Previous form will count for nothing in 2019 due to widespread squad changes across the competition, according to All-Australian AFLW defender Hannah Scott.
As the Bulldogs prepare to kick-start their premiership defence against Adelaide at Norwood Oval on Saturday night, Scott knows her side will be hunted – but a new-look Dogs side is determined to remain the hunters.
“I think that we’ll be portrayed that way definitely, but it’s a very new year and we haven’t played any of these teams before,” Scott told Macquarie Sports Radio.
“There’s been so much player turnover that each team has that new-team feel, so it’s sort of like we’re playing all new teams to be honest.
“I think we’ll definitely be hunting, as we did last season.”
The Dogs will be hunting without 2018 AFLW best-and-fairest and dual Club best-and-fairest Emma Kearney, who has crossed to North Melbourne, and with 2018 leading goal-kicker Brooke Lochland and former number one draft pick Isabel Huntington sidelined through injury.
But with co-captain Katie Brennan ready for Round 1 after only playing four matches last season, and a number of new additions, Scott believes the Bulldogs are ready to hit the ground running.
“We did lose some key players, but I think if we look back to last season, we played a fair chunk of the season without some of our stars anyway,” she said.
“We were able to adapt to that, and the players that needed to really stood up.
“We’ve got a pretty damaging side.
AFLW | ROUND 1 MATCH INFORMATION
“The players that we’ve got in have really taken everything in their stride. They really want to learn the way we want to play.
“Whilst we’ve had some key players go, I think the inclusions that we’ve made will speak for themselves.”
