Wollongong Bulldogs ready to roll ahead of season opener against Kiama

Following a difficult season results-wise in 2025, the Wollongong Bulldogs are preparing well ahead of the start of the new AFL South Coast season this weekend.

The Bulldogs are set to unveil an enhanced line-up against the Kiama Power at Keira Oval on Saturday under new premier grade coach Jack Woeckel-Hynes.

Woeckel-Hynes told The Gala that the university-based but independent club is looking forward to the season opener after a strong pre-season on the training paddock.

“[We’re] shaping up wonderfully, training for almost five months now, so the boys have all got together and know each other really good,” he said. 

“We just had our first practice match for the year, played against Googong and Kiama.

“[It was a] really strong hit out, 30 blokes got the opportunity to tie the boots on and get out there in the middle with each other which is really nice.”

After taking out the title with a one point win over Northern Districts in 2024, the Bulldogs had a tough season in their premiership defence, winning just one game against Bomaderry.

However, the addition of a number of key signings, including Will Neate who returns from a stint with Brothers Rockhampton and former AFL Canberra player Josh Vines, as well as strong pre-season efforts from several of the club’s continuing players, has raised hopes of a return to the club’s historical winning ways this year.

Woeckel-Hynes said that one of the best performed players on the training track over the summer was winning point kicker from the 2024 Grand Final Charlie Lappin, who will take on rucking duties as well as spending periods up forward in 2026.

“Probably one of our strongest starters to the year so far, Lappo’s not only been a really good presence up forward in our practice game, but he’s also gone into the ruck as well,” he said. 

“[That’s] taking some of the work off D-Train’s [Will Treharne] shoulders, which has been really nice, a little bit of a 1-2 punch there, and making sure I’m not doing any rucking which is really good.”

“[Another] bloke that has taken his game to the next level is Pricey [Leighton Price], he’s gone to a new level in the midfield, big tank on him, runs all day, skilful player, can’t wait to see him out there.”

As for the club’s goals heading into the new campaign, Woeckel-Hynes said that getting a win early in the season is the first step, with finals being the aim after that.

“I think getting our first win of the season is going to be our first goal as a team, to tick that off, and once we’ve ticked off one win in the season, I think we’ll definitely look to play finals this year as well.”

The story is also similar for the men’s reserve grade team, which is looking to improve on its three-win performance from last year and return to the top four.

Women’s teams look to build on success

In the women’s competition, the Bulldogs have many of the same goals, but with a better backstory.

Its reserves team is looking to defend its first title in that grade from last season, while the premier division side is looking to build on a strong campaign that ended in a preliminary final loss to Wollongong Lions.

Bulldogs women’s coach and last year’s NSW/ACT Community Female Coach of the Year Allie Phillips said that things are building strongly ahead of the start to the new season.

“It’s shaping up pretty well, I love this time of year because we get so many new girls and we build our club off word of mouth,” she said. 

“It’s girls that are loving it that bring their friends, their family, their cousins, their neighbours, that sort of thing.

“So it’s shaping up really good, we’ve got some really good new talent that is coming through and for the ressies girls more importantly, filling up [the team] after a few girls have left.”

After completing the box set of flags across all grades with the women’s ressies premiership last season, the Bulldogs continue to be one of the top female football programs on the South Coast.

When asked about goals, despite the ever-present pressure of a title defence and the obvious aim of achieving further success, Phillips said the club has continued to put culture first rather than setting fixed targets, which has helped the club build a healthy environment.

“The ultimate goal is the double, it’s two flags, it’s to have one in prems and ressies, but it’s not our top priority, it’s building the culture that we’ve got here ensuring that we keep getting 50 or 60 girls to training,” she said. 

“That’s the goal, that’s what we want to roll for and keep developing these players, we’ve got a lot of girls that have never played footy before that are coming for a try, and we want to develop them into great humans that love their footy.”

As for new signings, Phillips said the club is excited to welcome back two much-loved former players this season after stints elsewhere in the state.

“We got Britt Berry, she played one season with us back a couple of years ago, and she’s come back from Broken Hill,” she said. 

“Dare I say she has trained the house down, looking very good, one thing we do appreciate is her leadership skills.

“Another one for us is Rosie Snare, she’s come from the Bathurst Bushrangers, she was on their team of the year in the back pocket, she’s a great signing to get back, and also just a wonderful human.”

The Bulldogs’ first matchday against Kiama kicks off at 9am on Saturday with the women’s reserve grade clash, with the men’s reserves and women’s premier grade to follow at 10:30am and 12:10pm respectively, before the main men’s game against the Power begins at 1:50pm.

Tallon Smith is a writer for Battlers for Bush Footy.