THERE are plenty of people who try to play down a favourites tag leading into a grand final, but Bathurst Giants captain Katie Kennedy is not one of them.
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In fact Kennedy is embracing being favourites for Saturday's Central West AFL women's grand final against the Bathurst Lady Bushrangers.
"Are we favourites? I think absolutely, why not? If we are going to be called favourites, we'll take it," she said.
It is a tag which the Giants have certainly earned in their second season in the women's league.
Since surprising themselves in not only making it to the grand final in their inaugural campaign in 2018, but coming within two kicks of winning the premiership flag - they went down by seven points to Dubbo - the Giants have continued to build.
New faces have joined the squad to add to their depth, the Giants' basic skills have improved as has their positional play. It means that they have not yet suffered a loss in 2019.
In spite of all that, Kennedy said she is not feeling the pressure to maintain that unbeaten record and claim the premiership spoils come Saturday afternoon. For her it is about approaching the contest the same as every other they have played.
"I think we are all still very nervous and are still quite 'What the hell is going on? How did we get here? But we're here again, it's two years in a row and we're going to treat it as the same as we did last year except hopefully we come out with the win," she said.
"I don't think there's any pressure on us at all, it is still only our second year.
"Yes we have won every game this season, but stranger things have happened. We are just going to go out there, see how it goes."
Though the Lady Bushrangers have not managed a win over the Giants since August 18 last year, they did draw with Kennedy's side early this season.
The Lady Bushrangers will also be on their home turf on Saturday at George Park 2, but Kennedy thinks that will make them feel pressure to perform.
"They'll have their men playing after them and with it being their home ground, I think the pressure is probably a bit more on them than it is on us," she said.
Opening bounce is 12.30pm.
