EIGHT straight losses, a suspension and a goalkicking return of 5.13.

The 2025 NAB AFLW Season was a frustrating one for Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood, but such is her want to turn things around, she sent a spreadsheet to coach Natalie Wood detailing how she was planning to work on each individual skill.

"I'm a very self-aware person, I think that's where my curiosity stems from. I think I'm someone who tries to find the next angle of my game that I need to improve on, in order to be the best version of myself for the team. I read the ball quite well, particularly when it's in the air, I think that's a strength of mine, but it's when the ball's in dispute – what am I doing, how connected am I to the play at all times?" Toogood told AFL.com.au.

"I probably didn't get it quite right at times last year. I'm always looking – whether it's set-shot routine, whether it's aerial craft, whether it's my contest craft, there's all these different elements. I put a spreadsheet together and I sent it to 'Woody'. I said 'Look, I know there's a lot of words on this page, and it's going to take a decent amount of time to get through these points, but this is how committed I am to getting better, and the areas I've identified that I need to get better in.'

"So we've just being going to work over the off-season period, ticking them off one by one, and changing them as we get into more contested and high-pressure situations to see how the hard work has paid off, and what we need to tweak along the way. My best game is still in the future."

Toogood has also linked up with the Bombers AFLW head of development and former AFL spearhead Ben Brown to work on her set-shot routine after a poor season in front of the big sticks.

"It'd be silly of me not to ask his help and go through it (after) 5.13. I probably wanted to black that out of my mind, so thanks for bringing that up. I reflect on it, and there was a little bit of technique stuff that was involved in my set shot, but I think it was also just pressure on myself as well," Toogood said.

"So what I've been working on with Ben is [looking] at the technique, because I don't have a shocking kick, I've actually got a really good kick. I don't mean to be fig jam, but I've got that there. So we've looked at the technique, how can we control what we can control, particularly with the elements we play in, at Windy Hill and around the country.

"How can we minimise ball drop and make it as straightforward as it can be, so the elements can't get involved too much? And we can play around with where we need to aim. We've broken that bit down. 

"But something I've gone into this year is elevating the pressure off my shoulders at times, that I put on myself. There's no one else who puts it on me, it's just my expectations, so I'm just trying to be as present as possible in moments. I think that's going to help with my set-shot routine anyway. It would be silly of me not to address it, because it was an issue for me last year, but I don't expect to be one this year."

Essendon has been somewhat stuck in no man's land over the last few years, finishing seventh, eighth and 14th, the last season exacerbated by a serious injury list.

The Bombers have since appointed former Richmond men's strength and conditioning boss Luke Meehan, and are in a much healthier position this pre-season.

"We started off really strong with the three [wins], then me personally, I got suspended, which wasn't ideal. It put a bit of a speed bump on my season, and I think then also around that time, we had a few injuries to a lot of senior players – or well-experienced players – on our list," Toogood said.

"We had to rely on a lot of our young talent, and we did get a lot of great young talent last year. We got lots of games into them early in their careers, but you do miss out on the field that calm head, experienced head, at times. 

"Still reflecting on it though, the connection in our group was the highlight for me. We went on an eight-game losing streak, and you can start to point fingers, you can start to get really frustrated and walk in on a Monday with poor body language, but that wasn't us. 

"That was the most pleasing thing [in] observing the group over last season, was the galvanisation among the group. The ability to understand the situation, but the want to continue to improve and get wins on the board, get better, connect as a group and make sure we stayed tight knit. For me, that was the biggest point that came out of last year."