With the inaugural WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships just weeks away, local football leagues have been busy selecting squads which they hope will taste victory.
For the first time, metropolitan and country leagues will battle it out for the ultimate bragging rights to be crowned the best community football league in Victoria. Previously, the country and metropolitan leagues have played in separate competitions.
Here’s a look at the initial squads released by leagues in Melbourne’s north-west.
Essendon District Football League
Plays Goulburn Valley Football League at Windy Hill on May 21.
Aberfeldie: Josh Cubillo, Brock McLean, Mark Lynch, Josh Toy, Ryan Allen.
Avondale Height: Mat Cravino.
Craigieburn: Jason Cloke.
Essendon Doutta Stars: Jamie Allan, Patrick Veszpremi, Cleve Hughes, Tyson Hartwig.
Greenvale: Fabian Deluca, Daniel Micevski, Addam Maric, Sam Zumbo, Chris Farchione, Stephen Brewer, Fort Caruso, Daniel Campisano.
Keilor: Eamonn Ogden, Dean Galea, Michael Tanner, Luke Cartelli, Dylan Joyce, Andrew Browne, Jamie Papalia ,Kane Barbuto.
Maribyrnong Park: Chris Prowse, Caleb Vearing, Trent Lee, James Breust, Daniel Schibeci, Robbie Castello.
Pascoe Vale: Ben Ross, Anthony Lewis, Benjamin Warren, Dean Soncin, Jacob Polizzi.
Strathmore: Tom Gleeson, Sam Leech, Ash Arrowsmith, Adam Iacobucci, Mitch Purcell, Andrew Horne.
West Coburg: Tom Baravi.
Western Region Football League
Plays Ballarat Football League at Whitten Oval on May 21.
Albion: Josh Bench, Todd Finco, Troy Kelm, Jeremy Mills, James Taylor. Kym Taylor, Mitchell Wilson.
Altona: Abdul Jawad, Joel Magnabosco, Jayden Post, Jordan Robbins, Lee Spiteri.
Caroline Springs: Brian Lake.
Deer Park: Spiros Amarantidis, Kane McKenzie, Jason Kennedy, Jase Perkins, Max Bruin, Sohrab Ismail, Rodney Van Reit, Brendan Fevola, Rhett King, Kwame McHarg, Tim Quick, Adam El Houli, Scott Greenhough.
Glen Orden: Joshua MacDonald.
Hoppers Crossing: Jordan Mead, Mathew Ryan, Wayde Skipper, Mohammed El Hawli, Reece Miles, Harley Weston-Armstrong, Brayden Ferrari.
Newport: Mark Williams.
Spotswood: Murray Boyd, Tom Langlands, David Sablich.
St Albans: Mitchell Bongiavanni, Tim Jenkins.
Werribee Districts: Andrew Panayi, Matthew Dean, Chris Molivas, Rhyce Prismall, Joe Halloran, Bol Kolang.
Wyndhamvale: Paul O’Shea, Brian Graham, Chris Graham, Devan Ellis.
Northern Football League
Plays Mornington Peninsula Football League at R.J Rowley Recreation Reserve on May 21.
Bundoora: Matthew Dennis, Brent Marshall.
Eltham: Eamon Gilbert, Billy Glasgow, Tom Rogers, Bradyn Taglieri, Anton Woods.
Fitzroy Stars: Peter Hood.
Greensborough: Rhys Boyden, Michael Hooper, Matthew Hyde, Lachlan McQuilken, Nick Riddle, Tristan Stead.
Heidelberg: Jarrod Hodgkin, Marcus Marigliani, Jordan Treloar.
Lower Plenty: Billy Barden, Darcy Barden, Cameron Elmore.
Macleod: Liam Brandt, Lucas Hobbs, Brett Leggett, Ned McKeown, Hamish Paynter, Justin White.
Montmerency: Jesse Donaldson, Joel McLellan.
Northcote Park: Nick Carter, Bronik Davies, Ben McNiece, Wayne Schultz.
North Heidelberg: Shane Harvey.
