Western Bulldogs fast-track rebuild with rookie wonders

[bornadog]

IN the lead-up to the 2010 rookie draft, a power struggle broke out at Western Bulldogs.

On one side was chief *!recruiter Simon Dalrymple, desperate to pluck two raw youngsters he believed could be stars of the future.

One stood just 170cm and sported dreadlocks and the other grew up in South Africa playing rugby union.

But pressure was placed on Dalrymple to give priority to Sydney reject Ed Barlow and to relist Mitch Hahn.

The Dogs would rookie all four, but Dalrymple called his players first.

Their names? Luke Dahlhaus and Jason Johannisen.

Bulldog fans must be thanking their lucky stars Dalrymple held his nerve.

Barlow (eight games) and Hahn (zero) were gone after one season as the Dogs plummeted down the ladder after three straight preliminary finals.

But in Dahlhaus and Johannisen — the hero on Saturday night in Sydney — the seeds of a meticulous rebuild were planted.

The pair rounded out a draft package that began with *!father-son selections Tom Liberatore and Mitch Wallis.

Six years on and the injured Dahlhaus might be leading the Dogs’ best-and-fairest while Johannisen put his name in club folklore with that match-winner against the Swans.

With heavy legs and after 11 weeks out of the game because of a hamstring injury, Johannisen slotted the goal from 50m, rekindling his All-Australian form at the start of the season.

Dalrymple knew he held a pair of aces in 2010.

In 2011 he turned that hand into a full house by taking ruckman Tom Campbell, tough midfielder Lin Jong and old-fashioned full-forward Jack Redpath in the rookie draft.

The Dogs’ super strike-rate at the top of the draft is well publicised, but their talent spotting stands the test of time at both ends.

Overlooked after a brilliant TAC Cup season, Dahlhaus was invited to train with *!Geelong before the rookie draft, but the Bulldogs swooped one pick earlier than the Cats could have.

To trace how Dalrymple unearthed Johannisen you have to go back to the East Fremantle Colts program.

Recruiters filed into WAFL grounds for a glimpse of bottom-age stars Brad Hill, Shane Kersten and Jaeger O’Meara.

Johannisen played in a flag that year but averaged just 10 disposals and was rarely a standout. Still, his sizzling pace attracted the eye of the Dogs’ spotter.

“JJ just took (Dalrymple’s) eye with his speed,” Dogs list manager Jason McCartney once told the Herald Sun.

“That’s the art of recruiting. It might not be the guy who’s getting it 20 times, it’s just seeing an attribute.”

When McCartney started at Whitten Oval, he thought a young, fresh-faced Johannisen was the work experience kid.

One of McCartney’s next key tasks will be to re-sign Johannisen, who is out of contract next season and set to command big dollars.

Those rookie hits helped turbocharge the Dogs’ rebuild, while top-10 gems Marcus Bontempelli and Jake Stringer were read out earlier than most clubs expected.

It is often joked Geelong should erect a statue in honour of its recruiter, Stephen Wells.

If the Bulldogs break their flag drought soon, a petition might be passed around for Dalrymple to be in bronze.

How the Dogs turbocharged their rebuild in five rookie picks

2010: Luke Dahlhaus (No.22); Jason Johannisen (No.39)

2011: Lin Jong (No.9); Tom Campbell (No.27); Jack (No.62)

... And one to watch ...


2015: Roarke Smith (No.5)

Chief recruiter Simon Dalrymple’s smartest six picks

1. Marcus Bontempelli (No.4 in 2013)

2. Luke Dahlhaus (Rookie in 2010)

3. Jake Stringer (No.5 in 2012)

4. Jason Johannisen (Rookie in 2010)

5. Caleb Daniel (No.46 in 2014)

6. Marcus Adams (No.35 in 2015)

* Excludes father-son guns
Link

[hujsh]

Building a list with good, smart recruiting?

Nah, just get 22 top 10 picks to throw against the wall and see what sticks.

[comrade]

Building a list with good, smart recruiting?

Nah, just get 22 top 10 picks to throw against the wall and see what sticks.

And have a bigger list while you're at it. In fact, have a larger salary cap to poach existing players and, for good measure, don't worry about compensation in terms of picks or players, the AFL will look after that.

Oh, and here's a renown footy development area. Please take it as your exclusive recruiting region and, heck, don't bother actually developing the kids. Just shuttle them off to TAC Cup clubs and Victorian private schools then claim them when they've turned into guns.

What an absolute rort the GWS 'experiment' is.

