SuperFooty Podcast: Western Bulldogs recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple deserves credit, AFL Finals, TradeHQ

THE unsung hero of the Western Bulldogs’ fairytale season is the clubs master recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple, the SuperFooty Podcast boys say.

Mick Warner says plenty of credit for the Western Bulldogs meteoric rise should go to recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple.

THE unsung hero of the Western Bulldogs’ fairytale season is the clubs master recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple, the SuperFooty Podcast boys say.

Dalrymple’s efforts on draft day and scouring the country for talent have supplied the Dogs with a batch of kids that is one win away from a grand final berth.

“We’ve got to go back to him (Dalrymple),” Mick Warner said.

“There’s a statue of Simon coming (to Whitten Oval).”

Marcus Bontempelli and Jackson Macrae were the two best players on the park in the Dogs’ remarkable win over Hawthorn in the semi final on Friday night.

And the likes of Jake Stringer, Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Liberatore, Caleb Daniel, Josh Dunkley and Joel Hamling all arrived on his watch.

“Their VFL side’s thumped Collingwood in the prelim ... Depth is the key and they’ve got it in spades.”

Mick, Anthony Hudson and Sam Edmund delved into the Dogs’ inspiring semi-final victory over the Hawks and probed Sydney’s slaughter of Adelaide and were divided over who would win the preliminary final clashes between Geelong and the Swans and GWS and the Dogs.

Mick said he would not be surprised if one of the Hawks’ big four in Luke Hodge, Josh Gibson, Sean Burgoyne and Sam Mitchell were to retire and the boys discussed whether it was the end of an era at Waverley.

Aliir Aliir is turning heads in Sydney — and in the SuperFooty Bunker. Picture: Getty Images

Sam and Mick were at odds over the GWS juggernaut that is quietly building and they wondered just how good Sydney’s Aliir Aliir can be.

“He got a two-year contract extension before he’d played a game and people were thinking that’s strange, but now we know why,” Mick said.

“Alex Rance at the same period of his career, was hopeless. This kid is already a gun.”

The boys also talked:

■ Adelaide’s disastrous Round 23 loss to West Coast that shaped the finals.

■ Mick said Melbourne should trade Jesse Hogan “if he doesn’t want to be there”

■ Will there be more Dogs’ fans at Spotless Stadium than Giants supporters?

■ Has the holding the ball rule vanished in the finals?

■ Is Jimmy Bartel a certainty to play this week?

Originally published as SuperFooty Podcast: Western Bulldogs recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple deserves credit, AFL Finals, TradeHQ