MUCH like his opposite number on Sunday, it is a new step in the coaching career of Western Bulldogs coach Rhys Cahir, who leads his charges into their first VFL Women’s Grand Final this weekend.

It is the culmination of a long journey for Cahir and the team, who only a mere three years ago finished last on the ladder after a winless season. Cahir took over the season after and has been building up to this achievement.

“The club basically started again,” he said. “So what we achieved last year was great and we were very close a few times but we kept building on that foundation and it’s credit to the girls, they’re the ones that have taken on board what we’re trying to coach and implement during games and they’re all pushing themselves to hopefully get to that highest level too and the standard’s been brilliant from them.”

One of the key areas targeted by the Bulldogs last offseason was bringing in some experienced heads, and Cahir said that bringing in the likes of Mia-Rae Clifford and Courtney Ugle has been huge for his side this season.

“Oh look, it was probably one focus we needed to do recruiting wise last year was to get some experience in” Cahir said.

“We were such a young side and we still really are, even with those girls. But and including Chloe Leonard who comes from Geelong, the leadership they bring has been outstanding and the standards they drive and just the voice.

“So yeah, it’s been invaluable what they’ve brought to the group.”

Speaking of important players for the Bulldogs, Jaimi Tabb has been moved around a few positions in the past few weeks and although Cahir wouldn’t say where she would play this weekend, he did confirm that her move from forward to midfield

“Jamie’s just a genuine star and she can play multiple positions and stuff like that, so powerful whatever position she plays,” he said.

“It was probably a marginal change to get us a different look and a match up and try something different. But look, I think we could stick Tabby at full back and she’d do the job, but having her anywhere is brilliant. But it’s allowed us to free a couple of others up as well and is certainly a hard match up for Port Melbourne and Willy and hopefully on Sunday as well.”

To get to the Grand Final they defeated Williamstown in last weekend’s Preliminary Final, and Cahir said that having played them only a fortnight prior helped give them the lessons they needed to get the job done second time around.

“Certainly,” he said. “I guess we probably started back at the Darebin game and we lost. We had to learn from our losses, not just take from our wins.

“So, we certainly thought we played okay footy in the first final, but not our best, and we knew we took away what they did well but we didn’t play our brand of footy. So yesterday we took away what they wanted to do, but also played our brand of footy.”

“I guess being one of the better sides of the year, we knew we had to stick to the task all day.

“But we had a plan to play our best footy, as well as take away theirs and we couldn’t have executed it any better if we tried. So if we can replicate that, I’ll be more than happy. But yeah, grand final’s a different story, but we’ll be aiming to be doing that again.”

The Bulldogs have been one of the most consistent sides this season, and Cahir agreed that having a consistent match day squad, particularly in recent weeks, has been important for his side.

“We made one change after the Willy game just to change things up,” he said. “We weren’t quite getting it right and it’s certainly worked and it’s probably been tough for young Jaime Henry who was the one to miss and she’s still knocking on the door and putting her hand up and if an opportunity comes for her for whatever reason, she’s ready to go along with the seven or eight others. But yeah, having consistent 21s has certainly allowed us to play consistent footy for the last two games as well.”