Western Bulldogs secure Josh Schache in the final minute of trade period

THE Western Bulldogs secured Josh Schache 30 seconds before deadline and the club has labelled its tense trade period “really successful” after three deals were struck in the final 90 minutes.

THE Western Bulldogs say Josh Schache and Tom Boyd can form a “great combination” after they secured the 2015 No.2 draft pick about 30 seconds from Thursday’s deadline.

Bulldogs football director Chris Grant labelled the club’s tense trade period “really successful” after it turned on its head with three deals struck in the final 90 minutes.

Once the Dogs finally traded Jake Stringer to Essendon they were able to convert a bundle of draft picks into an extra first-round selection as well as Schache.

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Schache, 20, passed a Bulldogs medical on Wednesday night and then nervously tracked his last-gasp trade to Whitten Oval from home in Seymour.

Brisbane Lions rejected an initial offer of pick 25 for Schache and then granted the youngster’s homecoming wish when the Dogs added pick 40 to the deal.

Suddenly, the Dogs go to the draft with selections No.9 and 16 with Schache, Fremantle’s Hayden Crozier and Port Adelaide’s Jackson Trengove all set to join for pre-season.

But in the wheeling and dealing they also forfeited their second-round pick in next year’s draft, tipped to be the strongest in years.

The Western Bulldogs were able to strike a deal with Brisbane for Josh Schache. Picture: Jono Searle

Grant and list chief Jason McCartney emerged at Etihad Stadium with beads of sweat on their foreheads in a sign of just how intense final talks became.

“It took a while, it took a while,” Grant said.

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“(But) we’re really pleased for a range of reasons. The trade period has been really successful for us.

“We’ve been looking at (Schache) for a while and having discussions. We became really keen during the start of this week, and he was really keen to come to us.

“He’s really happy, really happy (to be a Bulldog).”

Schache’s manager, David Trotter, worked feverishly with the Dogs to strike a deal to finally end the relentless scrutiny placed on the full-forward

The kid with a beautiful set-shot — likened to a fluent golf swing by recruiters in 2015 — will finally shake the contract spotlight that has burdened him all season.

Schache re-signed with Brisbane for a further two years in June, but even his recommitment at the Gabba only momentarily doused speculation he was certain to return to Victoria.

Schache joins the Dogs two years after he was the No.2 draft pick and Boyd joined the Dogs one year after Greater Western Sydney drafted him at No.1.

Can they play together?

“It’s all about talent, and both those boys are talented players,” Grant said.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re five-foot-four or six-foot-seven, if you can play the game you’re a real asset to a team.

“We see a great combination between both those players, but also Roughy (Jordan Roughead) in the ruck. We’re really well placed.”

Tom Boyd will be joined by Josh Schache in the Bulldogs forward line. Picture: Getty Images

Schache’s competitiveness has been questioned and is largely the reason his trade value diminished so heavily in just two seasons.

But Grant said “we see the glass half full” on his knocks.

“That’s the approach we’ve taken with Josh,” Grant said.

“The positive far outweighed what the concern might be as a young, developing player.”

Schache’s arrival casts further doubt on the future of Travis Cloke at AFL level.

The former Magpie is expected to spend most of 2018 in the VFL after deciding to see out the final year of his contract.