With the Gunnedah Bulldogs and Poochettes having a bye in round one of the AFL North West NSW competition this Saturday, Laura Ewington (pictured) is becoming accustomed to her new role with the Poochettes.

Laura’s appointment as skipper of the Gunnedah women’s Australian Rules team has continued the legacy of the family name’s association with the club, after her dad Mark had played for the Bulldogs men’s team and earned life membership of the club.

The Gunnedah women’s team has undergone a change in captaincy each year for several successive years, while consistently being one of the top two teams along with the Inverell Saints.

The two clubs have faced off in the past four AFL North West NSW women’s deciders, with the Poochettes winning in 2023 while the Saints won the other three.

Laura played in each of those deciders while the captains were Rani Grant in 2022, Khobi Devine in 2023, Katrina Rekunow in 2024 and Alexa Walker in 2025.

With last year’s captain indicating she would take a break from playing this year after the other three former skippers had previously parted ways with the club, Laura was a logical successor after being the vice-captain last year.

About to start her seventh year with the Poochettes, the new captain said she had learned a lot from her predecessors.

“I learned what it takes to be a good leader, and how to direct people,” Laura said.

Laura said it was an honour to become captain, while she felt she had worked hard enough to show she was capable of handling the position.

Having played at centre half forward, centre half back and back flank, Laura said having to “direct things” would be a difference in her game this year.

“My aim will be to help my teammates rather than my own game, and to lead them in the best way possible,” she said.

“In this way it’s about helping them become the best player they can be.”

As for whether she liked the extra responsibility, Laura said, “If you’d asked me last year, I’d have said ‘no’.

“At work I have had more of a leadership role, and it has helped build my confidence with leading.

“Now I’m more open to it.”

Despite being only 24 years of age, Laura is clearly a senior player while many of her teammates are still in their teens.

After the Poochettes blooded several debutantes last year while another handful of players were in their second year of senior football, Laura said this year would also feature a young squad.

Laura said the key for the Poochettes to remain a premiership contender was to focus on their game rather than their opponents, and also to “learn the basics”.

“If you get those right at training, you can put it into the games,” she said.

“If we get the fundamentals right at training, it’ll go a long way to getting it right in the games.”

Poochettes coach John Woolaston said Laura epitomised what the Poochettes were about, while the younger players would learn from her actions.

“She definitely leads by example,” he said.

“If she’d talk to the group about something and whatnot, she’ll go and perform that sort of task.

“She’s starting to understand a lot more of the game and whatnot, so she’s really got a mind for it.

“She’s really going to contribute immensely to our game plan this year.”