The Western Bulldogs, which are coming off their second win on the trot following a thriller against Casey, will face top team Geelong in the VFLW clash.

The Bulldogs’ Libby Birch has already had a few opportunities to run around Mars Stadium as part of the AFLW team, with training sessions at the ground before the stadium redevelopment and a practice match in January.

“It was a nice experience to see it before and then after,” Birch told The Courier.

“It’s an awesome surface and the way it is built, it is an amazing spectacle for the fans. It must be the cold weather keeping the grass nice... it’s perfect.”

While the undefeated Cats are in good form, Birch hoped the home ground and community support would help her team across the line.

“We are used to the cold weather,” she said. 

“Our last match against Casey last weekend it was raining and freezing… so we will be looking forward to the challenges of another cold winter community footy match, we love it.”

The Bulldogs are sitting in eighth position on the VFLW ladder with two wins and four losses so far this season.

While Birch has spent two years with the AFLW team, this season marks the first time the Bulldogs have a stand alone VFLW side. 

“It has been a great challenge for the VFLW group, who has had to come together as a community,” she said.

“Everyone has come from different places, which is something really special.”

Birch was hopeful of one day playing AFLW games for premiership points in Ballarat, which she believed would be “awesome” for the fans and the community.

“Obviously a lot of our home matches are played at Whitten Oval,” she said.

“But we’re a step closer with the practice match and another game now with the VFLW, which is really exciting.”

Georgia Clarke, who took out the Greater Western Victoria Rebels’ best and fairest award this year, is a member of Geelong’s VFLW team.