STAR Essendon recruit Bonnie Toogood has been enjoying the extra responsibility that comes with being an established player in a brand new AFLW team.
Toogood was an inexperienced rookie – relatively new to football – when she joined the Western Bulldogs ahead of the 2018 season, much more comfortable on the netball court than the football field.
Steph Cain and Cat Phillips (44 games) are Essendon's most experienced players, but Toogood isn't far behind with 37 matches under her belt.
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"It's been a challenge, I guess at the Dogs I had the likes of Ellie (Blackburn) and 'Lamby' (Kirsty Lamb) I could go to if I had questions," Toogood told womens.afl.
"Whereas this time around, I've had to go on the fly a bit more and trust and back myself in if I have an idea or something.
"It's been a different challenge in that space, but this will be my sixth season in the competition, so I guess that classifies me as an older player. So I'm just trying to bring the experience I have to those who haven't yet witnessed this level of competition, and trying to fast-track connections as fast as I can."
For the 24-year-old Toogood, social skills are key to helping form Essendon's AFLW culture.
"A lot of what I like to do is I like to get to know my teammates, that's the most important thing," she said.
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"Particularly in an expansion side, there are people I know only a little about or have never met. So for me, it's about getting around everyone, getting to know more about themselves off the field as well as how they like to function on the field and what their goals are and how I can play a part in helping them achieve that.
"At the end of the day, I want to be the best I can be, so I can help them support everyone else to be that themselves."
The key forward looks set to spearhead Essendon's attack, playing alongside the likes of Daria Bannister, Georgia Gee, Sophie Alexander, Jess Wuetschner and dynamic top-10 draftees Amber Clarke and Paige Scott.
"My gut was screaming this was the right decision (to move to Essendon)," Toogood said.
"Natalie Wood, who was the midfield coach for the Bulldogs in the past two years, is now the head coach at Essendon, and I really liked how she went about her assistant coaching, and I thought in a head coaching role she'd really thrive. That was a big one for me, and I think she'll really help with my football development.
"Also just where I was in my career, the prospect of being part of an inaugural team, being really crucial in building the culture we want to set, the standards we want to live by, I love that stuff. I love getting in the thick of how teams work, how we get the best out of each other, and that was a great opportunity in front of me.
"They were a few factors, and I was an Essendon supporter growing up, still am an Essendon supporter, so it was a cherry on top to come back and actually live out a childhood dream and don the sash."
