Warrack coach Ryan McKenzie said the club has been building up in recent weeks and there was now a real excitement at the club.

“We probably had our strongest training run on Tuesday night,” he said.

“The later start to the season has meant anticipation has built up.”

Dimboola will come into the match will some players unavailable due to minor injuries.

Coach Al McKinnon said it will not be an ideal start.

“It is what it is though,” he said. “It’s been a long pre-season for us and we are really just happy to be playing again.”

He wants his side to put in more consistent performances across full quarters and games.

“There was points last season when we got scored heavily against at the end of quarters,” he said.

“I want to focus on not dropping off; that comes down to skills and structure.

“We have had the balls out all pre-season because skills are big for us.”

Stronger numbers on the track have Warrack Eagles better placed than it was heading into round one last season.

It has also enabled the side more time to spend on drills replicating match situations.

“We have been working on being more direct in attack,” McKenzie said. “Now we need to put it to practice.”

Jesse Murhpy will be a player to watch in the Eagles forward line. The home-grown player has returned to the club this season.

“It has been brilliant to have him back,” McKenzie said.

“He is great with the younger guys. He will work hard up and down the ground for the team.”

He will work well in tandem with boom recruit Shannon Argyle.

Kyle George will be unavailable for the first couple of rounds with an Achilles injury and McKenzie still has one week of a suspension to serve.

Although he would prefer to be on field it gives the playing coach a rare opportunity to cast an eye over the whole game.

“I will be able to stands back a bit more to look at how things and individual players are going,” he said.

McKinnon is expecting the work Lachie Watts has done on the track to be huge benefit for the team.

“He is looking really fit and seems to be setting himself for a big season,” he said.