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Josh Bruce wants to play a role in the Western Bulldogs’ push for top four in 2020 and beyond
Josh Bruce has already experienced eight seasons without playing finals. Which is why a chance to join the resurgent Western Bulldogs and their young guns is so appealing. But how will the deal get done?
St Kilda forward Josh Bruce wants to join the Western Bulldogs’ top-four tilt in a bid to play in his first finals campaign next season.
Bruce, 27, has met with Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and is excited about partnering spearhead Aaron Naughton as part of a new twin tower setup at the kennel in 2020.
While the four-year offer from the Dogs is a contract he cannot refuse, there is the added appeal of joining a club which could genuinely contend for next year’s flag.
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The Dogs are rated an $11 chance with TAB to win the 2020 premiership, while St Kilda has the second-longest premiership odds ($51) above only Gold Coast.
Bruce had not played in a final in his eight years in the league and is keen to end his finals drought at his third club.
The former Greater Western Sydney key forward has also enjoyed only one winning season (more than 50 per cent win ratio) – when the Saints won 12 games in 2016.
It means the chance to capitalise on one of the best young midfield brigades in the game alongside Naughton has significant appeal in the prime part of Bruce’s career.
St Kilda is optimistic about its future and could yet become one of the biggest winners from this year’s trade period with grand plans to add Brad Hill (Fremantle), Paddy Ryder (Port Adelaide), Dan Butler (Richmond) and Zak Jones (Sydney).
But the Saints are in the midst of a significant transition and could yet take more time to mature into a genuine premiership candidate.
The Dogs were considered the most in-form team in the league late in the regular season before crashing out of the finals in an upset first-round loss to GWS Giants.
Beveridge’s men have vowed to be aggressive players in the trade period and are expected to bolster the back half with the arrival of Adelaide key defender Alex Keath.
Dogs list manager Sam Power said the club wanted to bolster its spine.
“We’ve identified some key position players as really adding to our group and we’ll work through those conversations over the next week,” Power said.
Naughton is rated one of the most exciting young players in the game and Bruce could play a significant role alongside the youngster helping shoulder the goal kicking load.
Bruce is contracted for one more season at St Kilda, but the Saints are yet to offer the forward a contract extension beyond 2020.
The lack of a formal extension from St Kilda in recent months has made the Dogs’ position even more attractive.
St Kilda wants more than pick No. 32 from the Dogs to seal the deal, according to football boss Simon Leathlean.
"Getting on specifics is a bit hard, but right here, right now, I don't feel like pick 32 is appropriate for our biggest key forward who has got a year to go on his contract," Lethlean said.
"If they want to offer a four-year deal and big money, I don't think that's the right sort of pick.
"Time will tell. You don't want to put your stake in the ground too early. If we get other things done and it helps us get other things done, we'll wait and see.
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"But it doesn't feel quite right to me."
Bruce is determined to make the move to the kennel to help round out his career at his third club.
Bruce has a good relationship with Beveridge and was brought to the Saints by Dogs chief executive Ameet Bains when he was at Seaford.
Updates
Brisbane says it made its best possible pitch to Collingwood free agent Jamie Elliott.
The small forward has knocked back an offer from Melbourne and is weighing up re-signing at the Magpies or moving to the Lions.
"I think we presented well, I think he liked what we had to say," Lions footy boss David Noble said today.
"We think we put everything in front of him we needed to.
"Until he decides where he wants to go I think we're in with a chance."
Noble said Elliott, who has a brother in Airlie Beach in North Queensland, would give coach Chris Fagan more flexibility in his front half.
"We can push more guys into the midfield, (Charlie) Cameron can go up there with his speed, (Lincoln) McCarthy we've seen this year, Cam Rayner we want to develop to play forward and mid and Jamie can probably go up the ground a bit higher as well, so it fits in with what we want to do."
Noble said the Lions were hopeful of bringing in Gold Coast's Callum Ah Chee during the trade period but were still deciding whether they need an experienced player like Grant Birchall to replace retired champion Luke Hodge.
Lions hopeful of luring Magpie Elliott
Brisbane says it made its best possible pitch to Collingwood free agent Jamie Elliott.
The small forward has knocked back an offer from Melbourne and is weighing up re-signing at the Magpies or moving to the Lions.
"I think we presented well, I think he liked what we had to say," Lions footy boss David Noble said today.
"We think we put everything in front of him we needed to.
"Until he decides where he wants to go I think we're in with a chance."
Noble said Elliott, who has a brother in Airlie Beach in North Queensland, would give coach Chris Fagan more flexibility in his front half.
"We can push more guys into the midfield, (Charlie) Cameron can go up there with his speed, (Lincoln) McCarthy we've seen this year, Cam Rayner we want to develop to play forward and mid and Jamie can probably go up the ground a bit higher as well, so it fits in with what we want to do."
