The Dennington stalwart will play with a new partner at the annual City Memorial Bowls Club tournament this week.

The two-time winner will pair with City Memorial bowler Peter Cooke at the two-day competition.

Quigley, 74, is one of only three players who have played in all 28 Des Notley classics to date, along with City Memorial’s Kevin McMahon and Swan Hill’s Lindsay Ryan.

McMahon and Ryan have also committed for the 2017 edition and will play on Wednesday and Thursday.

Quigley said he still enjoyed the competition almost three decades on from its formation.

“It is a very good competition because people are invited for their ability and you are never short of a good, hard game,” he said.

“It has a little bit of prestige but at this particular part of my career with my ability fading, it is more of a traditional thing because I have played in every one.”

Quigley teamed up with son David 12 months ago and was among the challengers.

“I’ve won it twice but that was a good many years ago,” he said.

“Last year, my son and I looked like we were going to take it out, and if we won the last game we would have won it outright but we were defeated in the last game and dropped to third.”

Quigley remains a key member of Dennington Red – its top-grade Western District Bowls Division outfit – some 45 years after joining the club.

“It had only just started when I joined – I am not a founding member, but am close to it,” he said.

The Des Notley Classic Pairs has attracted 42 teams from across the state including reigning champions, Port Fairy father and son duo Jim and Neil Lowe.

The 2016 runners-up have split into new teams.

Koroit’s Jack Murnane will play alongside club teammate Stephen Quinlan and Les Johnson, another Victoria Park-based talent, has joined Geelong East entrant Ken Petzieries.

All pairs will play three games of 14 ends on a time limit on both days of competition with play starting at 9am.