The city will embrace its newly-aligned AFL team as the club makes its first official visit since it announced plans to play AFL premiership matches in Ballarat last year.

Almost every player and coach will make the journey to Ballarat for the two-day camp as the hype builds ahead of next week’s NAB Challenge match against Melbourne.

The club will spend two days integrating itself with the Ballarat community, hosting clinics with junior clubs and immersing itself in the community.

The camp will start with a civic reception at the Town Hall on Wednesday. Included in the visit will be clinics at primary schools, training sessions with North Ballarat Rebels and the Ballarat youth girls squad, and visits to more than a dozen community organisations.

Western Bulldogs’ Ballarat itinerary

WEDNESDAY

Noon: Arrive in Ballarat

12.15pm-1.15pm: Civic reception at Ballarat Town Hall

1.30pm-3pm: Primary school clinics, Marcus Bontempelli and Lin Jong to visit ‘Ballarat’s most passionate Bulldogs fan’ competition winner

4.30pm-5.30pm: Brett Goodes and Joel Hamling to participate in Indigenous activities at Kirrit Barreet

4.30pm-6pm: Selected coaches to take training with North Ballarat Rebels, and players to train with 14 different junior clubs

6.30pm-8pm: Selected players to take training with Ballarat youth girls squad at White Flat Oval

THURSDAY

9.30am-11.30am: Open training session

1.15pm-2.45pm: Community visits

3pm: Return to Melbourne