Here, we take a close look at every side ahead of one of the most anticipated local football seasons in memory.

Part two will feature the teams who missed the finals in 2019.

After you've learned how your club is faring, we'd love to know what you think. Fill in the anonymous survey at the bottom to pick your flag favourite.

DUNNSTOWN

Coach: Glenn Wilkins

Captain: Ben Collins

2019 season:

9th, 7-9 record

Best & Fairest: Matthew Bullus

Leading goalkicker: Harry McKimmie and Matthew Bulluss (20 goals)

Coming in:

Khyle Forde (Darley)

Scott Howson (Bacchus Marsh)

Mark Peduto (Caroline Springs)

Rhylan Rattley (returned)

Out the door:

Tim Collins (Lake Wendouree)

Jake Wood (work commitments)

Harry McKimmie

Jack Sutherland (Wodonga)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "We're pretty even, I think we're just a good even side which I think is a strength in itself. I think up forward that was an area that we sort of targeted to improve. We felt down back we're not too bad, it was probably forward of centre where we needed to prioritise. With the inclusion of Scott Howson, Khyle Ford and Rhylan Rattley and the like I think we'll have a lot more avenues to goal which I think will hold us in good stead. I think our midfield will be a bit of a strength as well so I think across the board we're pretty even and I probably see that as our strength."

Biggest improvements: "I think the improvement it's got to come from within. We've got a couple of really good young kids coming through who will probably get an opportunity very early on in the year so I think that's important. I think for me ball movement, that's going to be important, the structures that you've got in place as well and it's about players executing. We've spent a lot of time over the break working on those things, so it comes back to that consistency, if we can sort of nail our ball movement and our structures that we've got in place I think that might give us a bit of an edge on the opposition. Time will tell I suppose, round one against Waubra, it's a big challenge."

Players to be excited about: "We've got a couple of young kids in Flynn Stevenson and Lachie Taylor, I'm excited to see what those young kids can bring, they've come up through our junior program. Gus Thompson's had an awesome pre-season so he's like a new recruit for us, I'm excited to see what he can bring."

BUNGAREE

Coach: Ryan Waight

Captain: Jackson Murphy

2019 season:

10th, 7-9 record

Best & Fairest: Jackson Murphy

Leading goalkicker: Jack Walter (14 goals)

Coming in:

Ryan Bell (Geelong West)

Jacob Werts (Donald)

Will Lovett (Haywood)

Dakin Morris (Haywood)

Jamaica Issley (Bundoora)

Alan Batchelor (Ararat)

Ambrose Gillett (Lake Wendouree)

Jordan Summers (St Arnaud)

Out the door:

Shaun Finlayson (Lake Wendouree)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "I think depth at this stage is going to be a strength. One of my philosophies when I got the gig 18-months ago is not to create a basketball side. What I mean by that is not to have have five or six absolute guns and then you drop away hard. I'm as heavily focused on those 16 to 25 players as I am to one to eight. I think that's a strength area that we can hone in on and really get those guys, whether you're starting full-forward, in the ruck or on the bench, you're just as important to the team. That's something we spoke about a fair bit over the last three to four months."

Biggest improvements: "We've done a really solid pre-season. It's okay to have a program but then guys have got to turn up and do it and our guys have. I think you'll see a fitter Bungaree side this year, I think you'll see a Bungaree side that has a pretty solid game plan. I think the improvement is going to come from those young guys, the guys that have been around the club. Sometimes the biggest opponent you play against is yourselves and I've been pretty adamant to try and get these guys to understand that they can be good players if they believe they can be. Hopefully we can see a big rise or a good improvement from those young guys who can start to believe in themselves and become good senior footy players."

Players to be excited about: "There's a guy who no ones probably ever heard of by the name of Joel Hower. He's only 21, 22, I'm going to back him in as a ruckman. He's tough, he's had a few professional boxing fights but a gentle giant. He's the kind of guy that gets me excited because I think he could really improve out of sight. A guy I played footy with Ryan Bell who's just a hard and dour defender, he's come in. There's three Indigenous guys who are cousins who were recruited in and just seeing them on the track they can do things that are pretty special, so I'm really excited to see what they can bring to the side as well."

ROKEWOOD CORINDHAP

Coach: Shaune Moloney and Brad Macgowan

Captain: Mitch McLaughlin

2019 season:

11th, 6-10 record

Best & Fairest: Jackson O'Neil

Leading goalkicker: Samuel Chapman (25 goals)

Coming in:

Cam Richardson (North Ballarat)

Matt Aikman (North Ballarat)

Dan Colbert (Barwon Heads)

Sam Carr (Redan)

Laityn Withers (Redan)

Josh Morgan (Sebastopol)

Jordan Gercovich (Sebastopol)

Jack Buttler (East Ballarat)

Dan Christie (Ballan)

Matthieu Brehaut (Ballarat)

Out the door:

Ben Reese (Melbourne)

Reece La Haye (Geelong)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "It'll be that we're so even. We're going to be aiming to be an even and consistent side. When I say strength it'll be our effort and consistency across the board. We won't have stand-out star players who are going to dominate and win it off their own boot."

