Trade HQ: Check out all the big list calls the Western Bulldogs face this off-season
With key forward Tom Boyd’s retirement, the Western Bulldogs clearly have cash to splash this off-season. But are they targeting the right areas?
Trade HQ
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It is hard to believe that only a few years ago the Western Bulldogs were one of the youngest premiership sides in history.
When I look at their list now, I’ve got concerns about a number of key areas on the ground.
At the top of the list is their forward line, especially with Tom Boyd now retired.
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While he hadn’t played this year, Boyd could have eventually paired with Aaron Naughton to form a damaging one-two punch.
Now all eyes are looking at Josh Schache.
Although he is a former top draft pick, Schache is clearly still developing and is working to find that level of consistency clubs demand week in, week out.
In the ruck, I fear they may actually be doing damage to Tim English’s progress.
To be clear, I really like English and can see him developing into a Brodie Grundy style ruckman, where he is like an extra midfielder.
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But at the moment he is a kid going up against men and I think they need to get someone in to shield him when the Dogs come up against monsters like Grundy, Max Gawn and Shane Mumford.
Marcus Bontempelli and Jack Macrae are a huge tick in the middle of the ground and Tom Liberatore, Josh Dunkley and Mitch Wallis are perfect support acts.
I also really like what I’ve seen from Ed Richards and the Dogs should be doing everything they can to push him into a permanent midfield or wing role.
Seeing them linked to Hawthorn’s Isaac Smith as a potential trade target is certainly eyebrow raising.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Smith has been a great player and is a tremendous leader having been part of that dominant Hawthorn era. But at 30 years old, has he already played his best footy?
I think the Bulldogs would be much better suited targeting players in the 23-25 age bracket.
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THREE DOGS RIVAL RECRUITERS ARE WATCHING:
Jordon Sweet
The 21-year-old ruckman arrived at Whitten Oval as support for Tim English via the rookie draft, but hasn’t been needed at AFL level this year. Sweet was named in an extended squad in April when a debut appeared close, but a VFL suspension pushed him down the pecking order. In his two most recent VFL games, Sweet has had 44 and 60 hit outs, while he also laid nine tackles against Port Melbourne. With Tim English re-signed until the end of 2022 – warding off possible interest from his home state Western Australia – why wouldn’t rival clubs in need of a ruckman inquire about Sweet? Unless they can play together, he risks being stuck behind English for the foreseeable future.
Fletcher Roberts
He’s been a solid contributor in the VFL but versatile big man Roberts has remained on the outer despite the Bulldogs’ key-position issues. Luke Beveridge preferred mid-season draftee Ryan Gardner to Roberts and he’s clearly a long way down the pecking order. At 196cm, the premiership player would suit a club with ageing key-position stocks. He’d be an ideal replacement for a player such as Heath Grundy at Sydney.
Toby McLean
McLean is on a long-term deal at the Bulldogs but he hasn’t had the same impact since being squeezed out of the midfield rotation. His average has dropped from 24 possessions per game last year to 17 and he was dropped for the club’s recent clash with Collingwood. Considering the ability he showed in 2017 and 2018 it would take a sizeable deal to convince the Bulldogs to trade. But teams in need of a creative midfielder capable of kicking a goal will closely monitor his form for the rest of 2019.
FOUR PLAYERS DOGS RECRUITERS ARE WATCHING:
Jack Darling
The Bulldogs were swiftly linked with a move for Darling after kicking six goals against them in Round 11. Darling will be a restricted free agent at the end of next year and would complement Aaron Naughton in a mobile Western Bulldogs attack. His signing could also allow Luke Beveridge to send Naughton back if Josh Schache fulfils his potential. The Eagles will be reluctant to lose Darling with fellow target Josh Kennedy in the final years of his career at 31 years of age. Darling’s management has dismissed the links to the Dogs.
Jack Martin
The gifted Gold Coast Sun has been linked with several Victorian clubs, most notably the Bulldogs and Carlton. There was talk his price could be as high as $4 million over six seasons, a tall ask for a player who has shown glimpses of his immense talent without delivering consistently at the Suns. If he can increase his average to closer to a goal per game, he’d be a valuable addition as an attacking weapon at the Dogs or Blues. But could the Suns’ improvement under Stuart Dew convince him to sign on?
Adam Tomlinson
GWS free agent Adam Tomlinson was pursued strongly by St Kilda two years ago but the Giants rebuffed their efforts to bring him to Victoria. Tomlinson is a restricted free agent but the Bulldogs have cap space after the retirements of Liam Picken and Tom Boyd to make their move. At 194cm and capable of playing at either end, he’d be a perfect addition to a club with a clear lack of key-position options.
Jon Patton
A restricted free agent at the end of next season, Patton has been recovering from a third knee reconstruction. Several reports have the key forward, who kicked a combined 83 goals in 2016 and 2017, headed to Hawthorn. But why wouldn’t the Bulldogs ask the question? They need a big man to build their forward line around after the retirement of Boyd and Patton could be the perfect foil for Naughton. The Hawks have a superior rehabilitation record which could be a big selling point if he leaves Giants Stadium.
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It now appears puzzling that the Bulldogs let Jordan Roughead go considering how important he’s been in Collingwood’s defence alongside Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe. He spent most of his last two seasons at the Dogs playing as a ruckman or in the VFL. The Pies’ deal to get Roughead for pick 75 looms as one of the steals of last year’s trade period. Fellow backman Marcus Adams hasn’t played yet for Brisbane due to injury but Luke Dahlhaus has regained his spark with premiership contender Geelong. The Bulldogs can hardly be blamed for Dahlhaus’ move considering he wanted out. Ex-Hawk Taylor Duryea has been solid enough and Sam Lloyd has relished greater opportunity after crossing from Richmond.
There’s a good chance Lloyd will finish as the club’s leading goalkicker. As good as Lloyd has been, therein lies the most obvious issue on the Dogs’ list after the retirement of Tom Boyd. They desperately need a reliable goalkicker to provide impetus in attack. The draft picks the Bulldogs landed helped their bid for father-son Rhylee West who has been pushing for a debut and appears a long-term midfield prospect.
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