[bornadog]

And have a bigger list while you're at it. In fact, have a larger salary cap to poach existing players and, for good measure, don't worry about compensation in terms of picks or players, the AFL will look after that.

Oh, and here's a renown footy development area. Please take it as your exclusive recruiting region and, heck, don't bother actually developing the kids. Just shuttle them off to TAC Cup clubs and Victorian private schools then claim them when they've turned into guns.

What an absolute rort the GWS 'experiment' is.

The preliminary draft order for this year shows GC and GWS with having 11 of the first 34 picks.

[azabob]

Out of interest why do we feel the need to derail this thread with negativity with re-hashed discussions about the expansion clubs?

The article is a positive news story on how successful we have been with identifying talent, I thought we would be discussing that?

Interesting the article ends with a watch this space on Rorke Smith. The club must have high hopes for him. Longer term do we seem him as a running / intercept type defender?

[jeemak]

Macrae goes under the radar, doesn't he. Rarely mentioned alongside Bont and Stringer, but he's super valuable.

I'm impressed with how Dahl has become so indispensable. He never gives up, takes the game on and creates so much play. He'd have been handy on Saturday night in the moments where we stagnated a bit.

[bornadog]

Interesting the article ends with a watch this space on Rorke Smith. The club must have high hopes for him. Longer term do we seem him as a running / intercept type defender?

From what I have heard, Bevo really rates Rorke. If he continues to develop, he may get an senior spot.

[hujsh]

Out of interest why do we feel the need to derail this thread with negativity with re-hashed discussions about the expansion clubs?

The article is a positive news story on how successful we have been with identifying talent, I thought we would be discussing that?

Interesting the article ends with a watch this space on Rorke Smith. The club must have high hopes for him. Longer term do we seem him as a running / intercept type defender?

Personally, seeing how well we've done only make me more angry knowing that there's at least one or two premierships that we'll probably miss out on because of GWS.

The work the club has done to get where it looks to be going, contrasted with GWS and the knowledge they'll be our main competition in the coming years is just plain annoying.

I think the discussion is re-hashed either way. We are all well aware of how good our recruiters are and what they've achieved.

From what I have heard, Bevo really rates Rorke. If he continues to develop, he may get an senior spot.

It'd be great to have him even as cover for Wood.

[Ghost Dog]

Macrae goes under the radar, doesn't he. Rarely mentioned alongside Bont and Stringer, but he's super valuable.

I'm impressed with how Dahl has become so indispensable. He never gives up, takes the game on and creates so much play. He'd have been handy on Saturday night in the moments where we stagnated a bit.

Excellent point. Has been great. Surprising omission.

[Mantis]

Macrae goes under the radar, doesn't he. Rarely mentioned alongside Bont and Stringer, but he's super valuable.

He just gets the job done.. Nothing flashy unlike those also mentioned.

I'm impressed with how Dahl has become so indispensable. He never gives up, takes the game on and creates so much play. He'd have been handy on Saturday night in the moments where we stagnated a bit.

Glad to see you have come around. (I think it was you)

[comrade]

Would love Macrae to somehow develop even a passable right foot. Doesn't need to be spearing 40m bullets but just hit simple targets 15-25m away. If he had that in his arsenal, he'd also less likely to freeze up in the forward 50.

The intangible work he does, like gut running to provide an outlet or a block, would be highly value internally.

[jeemak]

He just gets the job done.. Nothing flashy unlike those also mentioned.



Glad to see you have come around. (I think it was you)

I posted either late last year or early this year that I've moved on from being fixated on his kicking and poor set shot conversion, and I focus on his other attributes which are overwhelmingly positive. Possibly him playing through the midfield more so than forward has helped.

[Ghost Dog]

From what I have heard, Bevo really rates Rorke. If he continues to develop, he may get an senior spot.

Skaters stick together. Teacher's pet!

[Ghost Dog]

He just gets the job done.. Nothing flashy unlike those also mentioned.



Glad to see you have come around. (I think it was you)

Just do not agree with your assessment of Jackson. He's tough and talented. Finishes very high in contested possessions from memory.

[hujsh]

Would love Macrae to somehow develop even a passable right foot. Doesn't need to be spearing 40m bullets but just hit simple targets 15-25m away. If he had that in his arsenal, he'd also less likely to freeze up in the forward 50.

The intangible work he does, like gut running to provide an outlet or a block, would be highly value internally.

It'd also be harder to commit to corralling him onto his wrong side and he might be able to bring his sidestep back