With the start of the 2023 Women's Country Championships just more than a month away, Pull is on a mission to give his squad the best preparation possible.

He knows he has an immense amount of talent in his squad of 23, but getting those players from the Gaonnas, Panorama Platypi, Castlereagh Cougars, Orange Vipers, and Woodbridge sides to gel as one is Pull's goal.

READ ALSO:

In his mind, game time against quality opposition is the best way to do that.

"We've trained a lot in previous years for two Country Champs games, but this year we're looking at playing more trial games leading into Country Champs than training sessions," he said.

"We're basically looking to give the girls more opportunities to play plus play together.

"So, January 14 we play the Canterbury Bulldogs, and January 28 we play Newcastle Knights' Tarsha Gale side at Mudgee, so being they're 19-year-olds that will be a good game too.

"I want to get a bit of fluency, I want them to be able to control all the play the ball speeds."

Speed is something that Pull has plenty of in his squad, but so is strength and playmaking skills.

Then there's experience.

Goannas star and second-rower Bec Smyth has previously represented her country in rugby union and is a current member of the Brumbies Super W squad while Alahna Ryan, Maggie Townsend, Tori Canham, Erin Naden, Nicole Schneider and Kiara Sullivan are standouts for their respective club sides as well as being premiership winners with a huge amount of representative experience.

"I sort of do think it's one of our best squads, especially because it looks even across the board," Pull said.

"It's no disrespect to those that have played before, but I think we've been waiting for that group that have been playing football for four or five years to come in.

"Western sides before, a lot of them were first or second season, so it's really good to have that experience now.

"I'm extremely happy, Bridie McClure will be halfback, she's strong, she's reliable, she'll get us to where we need to be without any concern for her own game, she's selfless.

"We've got organisers in the middle, we've got some good forwards, speed in the back, so hopefully we can unite.

"Like I could've picked a good squad of 30 if we'd wanted to, there are so many good players."

Helping Pull unite his Rams will be assistant coach Sarah Archer.

Archer has previously worn Group 10 and Western colours, while she played in the first New South Wales Police Rugby League Country women's team in 2021.

"We are good friends, she would've been coaching a Woodbridge side this year except she had the baby," Pull said of Archer.

"So she's the assistant coach, she's a great person too.

"I still think the Western girls sides should be coached by women, but all the good people that are capable of doing it are still playing and capable of playing.

"So down the track there are plenty of them that are good enough to do it. Zarlia [Griffiths], Harriet Messner from Mudgee could do it, Brides [McClure] when she finishes playing."

While it remains to be seen what Western can do in its trial matches, if attitude counts for anything Pull believes his squad is already on the right track.

"All the players, all 23, when I rang them and invited them into the team they were all really positive, so that was really nice," he said.

"I'm really impressed by all the personalities we've got, I think they're all team players. I just love footy so it's just another step to the excitement."

The first trial game against the Canterbury Bulldogs' NSW Women's Premiership outfit will be played this Saturday at Orange's Pride Park. Kick-off is 4pm.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: