As he heads into his second season as an AFL player, Josh Dunkley says he is proud of what he and his team achieved in his first season of AFL football but his feet remain firmly planted on the ground as he considers the challenges that lay ahead. 

Speaking with 3AW on Monday, Dunkley said the events of 2016 are something he’ll cherish, but the focus has shifted to the season ahead and the areas in which his side can improve, starting tomorrow night against the Suns.

"I think JLT [Series] is [about] trying to get new game plans going and try different things and [make] different situations happen, he said.

“We've taken a lot out of the first couple of games and we're looking forward to getting back out there Thursday night."

The Dogs will open their 2017 campaign in just over two weeks against Collingwood and Dunkley sees that match as a good test of that potential improvement.

"It'll be a good test for us. Collingwood are obviously going really well at the moment and have had a few changes but we're worried about ourselves at the moment and trying to improve on last year. It should be good and we're looking forward to it."

The Bulldogs will travel to the Gold Coast to take on the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium this Thursday before taking on the Magpies in Round 1 at the MCG on March 24.