Surprisingly the reigning premier Wickliffe/Lake Bolac looks set to go into the match as the underdog with four of its grand final stars to miss the clash.

Dean McInnes who was awarded the JA Knight Medal for his efforts through the midfield in last season's decider and vice captain Michael Otto who claimed the VCFL Medal will both be unavailable for round one.

Assistant coach Chris Hilet (hamstring) and forward Alister Woods (unavailable) will also be missing from the Magpies' line-up.

Premiership coach Nic Willox said despite key players being absent, he expected his team to hit the ground running.

"We've been planning for this match for the last couple of weeks now," he said.

"We have a few key outs that are going to leave a bit of a gap. Moyston/Willaura will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment of the last game so we have to be ready for them.

"Our focus will be to control the tempo and try and keep possession of the ball."

In stark contrast Moyston/Willaura looks to be at full strength and with a number of new recruits set for their first game in the teal, white and black, the Pumas would be feeling confident of a winning start to 2014.

New coach Trent Fiscalini said going into round one there is always an element of the unknown.

"We've all heard the stuff over the pre-season about who's in and who's out, but we have just been going about our own business and working on what we have to do to be a good football side," he said.

"We have to play four consistent quarters. Last year we probably came out after halftime a bit sluggish on a few occasions.

"These periods of lapses let teams kick three or four easy goals to get back into the game and we were probably lucky in that we were able to kick seven or so last quarter goals to make the scoreboard look a bit better than what it was."

Fiscalini said Aaron McKinnis has put in a solid pre-season and may play a different role for the Pumas this year, while new players Brady Curran and Jacob Hamilton will be important leaders on the field.

With the Pumas' bolstered forward line, which now includes Aidan Bell and Lachie Hamilton the Mininera's most prolific goal kickers in the past four seasons Wickliffe/Lake Bolac must work on being just as effective on the scoreboard if it is to come away with the win.

The Ararat Eagles have a tough opening round assignment against a bolstered Tatyoon line-up.

The Eagles will be eager to get the season underway after coach Nathan Wemyss has put the players through their paces in a tough pre-season.

Brent Bulger and Naish McRoberts are two players that have impressed the coach over the summer.

Nathan Wemyss said he was positive with the team he has that the Eagles can be competitive with most teams.

"It is a 16 game season so it is hard to say in terms of wins and loses, it is hard to gauge how other teams are going at the moment, you only hear things here and there," he said.

"I am hoping we will be much more competitive once we get our structures in place, which we have been working really hard on.

"The wingmen and midfielders will know where to be around stoppages which is something that I think has lacked in the last few years.

"Once that starts to happen regularly during the year it is going to make a big difference. The pass mark will depend on how well we adapt to this.

"Taty first up is highly challenging, they have recruited well and so it is an enormous task and a test to see if we don't get flustered and can step up and show leadership."

Damian Cameron returns to the brown and gold and he has brought with him some of his Wimmera team mates in Kye Chapple, Brodie Mines and Matt Williams.

Hawks' coach Jarrod Blandford said getting away to a good start tomorrow is very important.

"You can really set you season up in the first two to three rounds by getting away to a winning start," he said.

"It really gets everyone at the club up and about."

In other matches Joe Carmody will coach his first game for SM&W Rovers when the team takes on Caramut at Mininera, while Great Western will host Glenthompson/Dunkeld.

Hawkesdale/Macarthur and Penshurst will go head-to-head and the Lismore/Derrinallum and Woorndoo/Mortlake clash will finish off a big round one of matches.

Umpire appointments:

Great Western v Glenthompson/Dunkield Paul Spriggs (at Great Western) - Paul Spriggs and Leo Mooney

Tatyoon v Ararat Eagles (at Tatyoon) - David Reynolds and Brett Johnson