North Ballarat Rebels will be known as Greater Western Victoria Rebels from the 2017 season.

Rebels talent manager Phil Partington said the name encompassed their five training hubs – Warrnambool, Hampden, South West, Wimmera and Goldfields.

Four of the Rebels’ five 2016 AFL draftees – Hugh McCluggage and Cedric Cox (Brisbane), Willem Drew (Port Adelaide) and Jamaine Jones (Geelong) – hailed from the Hampden league.

The fifth, Wimmera product Jarrod Berry, was also from outside the Ballarat area.

“We hope the name change will enable the club to gain more support from clubs and leagues, as well as important commercial backing from businesses within our vast Western Victoria talent region,” Partington said.

Five-time Hampden league premiership coach Adam Dowie, who mentored the Rebels’ Warrnambool-based players throughout the pre-season, said the name better reflected the club’s ability to provide a pathway for under 18 players.

“Gippsland Power is Gippsland Power, not Morwell Power,” he said.

“I think they (the Rebels) are trying, from a publicity perspective and perception point-of-view to not just be North Ballarat. It is a name that includes the whole area, encompasses the whole of Western Victoria.”

A new logo was also part of the revamp.