The under-18 boys and both the under-18 and under-16 girls squads have been finalised, while the under-16 boys squad that is currently at 50 players is still to be reduced to 30.

The under-18 boys squad features 45 players, while there are 35 players in the under-18 girls squad and 26 in the under-16s.

There will be an opportunity for several under-16 girls to be promoted to the under-18 list.

The Coates Talent League season for the under-18 boys is expected to kick off in late March and in mid-April for the under-18 girls.

"It has pretty well been a two month program for the boys and girls where the coaches have been able to cast their eyes over some really talented young players who have particularly high standards of character," Pioneers regional talent operations lead Rick Coburn said at the weekend.

"We've been really impressed with the quality of our kids coming through.

"As far as finalising the lists, it's based around a few simple aspects. We of course look at their footy fundamentals and IQ and do a lot of match simulation all throughout the program these days.

"We also have an emphasis on their footy character... are they a good role model and person around the club?

"And we also look at their athletic profile and how they test in terms of their speed and endurance, so that's some of the areas we look at that casts a picture of the players.

"We've got some really highly talented players in our boys and girls squads this year and we're very confident we will have a number of Vic Country participants.

"You don't know how all the other regions are comparing, but overall we feel we've got some really good depth this year.

"We're really happy with how our players have come through this first phase of the pre-season and know we'll enter the next phase with our practice matches."

Included in the Pioneers' squads this year are three players who are part of the AFL National Academy in Sandhurst's Archer Day-Wicks, Moama's Jobe Shanahan and White Hills' Lucia Painter.

Glen Gilbee (Balranald)

Mitchell McKnight (Castlemaine)

Nick Thompson (Charlton)

Jude Ryan (Colbinabbin)

Tom Evans (Echuca)

Liam Gronow (Echuca)

Gus Toll (Echuca)

Oliver Poole (Echuca United)

Nash Ramage (Echuca United)

Jack McMahon (Golden Square)

Hunter Wright (Golden Square)

Dusty Geister (Irymple)

Connor Evans (Kangaroo Flat)

Ryan Bassett (Koondrook Barham)

Angus Scoble (Kyabram)

Archie Watt (Kyabram)

Jye Chambers (Kyneton)

Koben Ryan (Lake Boga)

Darby Jones (Leitchville-Gunbower)

James Barratt (Leitchville-Gunbower)

Thomas Rutledge (Macedon)

Jonty Davis (Marong)

Taj Bond (Maryborough)

Kaian Constable (Maryborough)

Aiden Avery (Mildura)

Shaun Watson (Mildura)

Jobe Shanahan (Moama)

Lachlan Hogan (Moama)

Mitchell Bell (Moama)

Ethan Curran (Nyah Nyah West United)

Archer Day-Wicks (Sandhurst)

Finlay Lockhart (Sandhurst)

Dayten Uerata (Sandhurst)

Gus Hay (Sandhurst)

Oliver Morris (Sandhurst)

Tobie Travaglia (Sandhurst)

Zaydyn Lockwood (South Bendigo)

Charlie Cook (South Mildura)

Jed Daniels (Strathfieldsaye)

Jaidi Jackson-Leahy (Strathfieldsaye)

Lachlan Vrolijks (Swan Hill)

Wil Bennett (Swan Hill)

James Coulson (Tongala)

Patrick Blake (Tyntynder)

Charlie King (Woorinen)

Oscar Giddings (Castlemaine)

Charlie Bull (Deniliquin Rams)

Sam Crossley (Deniliquin Rams)

Baxter Cowley (Deniliquin Rovers)

Cody Walker (Echuca)

Kristian Fitzsimmons (Echuca)

Jett Kervin (Echuca)

Angus Watson (Echuca)

Max McCarty (Echuca)

Ned Ash Townrow (Echuca)

Ryan Brown (Golden Square)

Ben Miller (Huntly)

Colby Geister (Irymple)

Sam Tassone (Irymple)

Harper Milsom (Irymple)

