GNFL 2025 season preview: Supportive environment holding Towns in good stead as recruits add to strong nucleus

Fostering a family environment everyone can buy into holds the key to success, according to Towns, as it aims to go a step further in 2025. The Bulldogs fell a game and a half outside the top four last year, a sign of improvement on season 2023 where the side won just one game. The two-coach method of Dale Baynes and Beau Walker will continue for its second season. Walker said he was enjoying the challenge coaching brought, while continuing on as a player. “We had a pretty young and inexperienced group, but are really they’re good learners and they’re good listeners so I really enjoyed it,” he said. “There’s obviously a few teething, teething things that you work through early on and but I really enjoyed the challenge last year.” The core of their side will stay the same, but some handy inclusions will help boost the side’s chances in 2025. Bobby Gibson and Taj Satie return to the club from Melbourne and Three Springs respectively, while a number of players have come from other GNFL clubs, including Zane Marwick (Railways), Jay O’Brien (Chapman Valley), and Jaxon Luff (Brigades). Walker said the age demographic of the players involved meant the future of the club was in good hands. “We’ve brought in a few players, but also retained the majority of our list, which is, I think, a good sign that we’re trying to do things right, and we’ve got a club environment that is stable and connected and supportive, and people really enjoy being a part of caring place and good place to be,” he said. Last season, Towns was the third-highest scoring team, but was also the third-highest scored against. Walker said this year was a new challenge, and would take each game as it came. “We’ve had a really good level of application by the players over the over the preseason, and we’ve had a strong growth mindset,” he said. “We’ll go into the season with confidence knowing we’ve prepared as well as we can. We’ve just got to go and apply it in games now.” Glenn Barndon’s ladder prediction: Fourth