The 2025/26 WDCA A grade season is set to be one of the most explosive in years, with a full suite of white ball cricket on the card for the best in the region all season.

And opening round clashes don’t get much bigger than the one we see this weekend, with City Colts playing host to Wangaratta Magpies at the picturesque Bill O’Callaghan Oval at the Barr Reserve.

The two storied clubs have enjoyed some close tussles over the years, but this latest edition will definitely be one to watch.

The Colts will roll out a youth-based A grade squad, with graduates of the club’s extremely successful under 16 program set to coalesce around core players, but even the core will be different this season.

The boys in blue will be without Josh and Tyler Nanson, with Josh playing down in Melbourne and Tyler turning coat to play with Magpies, while last season’s club leading run-scorer Josh Newton is also a notable out.

Colts stalwart Kent Braden said the young players were eager to step up.

“We’ve gone with a younger squad this year through different circumstances, but everyone’s pretty excited at the moment,” he said.

“It’s disappointing, giving that was the major core of our group, but it just provides opportunities for the kids.

“Our under 16s have won the last three grand finals, so there’s a good bunch of kids coming through, and now they’ll get their opportunity.

“We’ve been at it for six or seven weeks, getting good numbers at training, especially after footy finished.”

While the season will be a challenge, Braden said the club was looking at it as an opportunity to blood the next generation of Colts players.

“We’re being realistic about it, we need to get games into them,” he said.

“There will be times when we’re not competitive, but I’ve got great faith in the kids and what they’ve shown so far at training.

“We’re on the right track, so I think it’s exciting times for our club.”

Up against them is a Magpies side which has seen some turnover in players, but retained their fighting spirit and x-factor prowess.

Magpies skipper Cooper Matheson is confident his side can be contenders once more, and had been firing on all cylinders in their recent hit-outs.

“Compared to this time last year, we are in a pretty good spot I believe,” he said.

“As a group, we're keen to get underway.

“We had a good hit-out with Mooroopna last week - Jimmy Thewlis made 80, so good to see him back in form and early on, and Dave Killen took five wickets, so I feel we're ready to go.

“I think Colts are a bit of an unknown this year, so we can't take them lightly.

“We've got a pretty strong team in this week so hopefully all goes to plan and we kick off the campaign with a win.”

This weekend marks the first of six one-dayers before the season shifts into T20-mode before Christmas.