Panton Hill: Tyler Scarce.
West Preston Lakeside: Shaun Gannon, Rhett Jordan, Luke Lirosi.
Whittlesea: Andrew Fairchild, Justin Sherman.
Ballarat Football League
Plays Western Region Football League at Whitten Oval on May 21.
Bacchus Marsh: Alex Del Papa, Jackson Bolton, Hamish Coulton.
Ballarat: Daniel Kennedy, Marcus Powling.
Darley: Steve Kennedy, Mitch Banner, Luke Delahey, Shane Page, Leigh Spiteri, Rhys Ellis.
East Point: Daniel Tung, Nick Hind, Paul Koderenko, Jordan Staley.
Lake Wendouree: Steve Clifton, Ben Hayes, Nathan Pring, Luke Bucknall, Lane Buckwell, Lucas Anderson, Ben Taylor.
Melton: Matthew Notman.
North Ballarat City: Ryan Hobbs, Ryan Luke, Simon McCartin, Jarryd Graham, Derrick Micallef.
Redan: Chris Giampaolo, Callum Currie, Dan Colbert.
Sebastopol: Brett Goodes.
Sunbury Lions: Jesse McInneny, Alik Magin, Josh Burgess, David Kovacevic, Grant Valles, Joe Redfern.
Bendigo Football League
Plays Gippsland Football League at Warragul on May 21
Castlemaine: Justin Dorward, Jarryd Graham, Kal Huntly.
Eaglehawk: Brodie Collins, Jesse Collins, Brenton Conforti, Glenn Daly, Tim Hill, Tyler Miles, Ben McPhee.
Gisborne: Jarrad Lynch.
Golden Square: Adam Baird, Travis Baird, Jon Coe, Brayden Dorrington, Jack Geary, Ryan Herring, Dylan Johnstone, Chris Ryan, Tom Toma, Hamish Morcom.
Kangaroo Flat: Corey Greer, Rhys Healey, Tom Holman, Nic Lang, Hunter Lloyd, Marty Kelly.
Kyneton: Dan Davie, Ethan Foreman, Max O’Sullivan, Ben Weightman.
Maryborough: Ethan Crackel, Coby Perry.
Sandhurst: Lee Coghlan, Kristan Height, Blair Holmes, Codie Price, Lachlan Ross, Nicholas Stagg, Matt Thornton, Joel Wharton.
South Bendigo: Liam Bartels, Isaiah Miller, Blair Whelan.
Strathfieldsaye: Harry Conway, Bryce Curnow, Jayden Donaldson, Trent Donnan, Kallen Geary, Jake Hall, Sam Heavyside, Jake Moorhead, Michael Pilcher.
Riddell District Football League
Plays Alberton Football League at Inverloch-Kongwak Football Club on May 21.
Broadford: James Philpott, Josh Pound, Adrian Romnyak.
Diggers Rest: Michael Evans, Taylor Hine, Patrick Johnson, Brandon Kilty, Matt Krul, Cale Morton.
Lancefield: Matt Bowden, Myles Dorman, Jon Kent.
Macedon: Clinton Burgess, Jason Cooke, Shaun Harrison, Matt Knox, Jack Mills, Casey Summerfield, Tom Waters, James Wright.
Melton Centrals: James Aqualina, Matt Gilmore, Rex Hickman.
Riddell: James Nolan, Matt Pannucio, Haydn Ross, Brian Ruffell, Ben Said, Ben Sonogan, Tim Walsh, Scott Walsh.
Romsey: Matt Burkett, Chris Burkett, Ayden Tessari, Ben Way.
Rupertswood: Liam Berry, Jordan Braddy, Brett Chambers, Nash Egan, Matt Sullivan, Brent Swallow.
Sunbury Kangaroos: Daniel Gregory, Matt Leonard, Kanye Murphy, Brenton Sutherland.
Wallan: Michael Mannix, Daniel Nolan, Danny O’Sullivan.
Woodend-Hesket: Tom Gawthorp, Ben Toman.