The vibrant midfielder is making the move to Swan Districts in the WAFL.

Roach leaves as a two-time premiership player after three years with the Selkirk Roosters.

Roach said while he was sad to be leaving Eureka Stadium, the time was right.

He has completed his human movement studies at the University of Ballarat and will start a Diploma of Education studies at the University of Western Australia after moving to Perth next month.

Roach said the Roosters had been great to him.

"We won a lot of games . . . got into a preliminary and won two premierships.

`I'm going to miss the club," he said.

Roach is the fifth player from this year's North Ballarat premiership line-up who will be not be at the club next season.

Jacob Spolding is playing with Newtown-Chilwell, Michael Searl is going overseas, Shannon Watt (North Melbourne) has retired and Michael Wundke (North Melbourne) delisted.

In addition, Dean Chester (Redan) and Tristan Cartledge (Strathmore), who were emergencies for the grand final, have also left.

Swans Districts chased Roach hard a year ago, but he had put his studies first.

Roach will be reunited with former Richmond teammates Andrew Krakouer and Travis Casserly.

North Ballarat recruited the 24-year-old after he was delisted by Richmond at the end of the 2006 AFL season.

Richmond picked up Roach under the father-son rule _ he is a son of goalkicking legend Michael Roach _ in the 2003 national draft.

Roosters head coach Gerard FitzGerald said Roach had been an integral part of the midfield, with his explosive pace being instrumental in North Ballarat breaking the lines when launching attacks.

FitzGerald said, with two premierships behind it, North Ballarat had become a recruiting ground for clubs from all levels _ state competitions such as the WAFL, and country and metropolitan leagues, as well as the AFL.

Myles Sewell and Orren Stephenson remain possible selections in the AFL rookie draft on Tuesday, December 15.

FitzGerald said, although no one wanted lose top end players, what it did was provide opportunity for the next tier.

"There's some promising signs."

He said there were players from just outside last season's core group who were producing results in time trials far above what would normally be expected at this time of pre-season.