TOM Felsch can remember the days when he stood on the sidelines watching his father in action for the Bathurst Bulldogs' first XV and being filled with admiration.
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But now he is one of those men who is proud to wear the blue and gold and do battle in the Blowes Cup each Saturday for the Bulldogs.
Felsch is currently in his second full season as a member of the first XV, the talented young flanker now feeling comfortable in that role as he's learned from the more experienced Bulldogs around him.
"I feel a lot more confident in my game as such. When I was playing colts I was coming off the bench for ones then having year in ones last year, now it's my second year I feel a lot more comfortable playing with men," he said.
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"I'm still only 21 so a lot of the guys are obviously a bit bigger than me, but it's been really good and been a great experience being around around some of the older boys.
"There were players that I watched as a kid and I am now able to play with them.
"There are people like Fitzy [Peter Fitzsimmons] and Mobbsy [Justin Mobbs], they've had the experience of Country and Central West and different teams and tours. Playing with them is great, especially Fitzy. He gives me one-on-one pointers outside the group as well which is really good.
The son of Shannon Felsch, who played in the front row, as number 8, and hooker for the first XV, Tom Felsch skippered the 2019 Bulldogs colts side to the grand final.
While they'd been undefeated to that point, unfortunately the honours in the decider belonged to the Dubbo Kangaroos.
Since graduating into firsts Felsch has been involved in more hard contests with the Roos, including the meeting they lost 20-19 on April 24.
Felsch was one of the best for the Bulldogs that afternoon in Dubbo, but he knows it was a game where the men in blue and yellow were not at their best.
He knows what Bulldogs must improve if they are to win the return match this Saturday at Ashwood Park.
"We made that our own fault, we gave away a heap of ill-disciplined penalties, off-sides and stuff like that. We did have the opportunity to win the game with two penalty goals, but at the end of the day we shouldn't have got ourselves in that place," he said.
"Piggyback penalties have been the story of our season so far. We just need to improve our discipline really.
"Like we are always very keen, against Emus last weekend we had a real good first half, it was 7-5 the whole way without heaps of people. We defended for ages and didn't let them in.
"So yeah there's nothing wrong with our game as such, we just need to improve that discipline. Like you give them a penalty and they kick it into touch, that marches them up 20-25 metres at least."
Playing at the kennel is always an advantage too, I can't describe how much of an advantage that is.
- Tom Felsch
As was the case last Saturday, Bulldogs still won't be at full strength this Saturday with Mobbs and Brad Glasson still on the injury list.
But Felsch has faith in those who will play against the Roos and he draws more confidence given the match is being played at Ashwood Park.
"We have been missing a few players, Mobbsy is still out and he's obviously a vital person in that team. I've had to take over the line-outs which has been a good challenge as such, but we are just missing a bit of height there because he's six-foot-a-thousand ole Mobbsy," Felsch laughed.
"Playing everyone the second time, obviously we have a few younger people and new people in first grade and we are now starting to get our combinations together which helps.
"Playing at the kennel is always an advantage too, I can't describe how much of an advantage that is."
