BFNL 2023: Stars aplenty as Ballarat Football Netball League sides reveal their line-ups | Team Talk

"He'll play predominantly forward for us which is where he played when I coached him before," Hodgson said.

"During his time at Essendon he was used as a tall defender but he's certainly more than capable of playing at both ends."

The 195cm defender joined the Bombers with pick 53 in the 2020 national draft.

Melton South will unveil a handful of new recruits in the club's season-opening derby against Melton, but a 16-year-old "out and out star" has won over co-coach Ryan Hoy on the eve of the season.

Lachlan Pritchard, son of former Panthers coach Heath, will line up for Melton South at just 16 years of age in Saturday's clash.

Hoy said the young gun was in the Panthers' top-five players in their pre-season fixture with Pascoe Vale.

"He'll bring a bit of dash and excitement to our side," Hoy said.

"He'll play across half forward and on the wing, it just allows him to play with some freedom and showcase his raw talent."

The Panthers go head-to-head with cross-town rivals Melton, which will field a relatively familiar side to its premiership squad from last season.

Sebastopol stalwart Grady Snowden will miss the Burra's round one clash due to injury, but new playing co-coach Luke Kiel said the key defender will be good to go by round three.

"Grady is not quite right this week but luckily we have the bye in round two," Kiel said.

"Apart from that we've got a full list to pick from which is really good."

It means Tony Lockyer, who battled through injury during the 2022 BFNL finals series, is back to full fitness.

"He's been 100 percent since the middle of February," Kiel said.

"He's firing, he'll be back to his best."

For Chris Maple's first game at the helm, three sets of brothers will line up at Ballarat in the Swans' clash with Darley.

Riley and Tyler Constable, Tristan and Zack Maple and Noah and Jake Drever will play alongside each other at Alfredton on Saturday.

Tristan Maple is one of three VFL-listed players at the Swans alongside Bailey van de Heuvel and Angus Bade, who are on the extended bench.

The Swans will be without the services of former Collingwood VFL player Callan Wellings.

A Good Friday affair kicked off the Ballarat Football Netball League season, but eight other clubs have had to wait an extra week to get into action.

New players, new coaches and new playing styles will all be revealed on Saturday when the siren sounds for the remaining four round one clashes.

The Courier's footy experts David Brehaut and Edward Holland discuss all the big news in this week's edition of Team Talk.

Check out the all the Seniors, Reserves and Under-19 line-ups here.