Morrison has recently returned from the 2017 Runaway Bay masters carnival with the Bulldogs masters team.

“This year was the fourth year we have sent a team and it just gets bigger every year we send a team,” Morrison said.

“When it started in 2007, there way only 15 teams competing but now it has grown to involve 89 teams – including three from New Zealand and one from England.”

Other Group 7 teams such as Warilla-Lake South, Jamberoo and Gerringong, who combined with Norfolk Island, were also there this year.

“It was great fun – we won some games, scored fun tries but most importantly had a good laugh,” Morrison said.

“It was also good to mingle and chat with former-NRL stars such as Wendell Sailor, Marcus Bai and Scott Sattler.”

Things turned much more serious when Morrison arrived home though, as his Bulldogs have their first trial match against the Stingrays of Shellharbour at Flinders Oval this Saturday.

“We are taking one team up there, combined of first and second graders,” he said.

“It should be a great day, as it is also acting as the Stingrays season launch, which we are stoked to be a part of.”

With a number of predicted first graders unavailable, Morrison is keen to see what some of the younger players can do and to see if all the pre-season work will translate to on-field success.

“There’s two things I’m hoping to get out of the trial – monitoring the minutes forwards and seeing if a couple of the technical aspects of training work in the game,” he said.

“Obviously it’s the first trial and I’m not expecting miracles but it will give me a chance to see what things work and what things we need to work on.

“We are focused on taking the right steps to ensure we are better than last year and are well aware that it will take time.”

The Bulldogs will next weekend host Corrimal at Bill Andriske Oval Mollymook Oval on Saturday, which will be the final tune-up before their round one clash with the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets at the Nowra Showground.