Peta Powyer will coach the Wiradjuri Goannas opens side this Western Women's Rugby League season

The Goannas will start their WWRL season on Saturday when they take on the Midwest Brumbies in all five grades.

The side will have a new coach this season also, with Peta Powyer taking over from Kaitlyn Mason.

Powyer admitted she is eager to give back to the club which has made her welcome over the last few years, something which has led her to put her hand up to coach as well as being the president of the Goannas for 2022.

"This would be my third season, I think women's rugby league is just growing and growing, this is a chance to jump on board to give some direction to some of those younger girls," she said.

Mason will have an input in the club, however, coaching the 18s and 16s with the latter being a co-coaching role with Powyer.

Having a few new key roles within the Goannas, Powyer said Mason and herself are trying to keep the game growing in Dubbo.

"We are trying to build on what Sue (Egan) and 'Chicka' (Gerry) Merritt started all those years ago," she said.

"It's been great so far, we've got just over 120 girls registered to play rugby league across all the grades."

After long rugby union and league tag seasons, it would be fair to assume there is some fatigue amongst the Goannas' squad but Powyer believes it isn't the case.

"Most of them are, someone like Alahna Ryan who is coming off an amazing rugby season and is chomping at the bit to get back into league," she said.

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"We've got a couple of the CYMS league tag girls that had an outstanding season in Demi Wilson and Em Caton who will help steer the team around.

"We've got the three Townsend sisters from Forbes who will be forming the forward pack this season and Bec Smyth has come back and looks super fit.

"I reckon she looks fitter than she did in 2020 when she won the competition's best and fairest."

While the coach herself may not be taking the field on Saturday, Powyer said she is eager to get back to leading the forward pack around.

"I'm still playing as well, I'm just out for the first couple of rounds because of injury," she said.

"I should be back around round three or four."

The Goannas have been one of the most successful clubs in the WWRL and Powyer is hoping she can help lead the side back to the top of the table to win the title.

"That's always the goal, I think competition at the start of the year was the first time we had missed the grand final," she said.

"That was a tough pill to swallow but for most of our games, we only had 14 players so it was purely that we didn't have the gas in the tank to last against Panorama in our semi-final.

"We've got 24 players this year and good stocks in the under 18s as well, a few of those girls have thrown their hands up to play opens."

Ben Bruce will coach the under 14s this season while Dean Matthews is in charge of the under 12s.

Saturday's match will kick off at 2pm.

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