Bulldog4life
01-09-2021, 03:20 PM
https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/afl-trade-target-could-tim-english-depart-western-bulldogs-for-west-coast-or-fremantle-homecoming-c-3834513
Could Tim English be the man to take Nic Naitanui’s ruck mantle at West Coast?
AFL broadcaster Craig Hutchison believes so.
West Aussie talent English has played 19 games this season, despite missing five straight games due to a nasty concussion from friendly fire, but has struggled to find a permanent role.
He’s been used in the ruck and more recently as a forward since Josh Bruce went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Hutchison says the fact English hasn’t managed to lock down a ruck role at the Bulldogs shows he’s vulnerable at the trade table.
“This was a prodigy young ruckman who was going to be the next big thing at the Bulldogs,” Hutchison said on Footy Classified.
“(But) they just do not want to ruck him. Even in a big final, (teammate) Lewis Young is preferred.”
Statistics show English is attending just 47.2 per cent of ruck contests in 2021 when he plays — down from 63 per cent back in 2019.
And he’s only been in 13.4 per cent of centre bounces this season.
“Surely someone’s got to have more faith in him than the Bulldogs seem to have in him,” Hutchison said.
“Is it at West Coast behind Naitanui? Is it another interstate club? Is it a Melbourne club?”
English was taken by the Bulldogs with pick 19 in the 2016 Draft, and remains contracted at the club until the end of 2022.
But with prized number one draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan waiting in the wings, AFL commentator Kane Cornes believes English could be squeezed out.
Tim English has been moved forward to try and cover the loss of Josh Bruce.
Tim English has been moved forward to try and cover the loss of Josh Bruce. Credit: Steve Bell/AFL Photos/via AFL Photos
“They’d hate to lose him,” he said. “(But) you’ve got (Sam, son of club great Luke) Darcy coming in as another forward. You’ve got Ugle-Hagan and you’ve got (WA’s Aaron) Naughton — there’s your three tall key forwards.
“If English plays, he rucks.”
Cornes said the progression of players like Toby Nankervis, Scott Lycett and Tom Hickey showed ruckmen could blossom with a fresh start.
English’s teammate Jack Macrae last week warned fans they’d see more of English as a forward in the finals.
“He’s a very confident bloke. With Josh Bruce going down we’ve relied on Tim being a presence up forward, that’s why his ruck numbers were so low,” he said on SEN.
But English failed to trouble the scorers in the elimination final win over Essendon, and managed just 15 hitouts and seven marks.
Could Tim English be the man to take Nic Naitanui’s ruck mantle at West Coast?
AFL broadcaster Craig Hutchison believes so.
West Aussie talent English has played 19 games this season, despite missing five straight games due to a nasty concussion from friendly fire, but has struggled to find a permanent role.
He’s been used in the ruck and more recently as a forward since Josh Bruce went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Hutchison says the fact English hasn’t managed to lock down a ruck role at the Bulldogs shows he’s vulnerable at the trade table.
“This was a prodigy young ruckman who was going to be the next big thing at the Bulldogs,” Hutchison said on Footy Classified.
“(But) they just do not want to ruck him. Even in a big final, (teammate) Lewis Young is preferred.”
Statistics show English is attending just 47.2 per cent of ruck contests in 2021 when he plays — down from 63 per cent back in 2019.
And he’s only been in 13.4 per cent of centre bounces this season.
“Surely someone’s got to have more faith in him than the Bulldogs seem to have in him,” Hutchison said.
“Is it at West Coast behind Naitanui? Is it another interstate club? Is it a Melbourne club?”
English was taken by the Bulldogs with pick 19 in the 2016 Draft, and remains contracted at the club until the end of 2022.
But with prized number one draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan waiting in the wings, AFL commentator Kane Cornes believes English could be squeezed out.
Tim English has been moved forward to try and cover the loss of Josh Bruce.
Tim English has been moved forward to try and cover the loss of Josh Bruce. Credit: Steve Bell/AFL Photos/via AFL Photos
“They’d hate to lose him,” he said. “(But) you’ve got (Sam, son of club great Luke) Darcy coming in as another forward. You’ve got Ugle-Hagan and you’ve got (WA’s Aaron) Naughton — there’s your three tall key forwards.
“If English plays, he rucks.”
Cornes said the progression of players like Toby Nankervis, Scott Lycett and Tom Hickey showed ruckmen could blossom with a fresh start.
English’s teammate Jack Macrae last week warned fans they’d see more of English as a forward in the finals.
“He’s a very confident bloke. With Josh Bruce going down we’ve relied on Tim being a presence up forward, that’s why his ruck numbers were so low,” he said on SEN.
But English failed to trouble the scorers in the elimination final win over Essendon, and managed just 15 hitouts and seven marks.