Easton Wood eager for father-son Mitch Wallis to re-sign with Western Bulldogs
WESTERN Bulldogs father-son Mitch Wallis has attracted interest from Brisbane and Essendon but his captain says “it wouldn’t feel right” seeing his teammate in different colours next year.
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EASTON Wood says he is desperate for his club to come to an agreement with Mitch Wallis, adamant he cannot see the Western Bulldogs father-son in another team’s colours.
The Bulldogs captain returned from a long-term hamstring injury against Carlton and says Luke Beveridge’s side is keen to see how it stacks up against Richmond in its final game of the year.
Free agent Wallis was dropped twice this year but has played the last 10 games, adding an attacking edge to his play in a 19-goal season full of character.
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It remains to be seen whether Brisbane and Essendon offer more money or longer terms than the Dogs, who have said they are keen to re-contract the free agent.
Wallis said this year the Bulldogs are “in my blood” and Wood told the Herald Sun the son of 261-gamer Stephen had done everything asked of him by the club in recent months.
“I can’t imagine him in another club’s colours, it wouldn’t feel right,” Wood said.
“A measure of a person’s character is not how they are going when things are going well, it’s when the chips are down. He was challenged and went back to the VFL and that can go a number of ways.
“You can do the whole, ‘Woe is me’ thing and drop your bottom lip and blame everyone else but he took the feedback on board and worked his bum off.
“He listened to the coaches, he did extra stuff after training and worked himself into a really strong position. Absolutely you really want to reward that effort so absolutely I hope they can sort that out.”
Free agent Jordan Roughead also has rival suitors but has played the past six games and built into strong form in a combination with Jackson Trengove.
Second-year ruckman Tim English has had a number of clubs ask about his future but he is contracted until 2020 and happy at the club.
While he is playing VFL at the moment coach Luke Beveridge clearly sees him as the club’s long-term ruckman at some point so he will stay put.
The Dogs will also likely draft father-son prospect Rylee West, the son of club champion Scott West seen as a top-15 draftee given his inside midfield gifts.
“He has done some pre-season stuff with us and I haven’t seen his form this year but it’s always exciting to have father-son prospects,” Wood said.
“I managed to overlap with his dad in his final year. He has a stress fracture in his knee but seeing his effort in the pre-season, I have never seen someone work that hard. So if he can have some of that from his old man, I am sure he will go well.”
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Originally published as Easton Wood eager for father-son Mitch Wallis to re-sign with Western Bulldogs