The Bulldogs still have a game to play against Moree/Narrabri this Saturday but can't push their way into the four.

While disappointed not to be involved in the finals, coach Andy Mack reflected on the season as still a positive one. With the turnover of players they had, he said it was always going to be "pretty tough" to defend their title.

"I think it was successful, we had up to 10-to a dozen players that hadn't played before," he said.

READ ALSO:

Some hadn't played any form of football before.

"We had a couple of good wins, we had that win over the Swans, beat Armidale (New England Nomads) and beat Inverell earlier in the year," he said.

"The fact of the matter was we probably didn't win enough games early while we were sorting out who was best where, and players were in and out."

"It was only the last month we started to string together the same side, but it was too little too late."

Ryan Smith was one of the newcomers that really impressed Mack.

"He started off on the wing half-forward, but with his fitness and tackling ability ended up tagging the last few weeks," he said.

"Nick Ferguson was really good in his first year of footy."

He has nominated him for the rising star award.

Another was Darcy Hill.

"He'd never played any code of football before, he was from a basketball background," Mack said.

Smith was on Saturday among the Bulldogs goalkickers as they went down 13.8 (86) to 8.6 (54). Tom Mackey led the way with three, while James Mack booted two.

They only had the bare 18 to travel and were trailing from early on but staged what has become a typical late fightback.

"We were coming home late in the last quarter after being four or five goals down (they were in fact six)," Mack said.

"Unfortunately we just got a bit tired and ran out of legs."

A few little skills things probably let them down too but he couldn't fault their effort.

Stepping up to the coaching role this season, Mack said he did enjoy it.

"I'd certainly be happy to do it again," he said.

"Hopefully we can keep the same core group together."

He did um and ah about it initially.

"I had to convince myself I was the right man for it more than anyone else," he said.

When they only had 14, "and some of them ring-ins" for the pre-season Crossroads Cup, he was wondering what he had got himself in for but they were able to get a few more numbers.

"The biggest thing has been the social side of it with the women's and the juniors," Mack said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: