Western Women show plenty of fight in pre-season trial against Canterbury

While the Bulldogs did as expected and took out the trial at Pride Park, scoring 11 tries to one as they build towards the NSW Women's Premiership, Western still showed plenty of fight.

As the temperature nudged 30 degrees, and while they'd only trained together twice in the build up, Western produced some promising moments.

Halfback and captain Bridie McClure did her best to steer the side around, as did her halves partner Tori Canham who impressed with her kicking game.

Prop Maggie Townsend and lock Kiara Sullivan ran with purpose, while Panorama Platypi centre Teagan Miller was one of the Western players to catch the eye of Bulldogs coach Luke Goodwin.

But Pull was proud of the way his whole side played.

"The Bulldogs played really well, but there is no doubt in my mind that I picked the right players who have the right attitude for the Country Championships," he said.

"I thought skill-wise and ability-wise we had them covered, but they've obviously spent a lot of time in the gym, they're strong in the legs and they looked strong.

"I'm just really proud of our girls, because it was about us. As much as them coming out and playing and doing a clinic, today was about us and learning to play with one another.

"The Bulldogs were physically strong and kept coming, but for our girls to roll up their sleeves and go back at them, I was amazed."

The match was split into four periods of 20 minutes and it was Bulldogs who took control in the first as they crossed three times.

In a fitting moment it was St Pat's league tag star Cheynoah Merchant, who has joined the Bulldogs for 2023, that crossed for the opener.

It was the second rower's first touch of the ball, charging hard at the line to cross in the second minute.

A 40-metre break led to try two in the ninth minute and soon after the Bulldogs were in again in the right corner.

But Western did have bright moments in the opening quarter, Sullivan getting within inches of the line as it took three Bulldogs defenders to hold her out.

Then just before the first break the Platypi connection of centre Miller and winger Tiana Anderson combined to make good yards down the left edge.

Bulldogs pushed their lead out to five tries within four minutes of the second quarter starting, but Western responded with it's sole try of the contest.

A smart cross-field chip from Canham picked out unmarked winger Jes Pearson, who caught the ball and planted it in the corner.

The try came after fullback Molly Hoswell had forced a line drop-out with a good kick and chase.

By half-time it was 7-1, but Pull implored his players not to give up. They responded.

Western conceded on the first set of the second half, but in the 34 minutes which followed only gave up two more tries to the Bulldogs.

The hosts slowed down Bulldogs around the ruck, restricted the offloads which had been damaging in the opening half, and cut down the amount of missed tackles.

They also upped their efforts in support play and threatened Bulldogs' line more than once.

It was good signs for Pull.

"I thought at the start of the game we were so excited to be playing the Bulldogs we were playing fast, including defensively, we were getting up off the ground way to quick," Pull said.

"That was just excitement, but when we went back to making a conscious effort, we worked really hard and we stopped a lot of their plays.

"There were a few tries there that if anyone scores them they're good tries, the drew us in, they went wide and they got them, so there were some good tries."

The other thing that pleased Pull was the way his players responded when he shuffled them positionally.

That versatility will be an asset come Country Championships time.

"There are a lot of girls in our team who can play different positions and they did it, we only had two training runs," he said.

"You look at Nicole Schneider who went in and played five-eighth in the second half, I know she played there at club level but she just gelled with everyone.

"Maggie Townsend took them on up front, I was really impressed with her, she took it personal.

"But everybody really rolled their sleeves up and did a good job. I know I picked the right squad now."

The Rams next assignment will be a trial against Newcastle in Mudgee on January 28.

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