CARLTON evened the ledger in last week’s VFLW practice match against the Western Bulldogs, the Blues coming out on top in the rematch at Whitten Oval.

The Blues fielded a vastly improved side from the prior scratch match a fortnight ago, scoring seven goals compared to three in their previous meeting with the Dogs.

Freshly-minted captain Ally Bild was pivotal to the team’s success, reflecting on the sides growth when speaking to Carlton Media post-match. 

“The improvement from the girls has been outstanding since coming back from the recent lockdown,” Bild said.

“A lot of our girls stepped up.”

The VFLW Blues’ first hit out in the season proper has been scheduled in for this coming Saturday, with the side set to face Casey at Ikon Park. 

With the Round 1 team not yet set in stone, Bild believes it will be a tough choice for selectors with so many Blues finishing Saturday’s practice match with standout performances. 

“A lot of the girls have put their best foot forward which is really impressive,” she said.

With the wait for the VFLW season nearly over, Bild said the return to competitive footy had been a long time coming for players.

“It’ll be good to get out there next week, hopefully, we can get a decent crowd,” she said.

“We just want to go out and have fun and do what we do best.”