The Western Bulldogs headed to the Swinburne Centre on Saturday afternoon for their first competitive hit-out of the new football year.

The match simulation against Richmond on Saturday afternoon provided the AFLW playing with their first opportunity to put into practice the pre-season work done under new coach Nathan Burke.

Playing across five quarters running at 12 minutes each, the Bulldogs finished on top on the scoreboard 8.9 (57) to 3.1 (19)

Bonnie Toogood, Hannah Scott and Hannah Munyard were unavailable for the session, while recruit Ash Guest sat out with a leg injury.

View photographs of the match simulation session captured by Eleanor Armstrong in the gallery below.