It will be 552 days between O and M games when Albury hosts Yarrawonga on Saturday.

And just look at some of the names that have joined since Lavington defeated Wangaratta on September 22, 2019. There's ex-AFL players, including Anthony Miles, Jeff Garlett, 2010 Collingwood premiership player Ben Reid and Dawson Simpson.

And then you throw in VFL guns Leigh Masters and Tom Goodwin, along with Northern Territory superstar Abraham Ankers.

When Albury picked up four players in late 2008 - Chris Hyde, Shaun Daly, Joel Mackie and Andy Carey - it was seen as the biggest recruiting coups in years, but the efforts of just about every club over the past 18 months makes that O and M pre-season pale in comparison.

The timing couldn't be better for O and M general manager Craig Millar, who only started in the role yesterday. He has a competition at its highest anticipation level in the modern era.

COVID has certainly added to that excitement with so many people hanging out for football and netball. In fact, it's the longest break in the O and M since World War II.

League and club officials will now be working overtime to make the most of this unique opportunity.

Imagine the local derby between Wangaratta and Wangaratta Rovers? And just imagine if that pair played a final for the first time in years?

The Hawks stunned Wangaratta in their opening clash in 2019, but this Rovers' outfit should be much better than that outfit.

Myrtleford will be sentimental favourites, Albury has picked up two players from the AFL, while Yarrawonga's former VFL star Leigh Masters wowed them in a practice game. Also, after Lavington's effort in 2019, you could never discount the club.

And how good will it be to see long-time battlers Wodonga and Corowa-Rutherglen be competitive again?

The Tigers will be out to avenge missing their first Ovens and Murray grand final since 2008 when they take on Yarrawonga in Saturday's opening match of the season at the Albury Sportsground.

If the mail is right, expect them to be full of running.

While Wangaratta look the team to beat, the Tigers will be coming hard.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 Albury Tigers and an interview with Anthony Miles click here.

How good is it to see a buzz around one of the 'country' clubs?

The Roos haven't played finals for seven years and won only five games in the past four years, but it's great to see them launch themselves into trying to jump back up the ladder.

The club started the roll by signing highly-credentialled former AFL assistant Peter German in September and there's been a constant stream of signings since.

Unfortunately for the Roos, so many other clubs have picked up quality recruits as well, so while there won't be the wins they were hoping for six months ago, the club can still be proud of its off-field efforts.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 Corowa-Rutherglen Roos and an interview with Damien Wilson click here.

Footy has become littered with buzz phrases like 'playing a role' and 'systems' etc, and many of us thought it was all mumbo jumbo, but after Lavington's effort last year as grand final underdogs, you better believe it's true.

When you win the comp, you have wiggle room and it's hard to see the Panthers missing the top five.

That said, most of the teams below Lavington have picked up top quality players and the Panthers have been the quietest of the likely contenders in the recruiting stakes.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 Lavington Panthers and an interview with Drew Beavan click here.

Myrtleford owns the league's longest premiership drought and when the Saints stunned everyone outside the club by making a preliminary final in 2019, there was great expectation the club could snare that elusive flag, exactly 50 years after its only one.

However, COVID torpedoed those plans.

It's now been 51 years since the 1970 title, but there's no less excitement about the club's genuine premiership hopes.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 Lavington Panthers and an interview with Dawson Simpson click here.

It has been a tumultuous pre-season at Bunton Park from the moment former coach Isaac Muller quit the club in August.

For whatever reason the Hoppers failed to attract any high-profile recruits.

Compounding their woes, the club has been the worst hit by injuries and is set to be severely undermanned for the opening few weeks of the season.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 North Albury Hoppers and an interview with Jackson Weidemann click here.

Wangaratta won the grand final it shouldn't in 2017 and lost the next two, which it should have won.

The underdogs ended Albury's hopes of a fourth straight title, but then blew it with poor first quarters in the grand final re-match the following year and against Lavington in 2019.

We all know a lot has happened, far more important than footy in the last 12 months, but there's no motivation like losing a grand final and much of it is because of one bad quarter.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 North Albury Hoppers and an interview with Ben Reid click here.

Two years down the track and we're again asking the same questions - how good is Rovers' best 21 and how often will they play together?

The answers, a top three outfit and never.

The Hawks have a different approach to the player points system in that whereas most teams recruit to their individual limit, they are well over and will have to 'cut and paste' it make it fit in the 40-point limit.

Rovers have five VFL-listed players, so it will be interesting to see how many they play in the first three matches, prior to the VFL start.

Having too many players to fit within the points requires a tricky balancing act and places enormous pressure on co-coaches Daryn Cresswell and Jamason Daniels successfully implementing the jigsaw and keeping as many as possible happy.

However, if you're ever going to be in that position, you must have experienced mentors and the Hawks are in good hands in that area.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 Wangaratta Rovers and an interview with Jack Gerrish click here.

What a difference a year makes.

Wodonga was widely tipped to win the wooden spoon in 2020 before the Ovens and Murray season was abandoned, but have taken giants strides in the off-season with a host of quality additions.

Coach Jordan Taylor has relocated to the Border from NEAFL powerhouse Southport and has attracted some classy players to join him at the kennel.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 Wangaratta Rovers and an interview with Cody Szust click here.

Winds of change have swept over Birallee Park since Wodonga Raiders lost the 2019 elimination final against Myrtleford by three points.

Time will tell whether they have gone ahead or dropped back to the pack since the gut-wrenching defeat but there is plenty of optimism in the camp.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 Wodonga Raiders and an interview with Shane Munro click here.

After missing finals for the first time in 14-years in 2019, Yarrawonga has unleashed one of the club's biggest recruiting blitzes and added a wealth of class and depth to its list.

Any side that boasts players the calibre of Leigh Masters, Willie and Harry Wheeler, Lachie Howe, Mark Whiley, Sam Schulz, Tyler Bonat and Xavier Leslie should not only be a finals contender but a serious flag threat.

For everything you need to know about the 2021 Yarrawonga Pigeons and an interview with Leigh Masters click here.