North Ballarat Roosters ruckman Rowan Marshall and North Ballarat Rebels star Jamaine Jones have been named in the final squads and will take part in the curtain-raiser for the VFL preliminary final on Sunday.

Standing at 201cm and topping the scales at approximately 96.5kg, Marshall has found consistency at VFL level in 2016, playing 18 games and being named among the Roosters’ best nine times.

The former Portland gun has been on the draft radar since his top-age TAC Cup year of 2014, but Marshall told The Standard he was beginning to reap the rewards of a strong fitness program.

He said the Young Guns match was a prime opportunity for players to showcase their talents to recruiters.

“I'm really looking forward to it, I played last year and because it is the curtain raiser to the VFL there is a pretty big crowd building towards the end of it,” Marshall said.

"There are a lot of recruiters watching and a good performance in that can hold you in really good stead.

“It’s a big step up from the TAC Cup and you’re facing a lot of bigger bodies. There are a lot of skinny kids with a lot of talent in the TAC Cup that haven’t matured yet because they’re only 18 years old. You need a bit more size and strength (in the VFL) so you don’t get pushed around in the contests.”

Marshall, who was born in New Zealand, has increased his weight by more than 10kg in the past year in an effort to fill out his frame.

He announced his credentials at the the state’s highest level with North Ballarat in round two, amassing 24 hitouts, 17 disposals, six marks and six tackles against Essendon’s VFL outfit.

“It’s credit to the Roosters strength and conditioning team really, they’ve put together a specialised program for me which is working well,” he said.

“Every week I’m playing and learning something different about positions, or where to run. It’s definitely helped.”

Jones, a 17-year-old excitement machine from Heywood, said he was “stoked” with the chance to play in the pathway clash.

The Heywood Secondary School student’s AFL draft hopes firmed when he was invited to contest the Victorian state combine, to be held in October.

“It’s really good to push yourself against people who are in the same position,” he said. "The pace and the skill of that level of competition are definitely a step up, going from the south-west to the North Ballarat Rebels in the TAC Cup.

The AFL Victoria Young Guns game will be held at Trevor Barker Oval in Sandringham at 11:30am.