Coach Stuart Stout says the Dianas are preparing well for the 2020 season

The women's side has been putting in the work at pre-season training, primarily focusing on getting fitness levels up-to-scratch, but now the focus has also turned to ball skills, drills and becoming familiar with the game plan.

Last year the Dianas went through a rebuilding phase and this will be continued in 2020.

Many team members from 2019 remain, while there are several youngsters who are continuing to come through the ranks.

Coach Stuart Stout has put this down to the sport growing in popularity among young women, particularly at a school level.

"It's really the only tackle, contact sport the girls can play in this area, so we have seen more and more young people getting interested in playing," he said.

"It's great the interest is there, especially for us as the Dianas.

"We had a season last year where we had many young girls coming through the ranks, so if we can continue to build it, it's only going to look even better for the future."

Numbers are looking solid this season for the Dianas, but new players are always welcome, according to the coach.

"We're looking pretty good in the forwards and the backs at the moment, which is positive," Stout said.

"After last season a lot of the players who were with us, they will take a lot of confidence into this year."

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The Dianas will play their first game of the season at home against Tumut on April 4.

This will be a tough encounter first up, but it is a challenge Stout said the team welcomed.

"Tumut will be very hard as the first game of the new season, but it's probably a good thing at the same time," he said.

"Tumut are always good, so it will give us an idea of where we are at and what we need to be working on.

"For some of the younger and newer players it will also show them the type of standard that is expected at this level."

The Dianas will now continue on with their pre-season training as this first game looms.

It's also not too late to be part of the side, anyone is welcome to attend training and give the sport a go.

The same also applies for the men's Phantoms sides, with new and former players encouraged to head to training.

Dianas first five games of the 2020 season: