Former Wodonga Raiders' stars Raven Jolliffe and Tom McCaffrey will join Noah Amery (Lavington), Nathan Cooper (Sydney University), Matt Medcraft (Diggers Rest) and Tristan Lenaz (Sunbury), while Sam Allen - the son of Rovers' stalwart and the league's games record-holder Matt - has been promoted from the under 18s.

He joins thirds' medallist Ed Dayman and Jack Gerrish as the players from last year's premiership-winning squad to face the premiers in round one.

Lenaz has played previously with the Hawks.

Rovers picked up the most high-profile players over summer, but Max Spencer (Werribee), Charlie Thompson (VFL) and another ex-Raider and Murray Bushranger in Nick Murray (Greater Western Sydney Academy) have been named for their respective 'primary' teams.

The Hawks created the summer's biggest story when they signed former Raiders' coach Daryn Cresswell to lift the club from the wooden spoon, the first time it had failed to gain any points.

Much of the query over how much the club will improve has focused on how many of the recruits using Rovers as their 'home' club will play every week.

As a former AFL player with the Gold Coast Suns, Spencer is highly unlikely to play much, if at all, but the Hawks will hope to see Thompson and Murray at times.

Albury also has some new faces, although cousins Jake and Connor Page (Coburg VFL and Altona respectively) have played with the Tigers previously.

Eddy Ziebarth will debut from Hume League outfit Brock-Burrum, while Kolby Hennessy moves from the club's under 18s.

Meanwhile, Wangaratta has regained premiership player Mat Grossman for Saturday night's home clash against Wodonga Raiders.

Wangaratta won the preliminary final between the teams, but Raiders have lost a number of quality players from that game, including Jolliffe and McCaffrey.

Grossman's inclusion for an injured Daniel Boyle is the only change to the team which hammered Corowa-Rutherglen by 79 points in last weekend's two season opening games.

Roo Rohan Davies is out with injury, while Tim Brook will play against Yarrawonga.