AFL 2024: Jack Macrae joins Bailey Smith in requesting a trade from Western Bulldogs

Another Western Bulldogs midfielder has joined Bailey Smith in requesting a trade from Whitten Oval.

Jack Macrae wants a trade out of the Bulldogs (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

All-Australian midfielder Jack Macrae will join Bailey Smith in seeking a trade from Whitten Oval despite having three years to run on his contract.

Macrae informed the Bulldogs at his exit meeting that he wished to depart after playing three VFL games this season and being confined to the sub role on four occasions.

The 2016 premiership midfielder began the season out of the side as coach Luke Beveridge said he “still had to build” fitness after a pre-season hamstring injury.

Two weeks later, Beveridge said the use of the 30-year-old as the sub was part of the “evolution” of his midfield.

Like Smith on Monday, Macrae did not nominate a preferred club to move to, while his contract, which runs until the end of 2027, will complicate any deal.

Western Bulldogs’ three-time All-Australian midfielder Jack Macrae has asked the club for a trade. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

The player movement period is poised to be a busy one for the Bulldogs, who said on Monday they would work to ensure they were “fairly compensated” for the out-of-contract Smith, who has played 103 games and was one of the best players of the 2021 finals series.

The 23-year-old has been linked to Geelong, Collingwood and Hawthorn this season but is yet to confirm where he wants to play in 2025.

He tore his ACL during pre-season training in December and did not return to play this season, only joining training sporadically at Whitten Oval in recent months.

“Western Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith has informed the club of his desire to seek a trade this off-season,” a Bulldogs statement read on Monday.

Bailey Smith wants to move on, with reports Geelong is his most likely destination. Picture: Mark Stewart

“The 23-year-old is yet to nominate a preferred club. Given Bailey’s immense talent, age and proven ability to influence games, the club will work diligently to ensure it is fairly compensated throughout the process.”

Caleb Daniel, contracted until the end of 2026, and fringe 23-year-old Riley Garcia are also set to be approached by rival clubs as the Bulldogs prepare for a midfield overhaul.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said his on-ball brigade had been “strong armed” in the 37-point elimination final loss to Hawthorn on Friday and flagged an intent to bring in more midfield talent from other clubs or through the draft.

“No one came here tonight thinking that we’d be strong armed in the game, and I think in the end, Hawthorn strong armed us,” Beveridge said.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge (left) says Smith was held back from returning from an ACL injury this season to ensure he was able to ‘have a bright future in the game’. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

“We’ve been able to show (aggression) … it’s got to be part of your make-up. You don’t win these big finals if you haven’t got integrity in the contest and you don’t deal with pressure well.

“It’s such a big occasion for us to go down and be humbled in that area … that’s, coming away from the game, the biggest concern coming out of it.

Asked to compare Smith’s ACL recovery to pair Sam Docherty (Carlton) and Daniel McStay (Collingwood), who both made comebacks this season, Beveridge said the Bulldogs had not been willing to take the risk with the younger midfielder.

“It’s an 11-month turnaround (for the Bulldogs), that’s tried and true, we make sure the player is ready, we don’t want recurrence,” Beveridge said last week.

“Bailey wasn’t operated on by (club surgeon David Young), but we’re sticking to our 11-month protocol because we want to make sure that Baz is OK to have a bright future in the game.”