Gary Buckenara analyses Western Bulldogs’ list after the 2020 season

The Bulldogs should have finished in the top four this year and are well and truly in their premiership window. Can this list take its chances or will it be a wasted era?

Gary Buckenara analyses the Bulldogs' list.

The clock is ticking on the Bulldogs to win another premiership with this talented group.

While the Dogs have a relatively young list, teams don’t stay in the premiership window forever. Injuries, form and other issues (including off-field and game style/plan problems) can pop up at any time and before you know it, it’s been another two, three or four years since you’ve made a Grand Final with a list good enough to win premierships.

What do the players, coaches and the club want to see when they look back on this period – wasted opportunities or premiership memories? That’s one of the big questions this club must answer during the off-season.

Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae, Lachie Hunter, Caleb Daniel, Jason Johannisen, Tom Liberatore, Mitch Wallis, Josh Dunkley, Easton Wood and Alex Keath are playing together in their prime with Aaron Naughton, Bailey Smith, Tim English, Ed Richards and Cody Weightman just some of the young players injecting more excitement and talent into an already star-studded group.

The players need to make a statement as a team and become the ruthless force we saw during the 2016 finals series otherwise they’ll be haunted by the words “if only” in 15-20 years’ time – if only we’d trained harder, if only we we’d committed 100 per cent, if only we’d made the most of our opportunity. Talent alone doesn’t win premierships.

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Marcus Bontempelli in action this season. Picture: Getty

The Bulldogs should have been a top-four team this year, so to bow out in the first week of the finals was extremely disappointing. They underperformed, there’s no doubt about it. With 15 A and B-ranked players and six players aged 21 or under with the potential to be A or B-graders, it’s more than enough to be a serious premiership threat.

The players and coaches must sit down and seriously analyse what went wrong. Was it the uncertainty of COVID-19 and hub life that affected us because we were far too inconsistent? Was it the early off-field indiscretions involving Hunter, Smith and Billy Gowers that upset the group and had a lasting impact? Are there problems with our game plan/style?

What’s causing the inconsistency? That’s the other question that needs answering because consistency of performance is the missing link in the Bulldogs’ premiership chain.

LIST NEEDS

Overall the Bulldogs’ list is well balanced with good young talent coming through and the scope for some of the current C-grade players to develop into at least B-graders – such as Roarke Smith (injuries permitting), Ryan Gardner, Will Hayes and Brad Lynch. The Bulldogs should look at recruiting another experienced key defender to release Keath to play his more natural role as an interceptor/second or third defender. Bruce had a disappointing season and I think another experienced tall forward might help take some of the pressure off him, while there is a need for a forward-ruck to help English.

Caleb Daniel was a standout this season. Picture: Michael Klein

TRADE TARGETS

The Bulldogs should be aggressive in the trade and free agency market to fill immediate needs and target players who can top off the list to win a premiership.

Adelaide’s Daniel Talia would be an ideal target as that key defender to take the opposition’s No.1 forward. With the Crows in a rebuild, the Bulldogs should chase him hard and sell the opportunity to win a premiership before he retires. For what he brings to a team in the window, I’d offer a second-round pick for him.

Michael Hurley is another that would fit that bill and although contracted, he’s apparently not happy at the Bombers. In isolation, I’d offer a pick in the 25-40 range for Hurley.

Ben Brown would be a perfect fit at the Bulldogs. They love to move the ball quickly, which suits his lead-up style, while he can also give English a chop out in the ruck. A forward line of Brown, Naughton and Bruce with Wallis as a marking small would be very dangerous and a nightmare for opposition teams.

Levi Casboult is another player I’d look at. He can play as the forward-ruck and his biggest strength is his contested marking ability, so would provide huge value as a third serious aerial threat inside 50. He’s contracted at the Blues but I think they’d be willing to trade him given their key position depth. A second-round pick would be a smart deal because while he’s not a star, he’d provide good value.

Michael Hurley would be a great get for the Bulldogs. Picture: Getty

UNTOUCHABLES

Bontempelli, Liberatore, Hunter, English, Dunkley, Daniel, Macrae, Richards, B. Smith, Johannisen, Weightman, Naughton, Wallis, Wood, Laitham Vandermeer, Rhylee West, Bailey Williams, Bailey Dale, Toby McLean and Patrick Lipinski.

TRADE BAIT

The Josh Dunkley link to Essendon is an interesting story given he was one of the Bulldogs’ leading midfielders in 2019, but this year he was used in different roles. It’s obviously frustrated him and might be why he’s looking for a club that will play him as an inside tall midfielder. The Bulldogs have said that they won’t trade him – he has two years to run on his contract – and to me, he’s an untouchable because he’s a ball magnet who kicks goals. Goalkicking midfielders are worth their weight in gold. It’s hard to see how the Bombers can get a deal done unless they offered two first-round picks or pick 6, 41 and Hurley.

Essendon will need to pay a high price to get Josh Dunkley. Picture: Michael Klein

RATING THE LIST

A-grade: Bontempelli, English, Macrae

B: Daniel, Dale, Dunkley, Hunter, Johannisen, Keath, Liberatore, McLean, Wallis, Williams, Wood

C: Bruce, Cavarra, Cordy, Crozier, Duryea, Gardner, Gowers, Green, Hayes, Jong, Lipinski, Lloyd, Lynch, Schache, R. Smith, Suckling, Sweet, Trengove

Developing (with A-B grade potential): Naughton, Richards, B. Smith, Vandermeer, Weightman, West

Developing: Butler, Garcia, Khamis, Porter, Lachie Young, Lewis Young

What the ratings mean:

A-grade: Elite player on any AFL list

B: Top 10-18 player on most lists

C: An 18-30 player on a list

Developing: Aged 21 or under

CRYSTAL BALL

The Bulldogs are in the premiership window and should be in contention to win at least one premiership, potentially even multiple, from 2021-24. The club must make good list decisions and target specific stars from rival clubs to fill holes down back and up forward to make them even better. Must win another premiership in the next four years or this era will be wasted.

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