Marion Dunbabin got used to playing multiple positions at her last club but admits being deployed in an attacking role at Newcastle Olympic came as a shock.
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The 25-year-old Tasmanian joined Olympic after two years at Warners Bay, where she floated between first and reserve grade.
The off-season move, which was part of a mass exodus of Panthers seniors players, also prompted an on-field move.
"I was playing more of a defensive role last year," Dunbabin said.
"It's been really nice that I've been able to challenge myself with a different position at Olympic.
"I started this season as a striker because we've got a lot of depth in defence and I think [Olympic coach] Neil [Owens] saw potential that I could maybe be played as a striker or attacking midfield.
"It's a very different position and I had to really think about the work-rate that you do for how little of the ball you maybe get.
"It is very different but I'm enjoying learning still. It's nice that I can be at my age and still try new positions at different levels as well."
Dunbabin opened the season with a hat-trick in Olympic's 16-0 demolition of Warners Bay, and has added four more since.
She almost extended her tally when she rattled the woodwork with a long-range effort in Olympic's 1-0 loss to Maitland at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.
"It's getting less weird for me to score," she said.
"The first couple of games it was a surprise, but now I have a bit more of that belief that I can score. Confidence is a big thing for a striker."
The Panthers secured the premiership-championship double under coach Craig Atkins, who is now assistant to Owens at Olympic and has watched Dunbabin embrace her new-found role.
"I had her at centre-back, left-back, wide, in midfield," Atkins said.
"I never used her as a striker but she's definitely got the ability to score some good goals. Maz has got speed, and she can play left and right foot as well. That's a real strength of hers.
"She can play wide right, wide left. It doesn't really matter. And she has really good game awareness.
"She's doing really well and she's good to have around the club as well."
Dunbabin was on the bench as Warners Bay overpowered Olympic 4-2 in the 2022 grand final but did not take the field.
"We had a very strong squad so I didn't get the chance to play [in the grand final] but hopefully this year," she said. "That would be a goal, to play if we make the grand final.
"Hopefully, I can keep starting and score a few more goals. I'm also happy with assists but goals would be good. And we're gunning for the title, hopefully."
The loss to Maitland was Olympic's first of the season and left them in second spot with a game in hand over leaders Broadmeadow.
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