AFL 2023: All the latest pre-season news
He was the highly touted son of a gun who impressed up forward in his debut season and is soon expected to take the game by storm with a new position and a fresh contract.
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Western Bulldogs premiership hero Tom Liberatore is set to enter talks on an early-season contract extension after career-best form in the past two years.
Liberatore is a free agent this season but after securing Ryan Gardner on a three-season extension the Dogs will turn their minds to Liberatore and young dasher Ed Richards.
After successfully navigating a season in which they signed up a host of stars including Bailey Smith, Jackson Macrae, Bailey Dale, Tim English and Caleb Daniel the list of priority signings is much shorter.
Second-year tall Sam Darcy, set to take the competition by storm as an intercept defender this year, is deep in talks on the contract that will take him past his mandatory initial two-year deal.
Liberatore is at the other end of his career and yet he finished third in the 2021 best-and-fairest after 25 games and second behind Josh Dunkley last year after a 22-game season.
Liberatore missed almost all of the 2015 and 2018 seasons with knee issues and as recently as 2021 his contract negotiations went deep into the season despite his excellent form.
But Liberatore’s signing takes on even more importance given the Dogs’ loss of extractor Dunkley to Brisbane in a team that bases its entire style on winning contested ball.
Given that form he might again want to hold out for a two-year deal given he does not turn 31 until May, but talks in the near future will clarify his position.
Richards played only five games in the grand final season of 2021 because of ankle issues but roared back into form last year in a 22-game season.
At only 23 he is entering the peak of his career and as a running defender can release the likes of Daniel into the midfield.
The Dogs are keen to see the fruits of their 2021 trade labours realised this season after adding Rory Lobb in a late deal and securing Liam Jones as a full back.
Both players have completed nearly every minute of every session and again were strong in Friday’s match simulation session.
Lobb, who signed on a four-year deal, kicked 36 goals last year for the Dockers but the real benefit of his acquisition will be a decreased reliance on star forward Aaron Naughton.
Naughton has continually had to play against multiple opponents and has been forced to endure early wear-and-tear on his body including a knee injury that he has had to manage across much of his career.
The Dogs are hopeful the three-pronged forward line of Naughton, Lobb and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan alongside smalls including Cody Weightman can test the AFL’s best defences.
Why Dogs are buoyed despite star missing match sim
- Chris Cavanagh
The Western Bulldogs remain hopeful that Adam Treloar will play in their final pre-season hitout despite the midfielder again sitting out match simulation at training on Friday.
Treloar had ankle surgery last September and has been seriously hampered by ongoing ankle issues throughout pre-season.
However, the 29-year-old has been gradually building his training loads in recent weeks which has buoyed club medical staff.
Treloar is targeting playing some minutes in the Bulldogs’ pre-season match against North Melbourne on March 4.
Jason Johannisen also missed match simulation on Friday with a tight calf, along with fellow defender Tim O’Brien (hamstring tightness).
The Bulldogs will open their home-and-away season with a clash against Melbourne on March 18.
‘HEARTBREAKING’: DOG’S STUNNING RISE FROM SCRAPHEAP COMPLETE
- Jon Ralph
Western Bulldogs defender Ryan Gardner has lauded Liam Jones “incredible” impact at the club as he was handed a three-year deal that completed his rise from football’s scrapheap.
News Corp can reveal Gardner has had his contract extended through to 2026, capping his story of resilience after being delisted by Geelong and dropped by Luke Beveridge for the 2021 Grand Final.
Gardner was pulling pots at a Yarraville pub and steam-cleaning carpets after being delisted by Geelong but fought his way back onto a list as one of the first players taken in the new mid-season draft.
He admits being dropped for the Grand Final defeat against Melbourne was “heartbreaking” after overcoming a pair of shoulder injuries that season but fuelled his 22-game 2022 season.
Geelong’s delisting made him an official free agent this year and gave him some leverage but the 25-year-old has now been locked away for the long-term future.
“I am super stoked to sign on and be given the opportunity for another three years,” he told the Herald Sun.
“When I finished up at Geelong I was of the mindset that I didn’t know if my AFL journey was over.
“I just chipped away with those jobs and went to Footscray in the VFL hoping to get selected in the mid-season draft and it came through. My journey hasn’t been smooth sailing and the injuries set me back and I got dropped for the Grand Final.
“To come out last year and have a really solid year, getting this three-year deal is an amazing feeling. I had always had the mantra that I can get through anything and get back up and it’s an awesome feeling to be rewarded.”
Gardner said that period working three jobs including packing boxes while fighting to keep his AFL dream alive actually kept him focused after his late-2018 delisting.
“There was that period steam cleaning, working at the Railway in Yarraville, pick-packing in the X blades factory and studying as well. There was a fair bit going on and I just dug in. footy was the priority but it kept me busy and kept my mind off being delisted so it was probably helpful in that way.”
That long-held resilience was needed three years on when Gardner was shocked to be dumped after the Dogs 2021 preliminary final victory.
“The preliminary final was really exciting and the thought was going through my mind about what was next and the pinnacle of every player’s career is to play in a Grand Final,” he said.
“To get the news I wasn’t going to be playing was heartbreaking. It was a hard period to go through but for me it was about how I could attack that next pre-season. I used that a lot as motivation coming into last year. I didn’t want to be in that situation again.
“I sat down with (Beveridge) and he said it was a really hard decision but Keathy (Alex Keath) was coming back into the team and I happened to be the guy who was squeezed out.”
A Dogs backline that looked shaky so often last year now has Liam Jones set to play full back and interceptor Sam Darcy with a full pre-season under his belt.
Gardner believes Jones can have a profound impact on and off the field given his influence in the past few months since returning to the club for the first time since being traded in 2014.
