AFTER a baptism of fire in her first month as AFLW coach, Western Bulldogs leader Tam Hyett has hailed her team's attitude and work ethic as the Dogs recorded a 42-point win over Collingwood.
It was a near-complete turnaround for the Bulldogs, who have recorded an average losing margin of 40.7 over their past four games.
"I'm happy for everyone at the club, staff, players and coaches. We've got a really supportive group behind us, so really, really proud and happy for everyone involved," Hyett said.
MAGPIES V BULLDOGS Full match details and stats
"I don't know if it's pressure (released), it's probably reward for what the players have been engaging in and committing to. That's the most pleasing thing – the scoreboard looked flattering for us, but what I'm most pleased about is we stuck to our processes.
"We did the basics well – positioning at stoppage, contested layering – but then also playing what they gave us. That's building game awareness within the group, so really pleasing that we did the basics well."
It was the Western Bulldogs' second ever game without former skipper Ellie Blackburn (foot) and, after a month in defence, Jess Fitzgerald returned to a midfield-forward role made vacant by the superstar.
"We set [Fitzgerald] up in defence to get a little more ball movement, but we were happy with the players we had down there. We thought potentially forward of the ball, her skills – especially with Ellie (Blackburn) going out of the middle – it gave us an opportunity to put her back there, and she's been brilliant," Hyett said.
"First and foremost, you can't replace her, but what it does do, is it enables this group to utilise their strengths as a unit. She has a lot of strengths, but it I think it allows players like 'Pritchy' (Isabelle Pritchard), even De (Berry) to go in there. They're working really well as a group."
It's now the turn of fellow new coach Sam Wright to have a team anchored to the bottom of the ladder, the injury-decimated Collingwood a shell of its former self.
"It is disappointing. Our first quarters and first halves have looked all right, but where we're sitting now, when we win, we'll deserve to win. At the moment we can't execute our game system for long enough, especially under pressure," Wright said.
"As the pressure lifted, we weren't able to execute both offensively under pressure, and defensively. Definitely take things out of that and evidence goes both ways, doesn't it. Evidence provided to players that the system isn't working and evidence when it is working."
The Bulldogs locked the ball in their attacking half in the third term and the Pies were unable to find a way forward. They were scoreless in the second half.
Collingwood was also forced into a new-look midfield, with Ruby Schleicher and Jordy Allen brought in from the backline, and Tarni White and Sarah Rowe from the wings.
"You can look at the dump kicks and you can think that's what's impacting it, or you can look at our lack of ability to use the numbers around the ball to even it up," Wright said.
"We thought we definitely had the numbers around the ball in order to use our game system and work the ball through, but a young side at the moment, we're trying to teach them what that execution looks like. To the Bulldogs' credit, they pressured us and we bombed the ball back.
"I thought the mids were quite good, it came out quite even through the day. I thought Ruby gave us some really good run, especially from centre bounces. I think 'Rowey' really provided some run for us too.
"I think what you'll find is lacking personnel to be able to come onto the ground, fit personnel. The second halves are quite challenging for our midfield at the moment, it's stretching us a little bit. But we thought they were serviceable."
Pies midfielder Mikala Cann will return from suspension for Friday's game against fellow straggler Gold Coast, while Brit Bonnici (calf), Imogen Evans and Lauren Butler (both hamstrings) are likely to be tests. Skipper Bri Davey will miss a second game with concussion due to the 12-day protocol and compacted fixture.