Noble said the Lions were hopeful of bringing in Gold Coast's Callum Ah Chee during the trade period but were still deciding whether they need an experienced player like Grant Birchall to replace retired champion Luke Hodge.
Blues big winners as trade trifecta nears
JON RALPH
Carlton is within touching distance of securing its trio of small forwards after Sydney agreed to open discussions on star half forward Tom Papley.
On a day of posturing and opening gambits, Sydney eased back on its hard-line position that a player contracted until 2023 would never be traded.
The Swans might need Carlton’s pick nine in a trade for Essendon’s Joe Daniher, and are also attempting to lure Daniher while out of contract.
FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/2oTWeP1
Tim Michell at Marvel Stadium
Hawthorn will revisit the three-pronged tall forward line it deployed during the first season of its premiership threepeat next year after Jon Patton arrives from GWS.
The 2011 No.1 draft pick will be traded to the Hawks in coming days for a later draft pick.
Hawthorn football manager Graham Wright said Patton, Tim O’Brien and Mitch Lewis could operate in the same system which helped Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and David Hale flourish as a trio.
“In the past we have had three key forwards, or three tall forwards , playing,” Wright said.
“Back when we had Rough, Hale and Franklin as well.
“I think that’s what Clarko would like to do.
“Jon is coming back from a knee reco, but he trained at the back end of the year. We think he will be up and going early.”
The Hawks are expected to land Patton and Melbourne defender Sam Frost after holding discussions with their respective clubs on Monday.
Four-time premiership defender Grant Birchall will remain in limbo until at least the end of the trade period, unless another club signs the unrestricted free agent.
The 31-year-old has been linked to Brisbane Lions after former teammate Luke Hodge’s retirement, but could remain a Hawk.
“We wanted to wait and see what it looks like spots wise and that sort of thing. Obviously Grant would love to play and we’d like to give him that opportunity,” Wright said.
The Hawks rebuffed inquiries during the season regarding contracted wingman Isaac Smith, who will be staying.
Clarko keen to deploy tall trio
Tim Michell at Marvel Stadium
Hawthorn will revisit the three-pronged tall forward line it deployed during the first season of its premiership threepeat next year after Jon Patton arrives from GWS.
The 2011 No.1 draft pick will be traded to the Hawks in coming days for a later draft pick.
Hawthorn football manager Graham Wright said Patton, Tim O’Brien and Mitch Lewis could operate in the same system which helped Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and David Hale flourish as a trio.
“In the past we have had three key forwards, or three tall forwards , playing,” Wright said.
“Back when we had Rough, Hale and Franklin as well.
“I think that’s what Clarko would like to do.
“Jon is coming back from a knee reco, but he trained at the back end of the year. We think he will be up and going early.”
The Hawks are expected to land Patton and Melbourne defender Sam Frost after holding discussions with their respective clubs on Monday.
Four-time premiership defender Grant Birchall will remain in limbo until at least the end of the trade period, unless another club signs the unrestricted free agent.
The 31-year-old has been linked to Brisbane Lions after former teammate Luke Hodge’s retirement, but could remain a Hawk.
“We wanted to wait and see what it looks like spots wise and that sort of thing. Obviously Grant would love to play and we’d like to give him that opportunity,” Wright said.
The Hawks rebuffed inquiries during the season regarding contracted wingman Isaac Smith, who will be staying.
How Saints plan to land Ben King
JON RALPH
St Kilda’s eagerness to escort Josh Bruce to a fat new contract at the Western Bulldogs finally makes sense.
And it is all about St Kilda reuniting Ben King with his brother Max at Moorabbin in 2021.
For weeks now St Kilda’s unwillingness to offer Bruce a deal past 2020 has been a head-scratcher given his manful role as the club’s jack-of-all-trades.
He can be a forward line battering ram capable of 50 contested marks.
FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/2LU4SFW
– Tim Michell at Marvel Stadium
Richmond says it will consider offers for wingman Kamdyn McIntosh but remains hopeful he will be at Punt Road in 2020.
McIntosh signed a new two-year deal with the Tigers in July but was one of the hardluck stories of the finals when he missed out on the club’s VFL and AFL premierships.
The 25-year-old was held over from the VFL decider after Jack Graham was injured in Richmond’s preliminary final win over Geelong, only for Marlion Pickett to debut in the Grand Final.
Tigers football boss Neil Balme said on Monday the club wanted to hold onto McIntosh but would consider the right offer for the 90-gamer.
"We are keen for him to stay. But if someone is really keen and makes a really big offer and they want to do something with him and he's keen to pursue it, we wouldn't dismiss it completely,” Balme said.
“But if it was up to us now we would say he is a required contracted player. Again you've got to take the individual into account as well as the club.”
Sam Edmund and Jon Ralph on all today's developments.
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