SHE'S not yet ready to label her side as the team to beat in this year's Central West AFL women's premiership, but Bathurst Giants coach Liz Kennedy freely admits they are no longer the underdogs.
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When the Bathurst Giants joined the league last season, Kennedy held no great expectations for a squad which in the main consisted of newcomers to the sport.
Her mission was just to see her players enjoy the sport, get a handle on the basics and improve week to week.
As it turned out the Giants did much more than that, going all the way the the grand final in their maiden season where they fell by just seven points to the Dubbo Demons.
This season the Giants have six wins and a draw to their credit, a record which sees them sitting on top of the ladder despite having played at least one less game than their rivals.
So are Giants now the team to beat?
"I think Orange, they've got a little bit more experience as well," Kennedy said when posed the question.
"But yeah, catch us if you can I guess.
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"I think we've stepped it up a little bit, we are trying new things at training and getting structures right. Last year it was about learning the game, whereas this year it is more a focus of what we do at training we need to put on the paddock on the weekend.
"That has been hard because we haven't been playing, trying to keep that enthusiasm going when you've had three or four weeks off is quite difficult."
The Giants, who have already had three competition byes, will sit out this Saturday with a general league bye due to the representative fixtures.
Their next assignment will be against the Parkes Panthers on July 13.
