AFLW head coach Paul Groves believes that his team will reap the benefits of having Western Bulldogs ruckman Jordan Roughead join the coaching panel, when the League’s second season gets underway next month.

“He’s been really good for me,” Groves told SEN on Thursday.

With 126 AFL games under his belt, Groves says the Bulldogs’ ruckman recognises the role he needs to play in driving professional standards at the club.

“He’s challenging me all the time which is important. He’s been able to really bounce off a lot of ideas.”

Roughead joined the AFLW Coaching Panel as the Forwards coach in November, with 27-year-old’s eight seasons of AFL experience set to help develop the young group. 

“To bring that quality of person into our program (was a great get),” said Groves.

“Jordan was around a little bit last year in a less official role. He’s done a lot of work with the VU Western Spurs in the VFL over the past few years and understands women’s footy.

“He knows where we’re at with it.”  

The Bulldogs will begin their season on Sunday, February 4, and Groves said that he is confident that interest in the competition, now in its second season, would only increase.

“It’s great for every little girl and every little boy to see some strong women running around that they can really look up to.”

The Bulldogs will open their pre-season campaign on Saturday night against Carlton at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.