SOUTH-WEST Victoria's proud association with the Australian Country Football Championships will be interrupted when the four-day carnival kicks off today in Shepparton.

For the first time in many years the region won't have a footballer represented at the biennial carnival.

Koroit playing coach Joe McLaren, who captained Victoria Country's division one side in 2007, was forced to withdraw from the training squad at the last minute with a quad injury, while Warrnambool onballer Jarrod McCorkell is unable to play due to work commitments.

They were the only two Hampden Football Netball League players selected in the training squad.

The Victorian Country Football League is defending titleholder in division one and two.

The division one team is made up of players from the state's 16 major leagues and a division two team is chosen from district leagues.

Selectors overlooked the Warrnambool, Mininera, Colac and South West district leagues for the division two squad.

Merrivale utility Dean Funston represented the team in 2006.

HFNL president Alan Rourke, a former Hampden region VCFL manager, yesterday recalled ongoing participation at the championships for the past 14 years.

``It is (disappointing) considering there is two teams up there and the Western District is not represented,'' Rourke said.

McLaren is equally downcast after attending the last of three training sessions in Melbourne on Sunday.

``I love my footy and love playing for Country Victoria ... it is an honour,'' he said.

``To miss out due to injury is quite disappointing,'' he said.

``It didn't quite come up. It was close. If it had been a one-off game like last year I could have got up.''

McLaren said carnivals were physically demanding and it wouldn't be fair on the other Victoria Country players or coaching staff to risk aggravating the injury.

``They need to take blokes who are fully fit and ready to play.''

The VCFL takes on Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and ACT in division one, while the division two line-up takes on an Aboriginal All-Star team and Queensland.

Seymour's Paul Scanlon will lead the VCFL division one side while Elmore's Andy Grant will again captain the VCFL district state team. VCFL division one coach Terry Daniher is confident the team selected will be competitive.

``We have selected a strong team ... The boys have been very keen at all the training runs so far and although we have lost one of our leaders in Joe McLaren through injury, I think we have a good mix of senior players and young fellas and the boys will put up a good show,'' Daniher said.