The Northern Blues face a big test when they get their VFL season underway this weekend.
The Blues travel to Whitten Oval to play Footscray, a side who were knocked out of the finals in straight sets last season after winning the premiership in 2014.
It will be a return to an unhappy stomping ground for Northern, with the Dogs prevailing by 103 points against a vastly different Blues outfit the last time the two sides met.
The VFL Blues will be looking to get their year off to the best possible start, in what will be the first home and away game under the guidance of new senior coach Josh Fraser.
Up to 17 Carlton-listed players have been named to play against the Dogs, with rookies Billy Gowers and Matthew Korcheck both named on the bench.
Tom Wilson has been named to start in the middle after being appointed captain, while fellow leaders Zach Ballard, Brent Bransgrove, Ben Casley, Glenn Strachan and Kieran McGuinness have all been included in the extended squad.
There are seven confirmed starters who will play their first games for the Northern Blues, with David Cuningham, Andrew Gallucci, Jesse Glass-McCasker, Daniel Gorringe, Lachie Plowman, Liam Sumner and Hisham Kerbatieh all featuring.
Lachie Plowman will continue his return from injury after showing some positive signs in his return match against Port Melbourne last week.
Korcheck, Casley and Sam Russell could also play their first VFL games as Blue, while the former Calder Cannon in Kerbatieh will be 23rd man.
For the Dogs, Josh Dunkley comes into the side after playing the first two games of the AFL season, while big men Will Minson and Tom Campbell pose a threat in the air.
Early draft pick Kieran Collins will also line up down back for the Dogs, potentially getting the job on former Footscray VFL premiership winner, Liam Jones.
Second-year players Lukas Webb and Bailey Dale have also been named for the VFL Dogs, after doing the damage in Footscray’s 131-point win over Werribee in their final practice match.
After featuring in the VFL Team of the Year in 2015, Jordan Russell will captain Footscray for the second consecutive year.
Before last season, the only other contest between the two sides came in 2014, where the Blues defeated the eventual premiers by 25 points.
MATCH DETAILS
VFL Round 1
Footscray vs. Northern Blues
Whitten Oval
11am, Sunday April 10
Adults $10, Concession $5, Kids under 15 free
Northern Blues members - half price
PLAYERS TO WATCH
David Cuningham: One of four of Carlton’s prime draft picks last season, Cuningham enjoyed a solid pre-season and was growing each game in Northern’s three practice matches. The silky midfielder finished with 24 disposals in last weekend’s loss to the Borough and has been named to start in the middle for the club’s first game of the 2016 season.
Andrew Gallucci: The only confirmed new Blue with VFL experience, Gallucci will have to play a big role up forward if Northern are to get their season off to the best possible start. Gallucci took the VFL competition by storm last season, being named in the VFL Team of the Year and playing a big role in Williamstown’s premiership. He showed some positive signs in the final practice match against Port Melbourne, collecting 15 disposals and register three goal assists.
Tom Wilson: The newest skipper of the Northern Blues as announced on Wednesday night, Wilson has been the most consistent Blue for the last two seasons and has been rewarded with the captaincy role. Now in his sixth season as a Northern Blue, the captain will be supported by the likes of predecessor Bransgrove and Cuningham in the clinches against a Dogs midfield including Jed Adcock and Josh Dunkley.
Northern Blues VFL Squad
B Dick White Plowman
HB Viojo-Rainbow Foster Glass-McCasker
C Strachan Tutt S. Russell
HF Gallucci Gorringe Smith
F Jaksch Jones Sumner
R Wood Cuningham Wilson
I/C from Ballard, Bransgrove, Casley, Gowers, Korcheck, McCabe, McGuinness, Roos, Kerbatieh*