“Jonesy has been incredible. He has so much experience and he’s been good for us already with the standards he brings at training. I look forward to getting the opportunity to play with him a fair bit. It comes down to his professionalism. He is one of the first people at the club and even with his training standards we will have a tech day which is pretty low-key but not for him. The way he attacks those days and every single rep is incredible. It is something the guys have looked at and they are trying to emulate him. He brings so much to our group and that experience we lacked in our backline.
“He is awesome and I definitely feel we are lucky to have him.”
Track watch: Midfield move closer for Dogs star
— Lauren Wood
Adam Treloar’s road to recovery went up a gear on Tuesday as the midfielder continues to eye a return to full training.
Treloar, 29, has been battling an ankle issue in recent months and had been prevented from training with the main group.
But the midfielder stepped up his bid to play in Round 1, completing the majority of a session in Melbourne’s west that pushed almost three hours in his most physical outing of the summer as his recovery continues.
Overseen by assistant coaches, the Bulldogs – who remain off their home base at Whitten Oval which is being redeveloped - completed extensive match and running drills and even a game of soccer as a number of key names were back in the mix.
Treloar had surgery in September and has been hampered in recent months but is almost back to full training and could eye a berth in one of the Bulldogs’ upcoming practice matches.
The team will play an intraclub match before taking on North Melbourne at Ikon Park on March 4.
The former Magpie and Giant took part in match drills before completing running on the boundary line with other recovering players including Charlie Clarke (back soreness).
Ruckman Tim English is also back in training after a recent adductor scare, while Caleb Daniel - who worked with the midfielders - also completed the majority of the session including plenty of running after recently dealing with back spasms.
NERVOUS MOMENTS
Key ballwinner Tom Liberatore caused a brief moment of concern when he limped off with a left ankle issue late in the session during a match simulation exercise.
But after a few minutes on the sideline and a couple of run-throughs, the midfielder declared he was right to go and was straight back into the thick of it.
Ryan Gardner remained in the rehab group but his left elbow proved troublesome late in the morning session after he fell awkwardly.
BAILEY BACK IN ACTION
The hair and the flair.
Bailey Smith just continues to live up to the hype.
Just weeks after returning from leg soreness, the star Dog impressed with his speed and agility.
He had been on a modified program due to leg soreness in January but completed the entire session at full pace, with his endeavour – particularly in running drills – noted by onlookers.
Smith, 22, had lingering soreness and only returned to more extensive training last week with his workload having been carefully managed.
He watched on for the final match simulation periods on Tuesday but will continue to build towards the season proper.
Top draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan also turned heads with his sharp ball use.
BACKLINE BLITZ
The jostling for spots only continues to heat up down back for the Dogs.
Sam Darcy looked to be training as a defender on Tuesday, while a noticeably fitter Josh Bruce has also been playing down back this pre-season.
Trimmed-down defender Alex Keath’s ball movement and evasion looked slick after a recent ankle complaint, while returning defender Liam Jones is right in the mix for a Round 1 spot.
The race is on.
ROUND BALL RIOT
The Bulldogs kicked off their lengthy session with a competitive hitout – of soccer.
And didn’t it get the blood – and banter – flowing.
In what looked to be a bid to encourage some fancy footwork to go with bringing up the intensity level at training, two soccer games ran concurrently at Skinner Reserve prompting a few headers and handy boots among the bunch.
Speedster Cody Weightman led the charge in one game for his teammates to “park the bus”, while Anthony Scott whipped his guernsey over his head in celebration of a goal before channelling European football star Cristiano Ronaldo’s trademark celebration.
Bub before blockbuster: Big Cat’s game day declaration
- Matthew Forrest
Geelong spearhead Jeremy Cameron says he will miss the Cats’ round 1 blockbuster against Collingwood if it clashes with the birth of his first child.
Cameron and his partner Indiana Putra are expecting their first baby in March, with the Cats’ first game of 2023 against the Magpies on Friday March 17 at the MCG.
“It’s definitely a big possibility,” Cameron said on Monday. “I’ve always been really clear that’ll come first and I guess it’s lucky it’s not in finals so it’s not really well talked about but if that was the case then I’d be staying with her for sure.”
Cameron had a major say in both encounters against the Pies last season, kicking three goals in an influential qualifying final win and six majors in a comeback victory in round 3.
It comes as Cameron declared the Cats, clearly the best team in 2022 with a new-and-improved game style under coach Chris Scott showing off faster ball movement and more explosive attacking plays, would again evolve.
Cameron, whose season haul of 65 goals was the most since his Coleman Medal winning year of 2019, said the club would not look the same in 2023.
“I think there will just be little tweaks along the way,” he said. “We won’t change anything too extreme, we won’t make massive changes.
“But there’s definitely ways we can get better, little things like the personnel might be different, there’s so many different things you can look at, but it’s just about tweaking things.
“The rest of the competition probably has an eye on what we did last year and they might be tweaking their game, or I know they will be.
“It’s difficult but exciting at the same time, it’s very hard to do the same thing every year and expect to get the same result each and every time because each team does evolve and does get better.”
Cameron’s role as a roaming centre half-forward, combined with the slick ball movement at the Cats, resulted in the superstar enjoying career-high averages for disposals, clearances and goal assists.
But the gun forward will likely be without his partner in crime to start the year, with Tom Hawkins still recovering from off-season foot surgery.
Cameron said the club was in a good position to cover the absence of his fellow Coleman Medal winner.
“There’s definitely a number of young guys coming through, I think ‘Scratchers’ (Shannon Neale) has been training up forward a lot and going really well,” Cameron said. “Ollie Henry has been going really well and just showing off his skills at training.”
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