Alex Keath ready to overcome leg surgery and join pre-season training at Western Bulldogs
Surgery on his lower leg and some late trade period nerves haven’t dented Alex Keath’s enthusiasm about joining the Western Bulldogs’ top-four push.
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Western Bulldogs recruit Alex Keath expects to be in full training just after Christmas after recently undergoing surgery.
The former cricketer turned Adelaide Crow joined the Bulldogs in a deal that was finalised only in the final 15 minutes of the trade period.
He admitted today he was sweating as the clock ticked down, but he had faith the Bulldogs would find a way to land him.
“It was a little bit nervous, but I think I was always confident something would get done at the end there,” Keath said.
“I’m just really relieved and it’s great to come to the club today and I’m looking forward to getting into the training.
“As you guys saw there were a few trades that went pretty late in the day and I was one of them.
“But credit to (Bulldogs list boss) Sam (Power) and his team as they did a great job and I’m just really happy to be here now.”
Keath recently had surgery to repair a stress fracture in his lower leg, although the intercept defender said it should not affect his 2020 campaign.
“It was at a bit of a time when I needed to get it right,” he said.
“With a potential trade coming up, it was important to make sure my ankle was in the best possible condition going forward.
“The Crows were fantastic and at the end of the day I was contracted to Adelaide, so it was an Adelaide decision to have the surgery done.
“All parties were happy so I will just concentrate on my rehab now and I’m looking forward to getting into training with the Dogs.”
St Kilda was also into Keath and the defender also toured the Saints’ Moorabbin headquarters earlier this year before deciding on the Bulldogs. Keath, who played 30 games with Adelaide, said he felt the Dogs was a good fit for him.
“I think it was the communication I was getting from the coaches and people around that sort of team in terms of how I would fit in,” he said.
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“There’s a few other factors as well, like they have a very positive culture stemming from those conversations.
“They also have a young and talented list and they had such great growth in the second half of the season.
“I’m very grateful to Adelaide for the opportunity they gave me and I wish them well in the future, but now I’m extremely excited to be at the Bulldogs.
“I’m very grateful to be wanted by a good club in a good position with the youth they’ve got and their exciting talent.”
Keath said Adelaide’s infamous pre-season camp in early 2018 was “not at all” a factor in his decision to leave the Crows.
“The camp is a long time ago now and I think everyone has moved on,” he said.
Fellow trade recruit Josh Bruce admitted yesterday he was nervous as the clock ticked down on deadline day, and is now eager to help young Dogs forwards Aaron Naughton and Josh Schache.
“I absolutely loved my time at the Saints, there’s definitely no bad blood there at all, it’s just one of those things in football,” Bruce said.
“I want to try to lead the forward line and be a bit of cannon fodder for young Naughts ... just take the hits for him and Schache and hopefully one of us can get off the chain.
“I think St Kilda see their list heading in a different direction, they’ve got some young guys coming through and they’ve been really aggressive in the trade period.
“So they just potentially weren’t in a position to offer me a long-term deal, which is what I was looking for at this stage of my career.
“We just decided to part ways from there and I think it was a good decision in the end.”
— with AAP