On one hand we have Lake Wendouree, the side tipped to be one of the feared forces within the Ballarat Football League ranks for the first time in about five years.

On the other is Ballarat, the team many believe could be in for a challenging season after a walkout of key personnel the off-season, despite reaching the grand final last year.

Listen to either coach, however, and you will learn pre-season talk is cheap, if not completely irrelevant.

For Lake Wendouree, it has been something of a haphazard build-up to the season; only last night they were able to train on the newly resurfaced oval for the first time in months.

Still, it cannot be doubted the feeling around the club is one that has not been witnessed for years.

Coach Gavin Webb admits it is hard not to hear the hype that surrounds his side, yet he insists it makes no difference to him or his side.

He also refused to buy into any belief that Ballarat would be a shadow of last year’s grand final side.

“I’ve ignored a lot of the talk because you just don’t know until you get well into the season,” he said.

“It’s all good to have a good side on paper, but until the guys put it into action it doesn’t mean anything.

“Ballarat will still be a solid side as well. They’ve still got 15 or 16 players who played in the grand final.”

Key forward Lucas Anderson will play at North Ballarat Roosters this week, although ruckman Jackson Bowen is available to make his debut, as will fellow recruit Tyler Blake.

However, the Lakers will be without the services of Ben Hayes for up to two months, as he continues to recover after tearing his hamstring off the bone last year.

For Ballarat, young gun Lachlan Cassidy has been promoted to make his North Ballarat debut, although James Lukich and Liam Youl will be pulling on Swans colours.

New ruckman Jackson Roder will debut alongside Buninyong recruit Sam James, with youngsters Phil Vivian and Hayden Hughes to also play their first senior games.

Coach Ash Baker said he was not worried about the player turnover.

“It happens most years where you lose a lot of players and we feel we are fairly well adjusted,” he said.

“We’ve still got a good mix of youth and experience in the side.”

PREDICTION: Lakers to salute with an opening round victory.

patrick.nolan@fairfaxmedia.com.au