Biggest improvements: "The fellas we've recruited will certainly help but make no mistake the improvement will come from our existing players getting better and they're committing to getting better and they're working hard to get better. We're looking forward to seeing that work and effort be rewarded with improved performances. That's our thing, of course we've picked up a few, we don't deny that, but that's not our main strategy. Our main strategy is to improve the blokes we've got and supplement them with some blokes who really fit in to our footy club."

Players to be excited about: "I'm really excited about the two boys that have come from Redan, Sam Carr and Laityn Withers. They're two boys who I'm looking forward to seeing in action. I'm looking forward to Cam Richardson because he's just such a clever footballer and knows his way around a footy field so well, looking forward to the boys learning from him. I'm looking forward to Dan Christie having a really strong presence down back for us and Matthieu Brehaut, I'm really looking forward to him providing us with a genuine option across half-forward and he's done that so far in the practice games."

LEARMONTH

Coach: Nick Willox

Captain: Jason Rae

2019 season:

12th, 6-10 record

Best & Fairest: James Pratt

Leading goalkicker: Tony Zelencich

Coming in:

James Laidlaw (Ararat)

Tom McKechnie (Lake Wendouree)

James Crilly (Ballarat)

Out the door:

Tony Zelencich

Kyle McKay (Lara)

Billy Hoye (Geelong)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "I think on field our leadership is really solid. We've got Brenton Powell who's a previous coach of the club and a premiership coach at that in a different league. We've got our captain who's a B&F winner, we've got a vice captain who's a B&F winner and myself I play as well, so we've got a lot of on-field leadership which is a real strength and what's going to hold us in good stead."

Biggest improvements: "I think our backline is really starting to come together, we've got guys that have now spent four or five years there and they're really starting to grow with that game experience. I think the young guys will chip in and help. Through the middle as well I think just our speed and their wanting to get to every contest and being young they just go 100 per cent every time. I think that will really help across that backline and midfield areas."

Players to be excited about: "I'm pretty excited just to get stuck into it with the group, I don't think anyone would be higher ranked than the other. We had a little trip to Torquay and that has sort of helped the guys just gel a bit more together but I think everyone's just keen to play alongside one another. As I said that culture that we're building is really solid and that will keep growing as well."

CRESWICK

Coach: Ryan Knowles

Captains: Aaron Sedgwick and Brad Munro

2019 season:

13th, 5-11 record

Best & Fairest: Joel Antonio

Leading goalkicker: Liam Blake (20 goals)

Coming in:

Brad Munro (Rokewood)

Jack Mason (Sebastopol)

Kadek Irvan (Sebastopol)

Jarrod Underwood (SMW Rovers)

Max Phillips (Ballan)

Nathan Strugnell (Springbank)

James Deighton (Echuca)

Lachy McKenzie (Carisbrook)

Derek Steedman (Ballan)

Tom Scott (East Burwood)

Tarren Kilcullen (Whitehills)

Out the door:

Josh Mitchell (Cairns)

Toby Goss (Gippsland)

Ethan Tibbles (Taylor Lakes)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "We've got a lot more depth through the midfield this year, added a lot of guys and we've added a lot of pace as well. We've got a couple of tall guys that'll play ruck and centre half back, but we've probably added pace and depth through the midfield. We didn't have a wide range of midfielders the previous couple of seasons, but now we've got probably six or seven guys or more that can go through there, between there and the wing. A lot quicker our guys are."

Biggest improvements: "I think we're going to improve in all areas of the ground. We've probably got new guys at each end of the ground and in the middle so we're hoping to improve in all areas. Especially the quicker, mobile flanks and wings, we've added a lot more pace there. Hopefully that's a fair bit of improvement from previous years at each end of the ground."

Players to be excited about: "We've actually got six or seven juniors coming up, under-18s that have done the whole pre-season and a couple from the previous years who have got fitter and stronger. We're probably more excited about a few of our own, probably developed them fairly quick. We've actually added a few guys and they're all pretty even, no big stand-outs, just added areas that we've needed really."

BALLAN

Coach: Tristan Batten

Captain: Harley Bongart

2019 season:

14th, 3-13 record

Best & Fairest: Darren Tansey and Michael Snaith

Leading goalkicker: Beau Runnals

Coming in:

James Fisher (Lorne)

Dylan Wright (Quambatook)

Out the door:

Darren Tansey (Queensland)

Michael Snaith (work)

Beau Runnell

Matthew Rollo (Geelong)

Brady Thomas (Avoca)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "I'd say our speed. We've got a lot of younger players, they're all really quick and versatile so hopefully we can create a few headaches for the opposition with a little bit of run and carry, bit of speed."

Biggest improvements: "I think our inclusions that we've attained over the pre-season we've got a lot more scoring options up forward, so we're not going to be as one dimensional down there. Just our second and third year players they've got 40 or 50 games under their belt now, they're starting to really flourish and they've shown that in the practice matches. Hopefully they can continue that form into the real season."

