AFTER a tough first three weeks of the AFL Women\u2019s season, the Western Bulldogs are on the board for 2024 after a win over Collingwood yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking post match, Bulldogs\u2019 coach Tamara Hyett<\/em><\/strong> was a happy woman, noting that she was \u201chappy for everyone at the club. Staff, players, coaches, and we’ve got a really supportive group behind us. So yeah, just really, really proud and happy for everyone involved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked whether the win took some pressure off, Hyett said it was more about reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don’t know whether it’s pressure, I think it’s probably reward for what the players have been engaging in and committing to,” she said. “That’s the most pleasing thing is, yeah, the scoreboard looked flattering for us, but what I’m most pleased about is that we stuck to our processes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hyett did confirm that energy levels were high within the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, it always helps when you win,\u201d Hyett said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo I’m sure the energy levels will be good going into the game against Sydney. “But yeah, we were showing glimpses of what we can do, but we’ve got to be able to put it together for four quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt’s an addictive feeling winning, but it doesn’t happen automatically. “You still have to work hard at it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking from Round 1 until yesterday, Hyett that the biggest improvement from then until now was the “belief and trust” of the gameplan and each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I think that it’s building cohesion,” she said. “We’ve had a big turnover and they’re just getting to spend more time together, not just on the park, but actually at training as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking more specifically at yesterday\u2019s match, the biggest improvement for the Bulldogs was that \u201cwe did the basics well\u201d according to Hyett.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPositioning at stoppage, contested layering, but then also playing what they gave us. That’s just building game awareness within the group. So, yeah, really pleasing that we did the basics well, which I think helped.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hyett also addressed how the Bulldogs worked back into the game after Collingwood had a strong start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe probably went away from a couple of things structurally, which we just had to reposition and reset at quarter time and to the players credit, they really stuck to that and proof’s in the pudding,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n