Treloar settled at the Kennel

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Having settled into life at the Kennel, gun recruit Adam Treloar is now settling into what his role will look like in a star-studded Western Bulldogs midfield for 2021.

The 27-year-old traded the black and white stripes for red, white and blue in a deadline day deal to bolster the Bulldogs’ on-ball brigade.

Nearly a month into pre-season as a Bulldog, Treloar feels right at home.

“I’m really enjoying it,” he told westernbulldogs.com.au

“(The trade period) was quite a unique period in my life, and it was quite a challenging period throughout that whole time.

“There were a few nerves and a little bit of anxiety coming into a new club. I know I am an established player who has been around for 10 years, but I still felt like it was my first day at school coming into the footy club and being brand new.

“The period of settling in, meeting everyone and trying to earn as much respect as possible… all that kind of stuff, it’s been good.

“Now I feel a part of this footy club and a Bulldog through and through. I’m extremely grateful for the guys I’ve got here, the coaches and the fans that have really embraced me.”

How the Bulldogs’ midfield gels together is one of the talking points of the pre-season.

With Treloar’s addition, the retention of Josh Dunkley, a couple of All-Australian stars in Jack Macrae and Marcus Bontempelli – plus rising star Bailey Smith and the ever-influential Tom Liberatore, the Bulldogs are spoiled for choice on the inside.

Treloar said the Bulldogs’ match simulation sessions had been ultra-competitive already.

“It’s been full on from the get-go. Playing inside and being able to be around really big contested ball-winners like ‘Bont’, ‘Dunks’, ‘Libba’, Bailey Smith and ‘Jacko’, it’s been really intense,” he said.

“You don’t usually get the chance at most clubs to play against probably a starting midfield – that’s the luxury we have.

“What I’ve also seen is the flexibility of those midfielders to go forward and hit the scoreboard or to play a different role. That’s probably the most exciting thing out of all of this, to keep those fresh legs inside and really get to work.

“Those guys really complement each other. Patty Lipinski can play inside-outside, Lachie Hunter can play inside-outside, Laith Vandermeer can play inside-outside.

“There’s so many strengths we have in that midfield group inside and around the park.”

With less than two months until a date with his former side, Collingwood, to start the AFL season, Treloar said the group was building nicely.

“There’s guys fighting to get a spot in that 22 and to be there in round one,” he said.

“We’re striving to be great and to be a great team. I can definitely sense that, I can see that by the way players go about it and the way they train.

“We’re really primed for setting ourselves up for our pre-season game, really attacking that and giving ourselves a good chance for round one.”

Glad VDM was mentioned with the group of regular players - I'm a big fan.

Gee I’m crossing all fingers and toes he returns to the form he is famous for...