South Launceston midfielder and Tassie Mariners captain John McKenzie is playing under Ayres at Port Melbourne this season.

``We know a little bit about Jason Laycock and Andrew Lee who were at Essendon and I actually worked with both those guys there,'' Ayres said.

``I've got the young man Johnny McKenzie who played footy down in Tassie who has given me some information on some of the boys he played with last year.''

Ayres said that the VFL would go into the game confident of a win but said that there were always variables outside a coaches control.

``We've had a good week on the track and have picked a squad that we believe will give us the agility and run and skill that it comes down to on the day,'' he said.

``It's great in a way because it's state against state and young player against young player, experience against experience and I think the conditions might determine it a little bit about what goes on.

``We have come across with a real purpose in mind to enjoy it so hopefully we can be in front when the siren blows at the end of the game.''

Although unable to pick AFL-listed players, the VFL side boasts former AFL listed players such as Ben Ross (Nth Melbourne), Myke Cook (Adelaide), John Baird (Nth Melbourne), Shane Valenti (Melbourne), Sam Pleming (Carlton), Wayde Skipper (Hawthorn-Bulldogs), Ben Jolly (Essendon) and Khan Haretuku (St Kilda).

Ayres, a former Hawthorn premiership player and Geelong and Adelaide AFL coach, is in charge of his first VFL representative side.

The team contains a strong contingent from his 2011 Port Melbourne premiership team including captain John Baird and midfielder Shane Valenti who has won the past two JJ Liston Medals as the VFL's best and fairest player.

It also includes the brothers of three AFL stars in Brett Goodes, Kris Pendlebury and Myles Sewell.

The VFL won its last representative clash against the WAFL in 2010 by eight or nine goals.

Ayres said only two players remained from that winning team.

``That would suggest there is a fair bit of change because we've had players drafted to the AFL which is great recognition for those boys,'' he said.

``But we've tried to recognise and reward the contribution of certain players because of their high level of performance over the past couple of years and we believe this is the best squad we can pick due to availability.''

Ayres has coached Port Melbourne for five years with the Borough going through last season undefeated, winning their first flag since 1982.

He said he believed the VFL competition was the best in Australia outside of the AFL with 16 players drafted from it last season.

``Tassie has a lot of pride - and history will say that between the two teams they are generally competitive games - but obviously this is about 2012,'' he said.