session.
"We didn't get a chance to look at Jai," Knights said.
"He was playing VFL with Geelong on Sunday and he was one of those guys who couldn't make our training because he had other commitments.
"That goes with the territory and we only have the chance to train on Sunday mornings at this early stage and we know there are some rosters games on Sundays."
Knights said Sheahan's unavailability would not hurt his chances of forcing his way into the squad.
"For someone like Jai, it's one of the difficulties, but we can't do anything about it."
Colac's James Linton and St Mary's Luke Bath also remain in the squad, which will be cut back to 30 following the final training session on June 30.
