Golden Square began the 2024 season with its two best midfielders - Tom Toma and Ricky Monti - playing VFL footy for Essendon.
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It was a void the Bulldogs coaching staff was well aware would occur, but that didn't change the fact that we, on the outside looking in, were unsure who would step up to the plate in a brand new midfield.
Before Jordan Rosengren left for North Central Football League club Wedderburn - where he spent three seasons - he played his BFNL senior footy as a forward.
Rosengren returned to Wade Street in the off-season and was tasked by new coach Brad Eaton with being a key figure in the Bulldog's untested engine room.
While Monti has been back in Bulldogs colours since round three - and has been very good - Rosengren has been their best on-baller so far in 2024.
He has racked up a 30-possession, 13-clearance game against Eaglehawk in round one and a 36-possession, 13-clearance performance against Kangaroo Flat in round four.
That forward nous still hasn't left him though, as he showed at Camp Reserve with a 20-disposal, three-goal effort.
Overall, Rosengren is leading the Bulldogs in average possessions per game with 27.5, clearances at 9.2, and inside 50s with six.
Rosengren told the Bendigo Advertiser that his three years at Wedderburn, where he was one of their prime movers, have proven vital to his second coming as a BFNL player.
"It's been good to get some consistency in my game and come back to playing a higher standard of footy," Rosengren said.
"I hope I can continue to perform in the midfield for Square as it's where I was playing my best footy at Wedderburn, so getting an opportunity to play an important role in a BFNL midfield is great.
"Going up to Wedderburn, it was good to get a confidence boost and learn a few tricks of the trade that now, when I've come back to major league footy, I can implement."
The homecoming to his boyhood club, where he was a dominant junior footballer, was by no means an easy decision.
It took an open chat with Eaton to get him over the line, but since he bit the bullet, Rosengren said he's been welcomed back with open arms.
"Brad (Eaton) was big in getting me across the line," he said.
"I was in two minds and sat down with Brad for a good half hour, but the way he spoke, I knew it would be the right decision to return.
"As soon as it was announced, past and current players messaged me straight away, welcoming me back, which meant a lot."
Rosengren is just one of at least a quartet who is the new face of a midfield that was decimated by off-season departures.
Monti has since returned, Dylan Hird is playing the best senior footy of his career so far, and young Macey Eaton has shown some highly promising signs around contested footy.
Rosengren highlighted their deeds as a significant reason why the Bulldogs have slowly been improving each week in 2024.
"It's been a massive help to get Ricky back from the VFL, as he's a first-class player, and his leadership is off the charts.
"He's the one who gets us sorted in the midfield.
"Then the young boy Macey has been unreal.
"His dash around the footy and willingness to get the contested ball is awesome for someone his age.
"Few of us had played together at the start of the season but it's starting to gel now, and you can see we're stringing together good periods of footy for longer."
The Bulldogs currently sit 2-3 in fifth position ahead of the toughest test in BFNL footy on Saturday against Sandhurst.
The Ron Best Memorial Cup match always means more, and last year's thrilling grand final between the sides has only added spice to the historic rivalry.
"It's always a different feeling at training when we're playing Sandhurst," Rosengren said.
"We're all relishing the opportunity to test ourselves and hopefully string together four-quarters of good footy."
