The pre-season phone call that united two big men in the pursuit of Western Bulldogs success

Western Bulldogs ruckman Tim English is taking his game to new levels with the help of a surprise new teammate, and providing a huge headache for opponents.

Tim English knew from his first conversation with new teammate and ruck partner Stefan Martin their union was going to be a productive one.

The chat came late last year, well before pre-season training had started, and not all that long after 34-year-old Martin had been traded to Whitten Oval from the Brisbane Lions. The Dogs secured Martin for the cost of young defender Lachie Young, who ended up at North Melbourne in a three-way deal.

Martin phoned English to assure him he wasn’t there to stymie the 23-year-old’s development as a ruckman or as a player; in fact he wanted to help him – and the Dogs – get better.

Their rapport was instantaneous, despite their 11-year age difference and contrasting shapes and style.

Now, two games into the Bulldogs’ two-pronged ruck attack, with English honing his forward skills, the signs are promising their unlikely partnership can be a key factor in the club’s push to go deeper into the finals this year.

“When it first got announced we had a chat on the phone and Stef was really adamant he wasn’t coming in to stagnate my development,” English said ahead of the Good Friday clash against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.

“I was always comfortable with that. I am definitely learning a lot of stuff off him and he is saying he is learning some things off me, too.

“It’s been great to be able to work with Stef and ‘Sweety’ (developing Dogs rookie ruckman Jordon Sweet), I feel like it is an area that we are really getting better at.”

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Tim English takes a strong mark against the Eagles. Picture: Michael Klein

English will play his 50th AFL game this weekend. He is looking – and feeling – more at home in his AFL career than ever before.

Importantly, he is also enjoying work on his forward craft as well.

While last year he spent 89 per cent of his game time in the ruck, so far in 2021 he has spent 37 per cent in that role and 63 per cent forward. He has loved the challenge of learning new things.

The articulate big man wouldn’t change a thing about his career to date, not even the physical pounding he sometimes took from the big ruck monsters when he was a skinny, standalone ruckman, assisted by a few midfielders who gave him a “chop out”.

“I was probably one of the lucky rucks who was able to develop in an AFL side,” he explained. “A lot of rucks have to develop in the VFL and are able to hone their craft while their body develops.

“For me, it was coming up against Max Gawn, Todd Goldstein, Brodie Grundy and Nic Naitanui. That was tough, but I learnt so much.

“I was trying to implement the game I was trying to implement, but at the end of the day sometimes strength just overpowers everything.”

Tim English has kicked a goal in each of the Dogs’ two wins this year. Picture: Michael Klein

No one ever doubted English’s huge talent as a player, with his marking, intercept skills, mobility and work ethic being significant assets.

But he looked to be requiring some assistance as he went from 87kg when he was first drafted in late 2016 to his figure of 103kg right now.

“I have been developing a different part of my game now with Stef coming in,” he said.

“The past couple of years I played that No.1 ruck role. If I had got a chop out, it was from a key forward or a mid like Josh Dunkley, or ‘Bont’, or Jack Macrae.

“A lot of the onus was on me to develop that ruck craft, which was hard because I was still developing body-wise.

“But it has been awesome to be able to also work on my forward craft – and hopefully I have an advantage down there with my length.

“I think I will be able to provide a lot for the club in the future in both roles.”

English possesses a competitive edge in whatever venture he undertakes. His teammates say it isn’t solely reserved for the footy field.

“I just like to get better at things … I just think I don’t like losing,” he said with a laugh.

“I played a lot of table tennis at boarding school (at Christ Church Grammar School in Claremont), but I wouldn’t say I’m really good at it.

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Tim English is giving the Dogs another tall target in attack.

“I’ve played a fair bit of darts (recently). I live with Aaron Naughton and Pat Lipinski and ‘Naughts’ brought a dart board back from Perth. I just decided I wanted to get good at it, so that I wouldn’t lose.

“Now I am playing so much golf whenever I can. I really got into it in the hub in Queensland.

“I actually went and got fitted (with new clubs) at Albert Park (this week), so I am looking forward to hopefully taking some money off the boys and off (former Bulldog) Tory Dickson.”

English’s girlfriend, Rudi Ellis, plays in the Super Netball League with the Queensland Firebirds. Ellis is a teammate of Adam Treloar’s partner Kim Ravaillion.

“She wants to play professional netball and I fully support her in that,” English said of Ellis. “She’s up in Queensland and we make it work.

“We catch up whenever we have little breaks (in the schedules). But it is a little more difficult with the opening and closures of borders.”

Western Bulldogs ruckman Tim English and partner Rudi Ellis, a Queensland Firebirds netballer.

English, who is studying for a commerce degree, says the Dogs are looking forward to playing in the Good Friday clash.

“It is nice to be able to help raise some money for charity and the Royal Children’s Hospital touches everyone’s hearts.”

The Dogs are taking good form into the clash, having knocked off the Eagles in a thriller last week.

“In the past we have dropped a couple of those games, so it was good to get a win (against West Coast),” he said. “It was really good to get some exposure in those pressure moments and to be able to implement our systems without any issues.”

He said the Bulldogs haven’t put a ceiling on what they can achieve this season, insisting last year’s narrow elimination final loss to St Kilda still hurts.

“The depth of the group is something that really stands out, which helps a lot, especially with the cap rotations,” he said.

“If injuries pop up, we feel our list can cover it. The group is confident we can play against the best sides, which we showed last weekend.

“It’s a tough competition. But we are looking forward to hopefully going deep into the finals.”

Originally published as The pre-season phone call that united two big men in the pursuit of Western Bulldogs success