Reigning Blues premiership mentor Nick Couch confirmed ex-Koroit star Ben Dobson would pull on the colours for the first time in a huge boost.

The star utility, who did not play in 2023, has enjoyed a decorated career which includes experience at VFL and Geelong league level but due to cricket commitments with Warrnambool division one club Nestles has slowly been building match fitness.

The Blues also regain fellow star James Willsher for the blockbuster clash in another strong inclusion, but lose two key players to injury in Reagan Nutting (shoulder) and recruit Hugh Porter (ankle).

Russells Creek has confirmed half-forward Caleb Templeton will return to the line-up for its clash against the reigning premiers at Deakin University.

Templeton started strongly in round one but missed last week and will bolster the Dylan Herbertson-coached side as they look to keep their unbeaten start to the season going.

Some experience and firepower will return to Panmure's forward line stocks with former senior coach Chris Bant to return from a minor hamstring niggle this weekend against Timboon Demons.

The ex-Bulldogs mentor was a late withdrawal from the side with soreness last week but coach Adam Courtney said he was now fit and firing after kicking four in the opening round against Old Collegians.

"He certainly gives some of the younger blokes confidence knowing he's out there, just providing a bit of a voice and guidance," he said.

"His experience for us is a big bonus."

The Bulldogs will miss Tom Wright with a back injury while James Norton is unavailable.

Courtney said he was looking forward to bouncing back from the round two loss against Nirranda.

"It'll be good to get down to Timboon where we think it'll be a contested game," he said.

"Everyone tells me it's a hard trip so we'll expect a hard contest. We'll try and make a better account of ourselves after last week."

Merrivale will welcome back a key piece of its forward line for the home match against South Rovers.

Tigers coach Josh Sobey confirmed gun forward Hamish Gurry, who kicked 21 goals from nine matches last season, would play his first game of the season to bolster the attacking half of the ground.

Dennington will need to make at least four changes to its winning side from last week, with Tom Lee (injured), Tom Fitzgerald (injured), Nicholas Alexandrou and Jeremy Turner (both unavailable) all coming out of the team for the match against Allansford.

Key forward recruit Harry Ponting will make his debut for the club, confirmed coach Leigh Anderson.

"He hasn't played footy for a few years but has been training well for three, four weeks now and has fit in nicely at the club," he said of Ponting.

Allansford, meanwhile, is expected to welcome back important midfielder Lachlan Read for his first game.

The talented on-baller, who won the league's under 18 best and fairest in 2022, "will go straight into the midfield" according to coach Tim Nowell.

The Cats mentor indicated there may be a few more changes to the side but would wait until later in the week.

Old Collegians is preparing to go into its winnable clash on the road against Kolora-Noorat unchanged, with the Warriors coming through last week's drought-breaking win unscathed.

Co-coach Ben van de Camp said any changes would be purely for match-ups but was confident the same group of players would take to the field against the Power.

"We'll go into it with a positive mindset after last week, we know if we play at our best we can win it but are fully aware Kolora have some good footballers despite a lot of changes this off-season on their end," he said.

"We're confident in the ability of our players."

