Matt Waterford believes Dubbo are the team to beat in the 2023 Ferguson Cup

Ahead of the opening round of the 2023 season on Saturday, Waterford says "the whole pressure is on Dubbo" to defend the premiership crown it won last year.

The Roolettes iced an undefeated run in 2022 when beating Bulldogs 15-7 on grand final day and a large percentage of that Dubbo playing group will return this season.

That's why Waterford, who takes over from Jordan Bull as coach of the Bulldogs women, has no doubt the Roolettes are the team to beat.

"Dubbo have got Kim Fyfe a Super W prop, Janalee Conroy the Country player of the year last year, Jean Littlewood the Central West player of the year last year, Meg Webster who's played Country under 18s," Waterford said.

"I've had a lot to do with them the last couple of years through Central West and Country Corellas, Janalee I can't sing her praises highly enough, Jean is another one who is an exceptional human.

"You look through that Dubbo side and they are just star-studded, they have also got Lala Lautaimi coming across from Mudgee and she's played Central West.

"All the pressure is on Dubbo so it's up to them ... Dubbo is going to be the benchmark, so it's up to everyone else to chase them."

This season marks the first time in six years the Bulldogs women won't start as defending premiers.

Waterford acted as an assistant coach for three of those successful campaigns and is happy to have the same core of experienced Bulldogs to work with this year.

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He'll guide them with the help of Shane Cantrill.

But it's one of the Bulldogs' new recruits he is most excited to see in action.

"The core group is still the same group of girls I've been involved with over a number of years at Central West, Country and Bulldogs level, so it's good to have those people in place," he said.

"There's also a lot of new, exciting faces show up, a young girl by the name of Emily Baslig, she's a talent that we have to nurture and see how she goes this year.

"She has just rocked up and I'm pretty excited, I was actually trying to get her to go to Central West trials, I've got a pretty handy opinion of her.

"She's never any played sport before but she's a good kid, she gets, it, she listens and does whatever you tell her.

"She could play anywhere, but I'll throw her in the backs to start with where it's probably a bit easier so she can catch, pass, tackle, run. She could be an untapped resource, we'll just see how she develops."

Waterford will have to wait until round three to see first hand how good Dubbo will be this season, with Bulldogs to host the defending premiers on April 29.

This year's premiership also marks the return of the Cowra Eagles, which eliminates the byes from the draw.

Waterford sees that as a positive move.

"It's exciting times, Troy Jeffs is coaching Cowra, I've known him since he was a kid," he said.

"It's just great that now it's a proper six-team competition and the girls get a game every weekend. They do the same amount of training as the men and put in the same amount of effort, so they should be able to have a the same amount of games - it's good to see Cowra rebuilding."

While Bulldogs venture to Orange to take on the Emus in round one, Forbes will host Cowra and Orange City will face Dubbo.

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