The Burras will head into the match as firm favourites based on form in recent seasons but the Roos will be eager to put all of that behind them.

Minyip-Murtoa coach Damian Cameron said his side had made the most of its scratch matches to ensure it was ready for round one.

“We’ve played against some good opposition and there was a lot of promising things to take out of them,” he said.

“I think we just need to continue a bit of fine tuning – we were really good in attack but were probably a bit loose defensively through the midfield.

“Obviously with guys missing the side will be a bit different when we play for points.”

Callum Hobbs, Lachie Johns and Mitch Cronin are likely to get a chance through the side’s midfield while Zac Taylor, Jake Ballagh and Bray Cullinan have also put their hands up for selection.

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“It will be a fairly different looking side than last season at this stage," Cameron said.

“That plays into the nerves of round one – will we get it together straight away or will we need to work into it?”

Dimboola coach Al McKinnon was excited to get his second season at the helm started.

“Without having fully finalised the team as yet we can expect probably ten new faces in the side,” he said.

“Jack Hatcher and Daniel Simpson have impressed me as smaller players who can mark while Justin Beugelaar was good in the practice match even though he was just in first gear.”