This will be Hooper's first official game at Whitten Oval since leaving Western Bulldogs at the end of the 2012 season. He steps out this time for North Ballarat in the Victorian Football League as the Roosters work to build on last week's Etihad Stadium win.

Hooper knows how parochial Bulldogs fans can be.

"It will be a challenge for me," he said. "I always set myself to play my best against any side, but this will feel a little different.

"... I am looking forward to it. It's good to be going back to the old stomping ground."

Hooper, who began his football with Golden Point juniors, was recruited to Western Bulldogs in the 2010 rookie draft.

He made his AFL debut in 2010 in a semi-

final against the Sydney Swans the first player to make his debut in a finals match in 25 years and in the national draft at the end of that season he was elevated to the senior list.

Delisted at the end of 2012, Hooper spent the next two seasons playing with SANFL club Glenelg.

But he has relished the return home to Ballarat to continue playing state-

level football.

"It feels like home again to be back here (Eureka Stadium) and being around the boys again is great," he said.

Reigning premier Footscray will be tough.

Any team in this tight VFL competition is tough.

Defender Liam Hoy must pass final fitness testing on Saturday morning before he is cleared to play.

Hoy had scans on his lower back injury on Friday morning to clear him for training that night. The Roosters will wait to determine how well he pulls up from the session before clearing him to play.