They've been minor premiers the last three seasons, and the Gunnedah Bulldogs are shaping up to again be a force in this year's AFL North West women's competition.
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The 2023 season kicks-off this Saturday (April 22) with the Bulldogs heading to Tamworth to take on the Tamworth Kangaroos.
While they have lost two-time players' player Rani Grant to Glenelg in the the South Australian National Football League, they have been able to retain most of last year's squad and even picked up a couple of new players that coach Jakob Vearing said are looking quite promising.
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"We've lost a couple of ruckman, which hurts, but in saying that we've picked up some really handy midfielders and even some defenders," he said.
Taking on the coaching role last season, under Vearing the Bulldogs continued their dominance, not dropping a game until the grand final, which they lost by only a point, and stretching their unbeaten run to an incredible 39 matches.
"They played excellent footy right until I guess they didn't," he reflected.
Naturally there isn't too much he feels they need to change. It's really more just little improvements like capitalising on their strengths more.
"Probably trying to start working to our strengths a bit more, working on a bit more ball skills, ball retention," Vearing said about what the focus in the pre-season has been.
"Trying to work on just maintaining possession a bit more rather than just forcing I guess a slog fest."
But the general blueprint will be the same.
"I think we're going to see a different team but with a similar sort of bill," he said.
"Still going to be fast and exciting, still going to play well-structured football but it's just going to be a few different dynamics this year."
