Ten Bathurst Bulldogs players selected in Central West's Thomson Cup side

Mel Waterford will once again captain the Blue Bullettes at the Country Championships campaign alongside Bathurst teammates Kate Gullifer, Sarah Colman, Lily McIntosh, Tiana Anderson, Camille Reid, Marita Shoulders, Ebony Fenton, Brydie Comiskey and Paris Campion.

Between the Bulldogs and current Ferguson Cup leaders Dubbo Kangaroos the two clubs take up 19 of the 25 spots in the Central West team.

While the likes of current NSW Waratahs player Jacinta Windsor, Bulldogs' 2022 player of the year Daisy Morrissey, the injured Poorsha McPhillamy and NSW Country Corellas talent Teagan Miller aren't around this time to help out the Bulls there's still plenty of returning Bathurst talent.

Waterford, Shoulders, Fenton and Colman were all a part of last year's successful Thomson Cup campaign, and they'll look to use every bit of that experience to help the Bulls make it four in a row.

Bulldogs' Nicole Schneider played in last year's winning side, and while she won't be on the field this weekend she'll be heavily involved as the team manager.

Waterford said it's a thrill to have an opportunity to captain Central West in another Country Championships bid.

"It's great to see so many Bulldogs girls there. It shows the growth and development we've made as a club," she said.

"It's always and honour to represent and lead the girls. It's never expected, it's always a privilege, and I really enjoy doing it. It's good to see so many new faces making their way through to Central West for the first time."

In absence of some familiar Bulldogs names Waterford said it's exciting to see new faces stepping up to the team.

"You've got people like Paris, Lily and Camille - who's new to the club this year - coming through for their first competition, and a couple of the other girls had their first [Country Championships] last year," she said.

"It just shows how well they've developed and how well they've been playing this year.

"We've definitely got a strong team. It's hard to read into other teams on paper, and it depends on the way that we go through the competition. It's very difficult playing three games in a weekend.

"We're lucky though because we're on the side of the draw where we play longer in our first two games - but we only play those two games. Recovery will be really important."

Shoulders said that it's nice to see fresh faces, both from within and outside the Bulldogs, getting their shot in Central West colours.

"Lily has been going for a few years now and we finally convinced her to come and she's loving the experience and learning lots," she said.

"Rep footy is a whole different level. You get to play better footy, you just go out there to do your job, and I don't expect selection each year.

"It's great to see girls from the other zones outside of the Blowes Cup getting their names out there and getting a lot of confidence."

Helen Blackmore (Mudgee Wombats), Maddie Douglas (Cootamundra TriColours), Becky O'Connor (Young Yabbies) and Louise McCabe (West Wyalong Redbacks) are the four non-Ferguson Cup players who made the cut for the Central West side.

Central West begins their campaign with a meeting against Central Coast at 10am Saturday.

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