BUNINYONG v SPRINGBANK
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at Buninyong, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Springbank 16.12 (108) d Buninyong 11.13 (79), grand final, 2016
SPRINGBANK kicks off a potentially historic season with a bumper round one encounter against Buninyong.
The Tigers, which are looking to become the first club in the Central Highlands Football League to win three-straight premierships, travel to take on the side it beat in the 2016 grand final.
While they won’t have all of the players that featured in last year’s decider – including stars Paul McMahon and Tim Malone – Springbank is set to run out with many of the faces that lifted the cup in
September.
Tigers coach Michael Searl said it is good to start the new campaign with a blockbuster match and while he feels his squad has done the physical work, he hopes it is mentally ready for the challenge this
weekend.
One of the exciting additions to Tigerland has been Mitch Couch – the brother of last season’s joint coach Nick – who is named to make his debut for the club on Saturday.
Buninyong has recruited well over the summer months and the most exciting of those is also set to start this weekend. Former Carlton-listed player Fraser Russell has been selected for his first game in the red
and black.
Bombers coach Jarrod Morgan said while you always want to improve as the season goes on, the team has some points to prove and is there to beat the Tigers on Saturday.
Prediction: Buninyong
DAYLESFORD v BEAUFORT
at Daylesford, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Beaufort 13.13 (91) d Daylesford 5.9 (39), round 1, 2016
Important Beaufort tall Jake Garvey is set to miss a large part of the 2017 campaign because of injury.
Garvey will undergo surgery on Friday for a wrist issue he sustained during a pre-season practice match against Stawell.
New Beaufort coach Rohan Brown said the best case scenario for Garvey looked to be about 12 weeks on the sidelines.
The Crows will also be without influential onballer/forward Jack Duke for the opening two games of the season due to suspension.
Duke was the subject of an investigation into an incident with Clunes youngster Luke Madden in round 16, which was eventually sent to tribunal. After pleading guilty, Duke was handed a two-game ban. This rules
him out of Saturday’s battle with Daylesford and the following weekend’s clash against Bungaree.
Despite the absentees, Beaufort has named some key recruits for the encounter with Daylesford, including Tom Stapleton and Sam Howard.
Bulldogs coach Marcus Goonan remained coy on the make-up of his team for Saturday, but said Jesse Thurwood is one player unavailable for the fixture.
“Them (Beaufort) and Gordon are probably the measuring stick for this season, so it will be good to see how we measure up against what’s probably a flag favourite,” Goonan said.
Beaufort was convincing winners of the clash with Daylesford last season.
Prediction: Beaufort
LEARMONTH v WAUBRA
at Learmonth, Sunday, 2.30pm
Last time: Waubra 15.11 (101) d Learmonth 7.5 (47), round 12, 2016
A standalone Sunday timeslot has been booked for Learmonth and Waubra to battle for the Basil Clark/Tom Ford Cup.
And the game will see the official return of Steve Biggin to the Lakies’ helm.
Biggin, who previously served as a playing coach at Learmonth in 2004 and 2005, is back in the job and admits this is a big clash for his club’s hopes of playing finals.
He said the Lakies need to beat teams that finished higher than them in 2016 to progress to the top eight.
“We’ve got the first one straight up and then we probably play a lot of sides that didn't make the top eight after that,” he said.
“Hopefully we get away to a good start and get through that early stages of the season with few confidence-building wins.”
A number of key recruits will step out for Learmonth on Sunday, including Scott Whiting, Richard and Michael Zelencich, Jake O’Donnell and Kyle Mackay.
Waubra will be without arguably its biggest signing of the off-season in round one, with North Ballarat Roosters-listed James Lukich out with what Roos coach Grant Luscombe described as a minor back injury.
Luscombe said he is excited to see how his young and new-look squad competes after ticking plenty of boxes during the pre-season.
Waubra won last season’s clash against Learmonth by 54 points.
Prediction: Waubra
BUNGAREE v DUNNSTOWN
at Bungaree, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Bungaree 22.6 (138) d Dunnstown 7.10 (52), round 13, 2016
Bungaree: Demons senior coach Heath Pyke will hand the reins to his assistants for the opening round clash with Dunnstown.
Pyke, a playing coach, will instead be part of the third day of the Ballarat Cricket Association firsts grand final with Wendouree.
Dunnstown: A vastly new-look Towners outfit will take the field this Saturday, with many of the club's major recruits set to debut.
Harry McKimmie and Andrew Toan are among the fresh faces named in the senior team to tackle Bungaree.
Prediction: Bungaree.
CLUNES v SKIPTON
at Clunes, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Skipton 9.13 (67) d Clunes 9.10 (64), round 10, 2016
Clunes: Nemani Valucava takes the Magpies into battle for the first time on Saturday and he can be confident of a first-up win against a battling opponent.
Valucava arrived at Clunes following a tumultuous season in 2016, which saw the senior side win just two matches.
Skipton: Greg Middleton isn't expecting miracles at Skipton this season, but here's an early chance to register his first victory at his new club.
Middleton has some injury and unavailability issues for round one.
Prediction: Clunes
GORDON v BALLAN
at Gordon, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Gordon 14.16 (100) d Ballan 8.7 (55), round 3, 2016
Gordon: The boom recruit of the CHFL off-season is set to make his debut for Gordon on Saturday.
Ex-North Melbourne footballer Cam Richardson has had an injury-interrupted pre-season, but has been picked to start in the Eagles' first-up clash against rivals Ballan.
Ballan: The Blues' ruck stocks have taken a hit leading into round one, with Scott Atkinson and potential recruit Bob Conroy both indicating they'll play elsewhere in 2017.
This will leave Dan Christie to do much of the tap work in Jason McNamara's first season as senior coach.
Prediction: Gordon
CARNGHAM-LINTON v CRESWICK
at Linton, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Creswick 18.10 (118) d Carngham-Linton 5.6 (36), round 9, 2016
Carngham-Linton: New senior coach Matt Beaston takes charge of the Saints for the first time on Saturday, but will be without his skipper James Nichols, who is set to line-up for VRI Delacombe in the Ballarat
Cricket Association seconds grand final on the weekend.
Creswick: The Wickers have also been stung by the scheduling of cricket and football, with key recruit Paul Phillips unavailable.
Phillips will miss senior coach Ryan Knowles' first game in charge while playing for Dunnstown in the one-day B-grade competition decider.
Prediction: Creswick
NEWLYN v HEPBURN
at Newlyn, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Hepburn 13.14 (92) d Newlyn 8.5 (53), round five, 2016
Newlyn: The Cats' five recruits from the Northern Territory have arrived and are set to debut for their new club against Hepburn.
Dylan Fishwick, Alex Morrish, Nathan Hura, Dylan McLachlan and Liam McGregor will line-up for Newlyn.
Hepburn: The Burras will also roll out a string of new faces.
Some of the more exciting names to debut will include Kamen Ogilvie, Jackson Hogan and Aron Burns, while former Carlton-listed footballer Luke Stanton is among those unavailable.
Prediction: Hepburn