Hamish Stewart (Kyabram)

Isiah Scoble (Kyabram)

Charlie Isaac (Kyabram)

Angus Hoyne (Kyneton)

Joel Turner (Kyneton)

Willem Pye (Lake Boga)

Zac Coghlan (Leitchville-Gunbower)

Logan Howell (Maryborough)

Campbell Wood (Maryborough)

Zac Cicchini (Maryborough)

Phoenix Hemming (Merbein)

Max Kiel (Mildura)

Thomas Naujok (Moama)

Tom Connelly (Red Cliffs)

Felix Smith (Red Cliffs)

Harrison Keating (Rochester)

Carter Reid (Sandhurst)

Lenny McNamara (Sandhurst)

Noah Willits (Sandhurst)

Oliver Stewart (Sandhurst)

Eamon Austin (Sandhurst)

Miller Nihill (Sandhurst)

Cruz O'Sullivan (Sea Lake Nandaly)

Jack Bell (South Bendigo)

Louis Eddy (South Bendigo)

Mitchell Clark (South Bendigo)

Francis Boulton (South Mildura)

Bodhi Kelly (Swan Hill)

Seamus Doherty (Swan Hill)

Sonny Beasy (Swan Hill)

Darcy Uebergang (Swan Hill)

Rory Bell (Ultima)

Archer Lancaster (Wandella)

Russell Clark (Wentworth)

Bohdi Edwards (Wentworth)

Jarrell Ratcliffe (White Hills)

* to be reduced to 35

Jemmika Douglas (Bambill)

Demi Zanoni (Bambill)

Lola Modoo (Bambill)

Lavinia Cox (Eaglehawk)

Sienna Hobbs (Eaglehawk)

Kasey Camera (Gol Gol Hawks)

Gabby Drage (Golden Square)

Gemma Roberts (Golden Square)

Jayda Lockwood (Golden Square)

Eliza Coutts (Kyneton)

Charlotte Pennefather (Kyneton)

Jasmine Short (Kyneton)

Ella Jeffrey (Kyneton)

Alexis Gregor (Moama)

Kaitlyn Davidson (Moama)

Bree Church (Moama)

Matilda Cooke (Moama)

Ella Platfuss (Moama)

Issy Boulton (Nyah Nyah West United)

Ava Bibby (Sandhurst)

Charlotte Scanlon (Sandhurst)

Ava Franklin (Sandhurst)

Olivia Lacy (Sandhurst)

Scout Carmody (Sandhurst)

Jerrah Caruso (Shepparton Swans)

Tessa Skipper (Strathfieldsaye)

Shanika Kirby-Wilson (Werrimul)

Caitlin Evans (White Hills)

Lucia Painter (White Hills)

Nadia Peebles (White Hills)

Sasha Pearce (White Hills)

Tahlia Kendall (White Hills)

Nevaeh Roberts (Woorinen)

Sam Johnston (Woorinen)

Ruby Mayger-Pollock (Cardross)

Imogen McAskill (Cardross)

Rhani Evans (Carisbrook)

Lori Whaley (Castlemaine)

Sage Dennis (Echuca United)

Lucy Johansen (Golden Square)

Lily Mansfield (Golden Square)

Jayda Alford (Huntly)

Carrie Harris (Kyneton)

Hayley Johnston (Merbein)

Remi Baulch (Moama)

Grace McMillan (Moama)

Beth Morris (Moama)

Georgia Garlick (Sandhurst)

Hannah Cochrane (Sandhurst)

Lacey Nihill (Sandhurst)

Leni Brown (Sandhurst)

Ruby McLeod (Shepparton Swans)

Alysha Boyd (Strathfieldsaye)

Evie Nuttall (Strathfieldsaye)

Scarlett Ward (Strathfieldsaye)

Emmerson Lihou (Werrimul)

Lottie Adams (Werrimul)

Mia Clark (White Hills)

Matilda Meersbergen (White Hills)

Eva Coffey (Woorinen)