Bulldogs forward Fergus Greene shoots from obscurity to new deal
THE Western Bulldogs have locked away late bloomer Fergus Greene for next season but what will happen with the club’s five free agents? SAM LANDSBERGER looks at where the Dogs are at.
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WESTERN Bulldogs have locked away late bloomer Fergus Greene for next season as they inch closer to decisions on their five free agents.
Greene, 20, was not invited to the 2016 draft combine and was seen as a speculative pick when he was taken at No.70.
But the high-marking forward made his debut in Round 19 and has kicked a goal in his first three matches.
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Greene said signing on for 2019 would lift his confidence for the final two games.
“As soon as my manager told me they’d put an offer out I was keen to take it,” Greene said.
“I didn’t want too much fuss, I just wanted to be here next year.
“My workrate is one of the biggest (strengths) — I came in a pretty light figure, so I had to use my running ability to get off opponents.
“I’ve got reasonably long arms, so I can sort of compensate for being undersized at times — I back myself in the air, I’ve always done that.
“But size is one thing I need to work on going forward.”
Coach Luke Beveridge recently said the Dogs had made free agent Mitch Wallis an offer and it is understood Luke Dahlhaus also has one to mull.
Essendon and Brisbane Lions have targeted Wallis and Geelong is believed to be interested in Dahlhaus.
Champion defender Dale Morris, 36 in December, will re-sign after the season and the Bulldogs will also retain rookie revelations Billy Gowers and Roarke Smith.
Greene grew up in a footy family — his father, Chris Greene, was a local star in Bendigo renowned for physicality and his uncle, Brendan Hartney, played 39 games for Carlton in the 1980s.
Greene trained for his local club Sandhurst on draft night and only “flicked on the TV” to see how many Bendigo teammates were taken.
“I didn’t expect to go, but when it rolled around to pick 60 I was on the edge of my seat,” he said.
“My old man put me back in my place pretty quickly, I think he was trying to keep me level-headed.
“We actually had a bit of an argument while my name got called out, so I didn’t hear my name — it wasn’t until my brother jumped up I knew, so it was a real shock.
“I wasn’t a great junior — I played in one interleague side, and it wasn’t until under-18s I really started to enjoy footy.
“I was battling for a spot in my local side and then I got moved to centre half-forward.
“That seemed to change things and I progressed quickly, but it was still a long way off (AFL) — I thought maybe if I push I might be a VFL player.”
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Originally published as Bulldogs forward Fergus Greene shoots from obscurity to new deal