Draws and teams have emerged and the River Rats are set to enter seven sides across the grades; two women’s, an A- and B-grade men’s, an under-15 side, and two under-12 sides.
“We've got registrations steadily rolling in,” club secretary Bec Webb said.
“There are great numbers this year, and we're excited to have entered two women's teams, which means we will have Echuca versus Echuca women's games.”
The women’s side was the undefeated champion in 2024, but has now split into Echuca Moama Green and White, with the championship squad mixed in with younger players across both sides.
On the men’s side, similar line-ups to those that fell in the semi-final rounds last year are set to take to the field again, but the club says it is still open to adding new players to its men’s squads.
While across the association, the senior grades look lighter on numbers, with Benalla not entering any sides in the senior ranks this year, the junior grades look strong, with 10 teams competing in the under-15 competition and nine in the under-12 division.
The junior ranks have lost the entire under-17s competition, with no club able to put forward a side, sending juniors aged over 15 into the senior ranks.
“The clubs of the association didn't put forward the teams for under-17s,” Webb said.
“If you're a male, you would step up to B-men, and we've split our young ones and our new players between the two women's teams.”
The full slate of round one fixtures will be held at the Shepparton Regional Hockey Complex on Saturday.
Echuca’s A-grade men and women’s Green side will both be facing Strikers in the opening round, as will the under-12 White side.
The B-men and under-12 Green teams are both set for contests with Mooroopna, while the women’s White side takes on Euroa.
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