AFL Trade target: Could Tim English depart Western Bulldogs for West Coast or Fremantle homecoming?

https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/afl...ming-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.

Cornes is a troll and Hutchy doesn’t actually watch the games.

English is becoming a bit like Daniel in the sense that if he excels in an area other than the one that people pigeonhole them for based on their physical attributes then it’s looked at as if it doesn’t count. English was BOG at quarter time on the weekend even without kicking a goal or having a hitout to advantage.

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Originally Posted by Happy Days

Cornes is a troll and Hutchy doesn’t actually watch the games.

English is becoming a bit like Daniel in the sense that if he excels in an area other than the one that people pigeonhole them for based on their physical attributes then it’s looked at as if it doesn’t count. English was BOG at quarter time on the weekend even without kicking a goal or having a hitout to advantage.

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Timmy is such a valuable member of our team and will only get better.

Cornes & Hutchy. The end.

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Originally Posted by bulldogtragic

Cornes & Hutchy. The end.

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https://i.postimg.cc/jS9VF7Zv/Trolls.jpg

Crocmedia........

Pure speculation from Hutchy and Cornes and refuted in this article I posted yesterday in the list management thread:

DOGS CHASE TALL SIGNATURE

The Western Bulldogs are going all out to secure an established ruckman to help Tim English and are keen to sign the emerging ruck-forward as well.

English will hold off on talks until next year given his season hasn’t been anywhere near what it looked like when he and Stef Martin smacked up Brodie Grundy in Round 1.

But he loves Melbourne and is committed to staying at the Dogs long-term despite some speculation this week about whether rivals should make a play for him.

The Dogs contracted Stef Martin on a one-year deal and despite an excellent start to the year his groin issues have allowed him to play only seven games.

He played in a practice match on the weekend but pulled up badly so isn’t being considered this week.

So the Dogs will keep looking for ruck alternates as well as key backs.

West Coast key defender Harry Edwards is one player clubs continue to ask about but is contracted and after playing 10 games this year as a 20-year-old the Eagles won’t let him go.

Its media speculation nothing more. If they actually watched games they would recognise that Timmy's value is not just being an out and out ruck despite his height. Timmy is very much in the Paul Salmon mould - good and effective forward who learnt his ruck craft over time. Provided his body allows, we will see the very best of time when he hits 26/27. Until then its a case of patience and taking what he offers.

Timmy has kicked 19 goals in 19 games this year. If he can increase that to say 30 goals in a season as a resting ruck then that will be fantastic and par for what we need.

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Originally Posted by jeemak

Crocmedia........

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What sucks is the fancy IT software they’d have can track where their BS gets reposted too. We just proved to their prospective advertisers who want to reach WBFC fans that we are interacting with their content. Irrespective of the BS of their content.

I *!*!*!*!ing hate the modern day ‘sports journalism’.