WDFNL round three teams

**All teams are as supplied by clubs

Kolora-Noorat Seniors v Old Collegians Seniors

Kolora-Noorat

B: J.Evans, O.Curran, N.Marshall

HB: S.O'Connor, E.Wyss, J.vaughan

C: L.Cahill, C.Scanlon, C.Kavanagh

HF: A.Kenna, G.Beasley, J.Wallace

F: N.Castersen, J.Dwyer, C.Scanlon

R: M.Wyss, S.Uwland, A.Robertson

Int: T.Kenna, J.Evans, B.Carlin, T.Beasley

Old Collegians

B: J.Cust, H.Hall, S.Walker

HB: J.Bateman, M.Petherick, M.Couch

C: H.Jenkins, I.Frusher, D.Gleeson

HF: B.Brooks, H.White, J.Mckinnon

F: J.Zippel, C.Duro, G.Bond

R: J.Brooks, C.Barby, B.Harvey

Int: J.Cleaver, N.Wallace, L.Edwards

Dennington Seniors v Allansford Seniors

Dennington

B: T.noonan, D.Threlfall, L.Pearson

HB: L.Campbell-Gavin, B.Thornton, J.Shircore

C: E.Dowd, C.Fenn, J.Blackney-noter

HF: M.Mavroudakis, D.Davidson, T.Noonan

F: A.Keen, J.Hamilton, H.Ponting

R: B.Baker, F.Rowe, J.Garner

Int: T.Moana, D.Paton, D.Hoye, F.Onthaisongs

Allansford

B: J.Kirkwood, K.Gordon, K.Jans

HB: A.Gordon, B.Lee, B.Edge

C: J.Fedley, R.Swan, B.Hunger

HF: J.Boyle, B.Williams, L.Read

F: R.Hare, F.Gleeson, L.Draffen

R: B.Coutts, Z.Jamieson, C.Day

Int: P.Higgins, J.Mclean, C.McLean

Timboon Demons Seniors v Panmure Seniors

Timboon Demons

B: C.Trotter, E.Gaut, S.Newey

HB: K.Delaney, L.Alsop, A.Hunt

C: D.Bridgewater, H.Stansfield, M.Wallace

HF: R.Ziegelaar, M.Gristede, B.Newey

F: T.Hunt, M.Angus, E.White

R: B.Cumming, P.Ryan, N.Deppeler

Int: T.Quarrell, L.Smith, J.Makin, R.Couch

Panmure

B: T.Wright, L.Lyons, T.Gedye

HB: J.Sharkey, N.Keane, M.Sinnott

C: T.Murnane, J.Parsons, L.Gavin

HF: P.Ryan, J.Coyle, A.Courtney

F: D.Bourke, L.McLeod, C.Bant

R: J.Lewis, S.Melican, S.Mahony

Int: S.Carter, N.Greene, H.Fleming, B.Smith

Nirranda Seniors v Russells Creek Seniors

Nirranda

B: B.Harkness, R.Nutting, C.Wagstaff

HB: M.Lloyd, B.McCann, L.Kew

C: J.Irving, D.Willsher, L.Irving

HF: D.Philp, J.Couch, J.Primmer

F: B.Kew, T.Royal, B.Dobson

R: H.Giblin, D.Craven, J.Paulin

Int: N.Couch, T.Dalton, J.Lenehan, A.Parsons, J.Willsher

Russells Creek

B: B.Melican, R.Cooke, N.Edge

HB: Z.Timms, D.Finlayson, S.Alberts

C: T.Boyle, J.Chatfield, A.Mcmeel

HF: T.Smith, S.Brady, M.Rook

F: J.Askew, T.Ryan, C.Templeton

R: B.Harrington, L.McLeod, D.Burns

Int: J.Chatfield, K.Smith, B.Rudland-Castles, P.Brady

Merrivale Seniors v South Rovers Seniors

Merrivale

B: S.Barnes, W.Lenehan, T.McLaughlin

HB: J.Lenehan, F.Atchison, J.Britton

C: M.Sandow, B.Bell, H.Owen

HF: H.Gurry, O.Watson, J.Neave

F: L.Hinkley, M.Hausler, J.Mahony - Gilchrist

R: R.Barling, J.Gleeson, O.Doukas

Int: C.Mcdonald, C.Graham, N.Krepp, Z.Neave

South Rovers

B: L.Cook, B.Bushell, C.Mailes

HB: T.Bishop, K.Brereton, S.Wilde

C: S.Williams, M.Edwards, F.McCoy

HF: J.Cashin, L.Mcfadyen, B.Grant

F: B.White, J.Bell, R.Mentha

R: K.Lenehan, J.Morton, A.Grant

Int: L.Wilde, B.Oates, B.Goodall, S.Barker