The Bulldogs women would have learned an "enormous amount" from their opening round loss to the Swans, in what was a carnival-like atmosphere on an historic day at Wolseley Oval.
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The club's under-14s and women's side made their AFL North West debuts, in front of an excellent crowd on Saturday - footy finally back after emerging from the COVID pall.
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The final score in the women's clash was 9.3 (57) to 2.9 (21).
Gunnedah's head coach, Doug Meagher, said: "We were very pleased with the way they went.
"The stats and everything show that they had just as many kicks as the Swans, their time in the forward half was equal with the Swans, they had as many scoring shots.
"It was just that the Swans kicked better, more accurately, and our guys missed.
"From only having five women who have played AFL before, it was an absolutely outstanding success for our club and for the women in general."
The atmosphere at the ground on Saturday, Meagher said, was "very pleasing".
Also pleasing, he continued, was "the speed the girls have picked up the game". "Their passion and love for the game has grown immensely over the last month," he said.
"They moved the ball, in patches, very well, they looked after each other very well and they were respectful. Credit to the Swans: they're a good side. But our girls weren't that very far off the mark."
Alice Mitchell booted two majors for Gunnedah, while Anishah Burnes kicked four for the Swans.
Gunnedah face the Saints at home on Saturday.