Players to be excited about: "Ryan Bongart, obviously you know Harley Bongart, he won The Courier award in 2019, but he's youngest brother Ryan he's an absolute animal on the track. He's getting bigger, he was a little skinny fella when I first came but he's been concreting with his brother, put on some size and he's smashing everybody in the 2km time trial so he's going to have a big year. Same as Hayden Thompson and Lachie Conlan, those boys all came through together, they're in their third senior year now so looking forward to seeing those guys put in really good seasons."

DAYLESFORD

Coach: Hamish Jarrad

Captains: Josh Cowan and Emlyn Nettleton

2019 season:

15th, 2-14 record

Best & Fairest: Cameron Ralph

Leading goalkicker: Dylan Muscat (24 goals)

Coming in:

Josh Cowan (St Mary's)

Trent Nesbett (Casterton-Sandford)

Tom Sullivan (Casterton-Sandford)

Chris Pearce (St Bernard's)

Shaun Clarke (St Bernard's)

Alex Singleton (St Bernard's)

Brad Pitt (St Bernard's)

Jack Pitt (Lismore-Derrinallum)

Ben Jones (Nhill)

Josh Hughes (Nhill)

Out the door:

Zac Tisdale (overseas)

Dylan Muscat (West Brunswick)

Matt Risstrom (West Brunswick)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "I'd like to think our pressure will be a strength of ours and I think we'll have some good leg speed through the midfield. I think our talls up forward will be our strength, I think that will be something that we haven't had for a long time, have a good group of key forwards together. It will enable us to play a real territory based game where we can get it in our half, lock it in and defend behind it."

Biggest improvements: "There's been a really good loyal group of guys that have stuck at the club for a long time and you can see within those guys that hunger to improve and make the club better is there. I think the refreshing thing from their point of view is seeing these new guys come in it enables them to expand their game a little bit as well, they're going to be able to play roles in the team that they haven't been able to play in the past which I think will help their footy as well."

Players to be excited about: "There's some guys that have been around the club like Cameron Ralph and Emlyn Nettleton who I'm really excited to play with and see them play their best footy. They're two guys that I think have got a lot of upside. Young Luke Hallis I think he's got a really good future. Outside of that I think a real collective type approach from the whole group is where our improvement is going to come from."

CARNGHAM LINTON

Coach: Clayton Scoble

Captain: Wayne Bruty

2019 season:

16th, 2-14 record

Best & Fairest: Jayson Gilbert

Leading goalkicker: Dean O'Brien (17 goals)

Coming in:

Mitch Giddings (Golden Rivers)

Chris Whelan (Daylesford)

Kynan Raven (Lake Wendouree)

Jonathon Millane (Lake Wendouree)

Zane Ross (Ballarat)

Out the door:

Brad Dunbar (Talbot)

Jake Tanner (Talbot)

Jayson Gilbert (Talbot)

Ross Waters (Royal Park)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "Just a very good balance. Our talls and our smalls, I think the guys we've recruited have got a lot of experience that is going to help these younger boys grow too."

Biggest improvements: "I think our main focus throughout pre-season was all about skill set and I've noticed a massive improvement in that area and hopefully we can execute it on Saturdays."

Players to be excited about: "As a coach I don't think you can have any favourites but I'm just looking to the whole playing group to grow as a group and improve as a group. I haven't got a favourite in a sense but I just think if they can gel and come together I think they'll get results down the track."

CLUNES

Coach: Johno Leoncini

Captain: Leadership group

2019 season:

17th, 1-15 record

Best & Fairest: Brodie Lawford

Leading goalkicker: Brad Dolan (21 goals)

Coming in:

Ryan Thompson (Avoca)

Josh Thompson (Avoca)

Alex Riches (North Ballarat)

Alex Bowd (North Shore)

John Fazzio (North Shore)

Out the door:

Lachie Hull (Maryborough)

From the coach's mouth:

Team strengths: "One of the things I'm really seeing is we're actually starting to be a team and I think that's really important. Rather than having individual players that you rely on to perform I think it's important that you've got 22 players that know each other, play with each other and really help each other out in the game. That's what's going to get you over the line and be competitive through each game. That's something that I've started to notice, especially after our first practice match, the communication between each other and the respectfulness, I think that's really important, was really good."

Biggest improvements: "I just noticed that our level of fitness has improved. I always say that it needs to be improved a lot more, but it's certainly improved. Just things I've seen them improve in is they're listening and they're acting on those instructions and they're really just trying to be better than what they were, so I think that's a really good, positive sign for a team and also for a club.

Players to be excited about: "I'm big on not individualising people, it's a team sport and I just love every player that plays for me and I really respect them. We've had a couple of under-18s that have played in our practice matches and they're just fantastic young kids and there's a couple that have come up from the under-18s that are really starting to grow and develop. I think that's exciting and that's really important as a senior coach is to see these young boys not just give footy away and walk away but actually take the challenge on and continue to play. Especially having the year off, I think that is a huge plus for a club to see those young ones stepping up and actually taking it on and going 'you know what, I want to be a senior player and I enjoy the game, I love it and I want to be a part of it.' I think that's exciting."

Got an early flag favourite? Who are you tipping to be the leading goalkicker? Willing to pick who's going to walk away with wooden spoon?

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