Lancaster, the reigning premier and Murchison-Toolamba the runner-up, both have retained last year’s lists and added some quality recruits during the off-season to suggest they could be the benchmarks again.
The Wombats have added former players in Ricky Thomson and Tanner Cerrone, plus Northcote Park and VFL player Lachy Boscarini, Morrie Serra, Tanner Cerrone and Oliver McAuliffe to its already talented list.
Brad Orr will captain the side with last year’s skipper Adam Vick unavailable for the early games.
Premiership player Rikki Busch could also play later in the season.
Add these players to the Lancaster list already rich in experience and class acts in coach Tom Davies, Cam Simpson, Zac Cerrone, Phil Carroll and Jake Mills, and it adds up to a serious challenge for successive flag wins.
Lancaster hosts Longwood in the opener and there are a lot expectations that the visitors are poised for their best-ever season in the league.
This expectation has been fuelled by a host of recruits and a new coach Jordan Formosa who wants no more than his team to be respected by all rivals.
At Longwood there is an air of excitement.
The Redlegs enter a season with a new face at the helm in Jordan Formosa and with a stack of gun talent after a successful off-season recruiting period.
Longwood won’t find many matches harder than the one that awaits it on Saturday, with a trip to take on 2022 premier Lancaster.
After finishing last season without a win to their name, the Redlegs’ new mentor is out to tick off one major assignment.
“My goal is for us to be as competitive for as much as we can. Play our style and brand of footy, which is team-orientated first,” Formosa said.
“I want to win some respect back for the club.”
Round one fixture
Saturday:
Lancaster v Longwood, Girgarre v Shepparton East, Undera v Avenel, Dookie United v Murchison, Violet Town v Merrigum.
Sunday:
Nagambie v Stanhope.
Whether Longwood has enough recruits to make a dramatic change in its fortunes will play out as the season progresses, but meeting the reigning premier first-up is a herculean challenge.
– Murchison-Toolamba has added David Smith from Fitzroy Stars and Lochlan O’Brien (Mooroopna) and have a new coach, Brett Foley.
On paper they are also stronger than last season, which makes them one of the early season flag favourites. They host Dookie United in the opener and are expected to win well.
– Merrigum could be a surprise.
They have lost some star players, but new coach Jaydon Stiles has bought some talented players with him from Golden Rivers League club Marcorna.
Kyabram trio Brodie Easton, Jarryd Pertzel and Josh Wild are also valuable pick-ups and should also make a presence.
Pertzel and their new coaches are notable goalkickers who will keep rival defences on their toes.
The Bulldogs travel to Violet Town who have had an had exodus of players in the off season including goalkicking guns Jack Exell and Josh Mellington, so have a big chance to open the season with a win.
– Girgarre had a major setback preparing for the season with coach and century goalkicker from last season Damian Cupido stepping down. But it is rallying behind new coach and club stalwart Brendan Baumann to try and make something out of the season.
The Roos have lost five players who topped their best and fairest voting last year and helped it win a finals appearance for the first time in 21 years. They will rely heavily on some recruits led by Stanhope’s Jonathan Pearson and Jorge Maxwell and Tongala’s Nick Woods and Tod Van Roy to step up to keep it competitive.
Girgarre faces a tough first-up test hosting Shepparton East, a finalist last year which has picked up classy footy journeyman Tyson Sidebottom among its recruits and are expected to be a major player in the premiership fight.
– Stanhope under new and experienced coach Mark Adamson is a bit of an unknown, but is banking on inclusions and its well known fighting spirit to counteract its departures.
The Lions’ biggest loss is Ryan Semmel, deprived of last season’s League McNamara Medal through ineligibility.
Among its new faces are Adam Lovison from Tongala, Darcy Keck from Stathmerton and Jake Rennie from Tatura.
Adamson wants to get wins on the board early and will be encouraging his charges to play an attacking game in its bid to land a top four spot at the end of the season.
It has a Sunday appointment against Nagambie at Nagambie in the opening round.
The Lakers were finalists last year under coach Tyrone Muir and with some additions and no notable departures are expected to be a finals contender again.
– Undera faces another challenging season with few additions and only one departure.
It hosts Avenel who has a new coach in Matthew Huy and host of new recruits to try and make up for last year when it was the minor premier but made a straights sets exit in the finals.
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