The focus might be on this weekend's season launch and coming to terms with the new AFL Central West rules, but the Dubbo Demons women also have one eye on the first meeting with the Bathurst Giants this year.
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The Demons men and women will join the rest of the competition at Parkes on Sunday for the season launch, where a round robin tournament will also be played.
It's a perfect chance for the Demons to continue embedding new players and coming to grips with the new rules which are being implemented from the very top at an AFL level right through to local competition.
A major change is the player on the mark is now 15m back from the centre of the kick-off line, 5m further than it had been, and the results of that alone is already creating a faster game at the top level.
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That suits the Demons to a tee, as they like to play a faster brand of football and it could be what helps them topple the Giants this season.
The two sides played out some cracking contests last season but the Giants had the last laugh as they downed the Dubbo side in the grand final.
"There's no secret that the Demons are looking for the Giants' blood this year," Lachy Ewart, who's dropped from head coach to assistant this season, said.
"We want to take them down. We're starting to build a nice rivalry with them.
"It adds a little spice and it's a game everyone circles when the draw comes out so we're definitely looking to challenge them when we go to Bathurst a few times."
Ewart and Peter Martinoli have worked together closely as coaches since the start of last season but the latter will now take on more control.
Ewart is set to move from Dubbo shortly, but he insights it won't make any great change to the way to team is run.
"Externally it might look like it but internally nothing changes," Ewart said.
"Nothing changes to process and we've always considered ourselves co-coaches."
The Demons have lost a handful of players from last season - most notably Elouise Hiller-Stanbrook - but new faces have arrived.
Many of them got their first minutes on the field as a Demon in last weekend's annual pre-season Isaac Cornell Memorial meeting with Tumbarumba.
"We took a reduced squad to Tumba and it was mostly new players and they really impressed," Ewart said of the narrow defeat.
"It was a good opportunity to go up against a good side and they all held up well. There was only a few goals in it."
The season launch gala day matches will be played at Northparkes Oval and Spicer Park on Sunday.
The season proper begins on May 1.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
