Brisbane Lions join chase for Western Bulldogs midfielder Mitch Wallis

WESTERN Bulldogs free agent Mitch Wallis is already on Essendon and Gold Coast’s wish list. Now another club has joined the hunt in a bid to beef up its midfield for a finals tilt.

Mitch Wallis of the Western Bulldogs.

BRISBANE has joined the hunt for Western Bulldogs free agent Mitch Wallis to help beef up its midfield for a finals tilt next season.

The Lions have some of the best young talent in the competition and are targeting Wallis to add more leadership and strength through the midfield.

The Herald Sun understands a rival club could prise Wallis out of Whitten Oval with a four-year deal, securing his future until the end of 2022.

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Wallis is highly rated at the kennel and his experience and team discipline over 118 games appeals to the Lions, who hit the jackpot acquiring champion Luke Hodge from Hawthorn late last year.

The Lions have registered their interest in the hard-running midfielder with the Wallis camp, but there are a number of clubs in the race to land the father-son jet.

Mitch’s father, Stephen, played 261 games for the Dogs between 1983 and 1996.

Wallis has already attracted interest from Essendon and Gold Coast, with the Bombers widely believed to be in the box seat to keep him in Melbourne.

Essendon is openly targeting another inside ball-winner and is planning to be active in trade period again after landing Jake Stringer, Devon Smith and Adam Saad last year.

Essendon has a quality midfield brigade but want another hard-nosed onballer such as Wallis to fill the void left by Jobe Watson when he retired at the end of last season.

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Wallis is weighing up his future at the Bulldogs after another decent season, averaging 21 possessions across 13 games this year.

Wallis has made a full recovery from the horrific broken leg in 2016 but he appeared to fall out of favour last year, playing 12 senior games.

The Dogs are looking to make changes to their list after missing finals for the second-straight year on the back of a stunning 2016 premiership.

Wallis is one of four Western Bulldogs’ free agents facing uncertain futures.

Tom Liberatore, Luke Dahlhaus, Jordan Roughead and Wallis are able to switch clubs at the end of the season under free agency rules.

The club also wants veteran defender Dale Morris to play on next season.

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