Playing the Camden Rams for the Paul Dooner Memorial Cup will be the last outing for the Bulldogs before the Group Nine season.
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“We’re under no illusions about the how tough it will be,” assistant coach Aaron Byrne said.
“It’s kind of what the team needs. We’re playing the top three teams in the first three weeks of the season,” he said.
“We need to start well and that’s a big focus for us.”
It’s the third trial after playing Thirlmere and at the West Belconnen Nines.
Byrne said the Nines weekend was more about creating bonds between players and supporting fitness development as some players didn’t have much experience in Nines.
On Saturday, coach Glen Buttriss will run out for his first game with the Bulldogs in the 13-man game.
“A lot of the guys have been waiting for this,” Byrne said.
Meanwhile, Joe Ward will also make his debut on Saturday with the Raiders Harold Matthews Cup side.
Byrne said Ward had been training with Cootamundra’s first grade side all pre-season.
The Raiders side will play Western Suburbs at 10.30am before the Cootamundra and Camden play.
- BULLDOGS: Zac Allen, Jordy Ballard, Josh Black, David Buttriss, Glen Buttriss, Patrick Cameron, Moe Clune, Haydn Cowled, Jade Cowled, Jason Cronin, Josh Deep, Aaron Duncan, Matt Forsyth, Jake Goodwin, Luke Levitt, Chris Maher, James Smith, Robert Tulenew, Brad Walsh and Jeremey Wood.