Western Bulldogs need to top off their list build during trade period

BRENDAN McCartney is safe ... for now.

Any concerns over his future have been rebuffed by a review that recommended he coach the Dogs in 2015.

What happens in the next 11 days of the 2014 trade period might just define his future past next season.

With James Frawley tucked away the Hawks don’t care what happens in trade week and Paddy Ryder is just an added extra for the Power.

Yet the stakes this next fortnight are immense for the Dogs and list manager Jason McCartney, who simply must secure quality key position targets to progress next season.

ACTING: DOGS ON MOVE TO SNARE TALL

They aren’t Robinson Crusoe — Collingwood needs fair compensation for Dayne Beams to sell hope to its fan base and the Saints’ forward line hopes are on the line, too.

But having assembled a young band of midfielders the envy of all but the expansion clubs, it is time for the Dogs to top off their list build.

That means they can’t afford to fail this week and next, not with the expectation attached to them after a season that went from hopeful to wasted in the last seven matches.

The signs are positive already that the Dogs are poised for an assault on multiple fronts.

They are prepared to use the Higgins compensation pick (26) and pick 5 to trade up to pick 2 or 3 and snare one of Victorian boom talls Patrick McCartin or Peter Wright.

They hunted Jon Patton before his knee crumpled and have been linked to most key out-of-contract talls on the market.

And they are talking tough, with both list manager McCartney and chief executive Simon Garlick pumping up an aggressive approach to this most important of periods.

Now the challenge is nailing it.

SURVIVES: MCCARTNEY SAFE AFTER REVIEW

Carlton and St Kilda seem keener on GWS swingman Kristian Jaksch, Sydney’s Tim Membrey has been closely linked to the Saints too, and most ruckmen (Patty Ryder, Dan Gorringe, Jon Giles) are keen to get Port Adelaide.

Would they give up one of their emerging quality midfielders for a tall like Tyrone Vickery from a club like Richmond?

Do Port Adelaide’s John Butcher or Hawthorn’s Sam Grimley appeal?

The Dogs have interest in Sydney’s Sam Reid but Swans list manager Kinnear Beatson was emphatic yesterday.

“They have never asked the question and we wouldn’t contemplate it anyway,’’ he told the Herald Sun.

“And certainly not in a draft that hasn’t got many key-position types.”

The Dogs only need one star forward given Jake Stringer kicked 26 goals as the third forward this year and for all his critics Stewart Crameri’s 37-goal haul was respectable.

But no young tall defender stepped up to help out full back Jordan Roughead and ruckman Ayce Cordy showed in the VFL Grand Final he might not be the man to succeed 29-year-old Will Minson.

The building blocks are in place with a 2016 midfield of Ryan Griffen Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore, Jackson Macrae, Nathan Hrovat, Koby Stevens and Lachie Hunter locked and loaded.

The review has bought McCartney the chance to concentrate on one-on-one coaching and have his support staff beefed up with tactical nous and experience.

None of it matters if his forward line doesn’t cap off the good work of a midfield clearly going places.



http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1227080616847

Good old Ralphy, finger on the pulse as usual with his comments on Ayce. If viewed with some balance, the finals as a whole were excellent for Ayce, plus he also neglected to mention the excellent effort of Campbell in the decider.

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Originally Posted by jeemak

Good old Ralphy, finger on the pulse as usual with his comments on Ayce. If viewed with some balance, the finals as a whole were excellent for Ayce, plus he also neglected to mention the excellent effort of Campbell in the decider.

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Clearly wrote the article after doing 5 minutes research on WOOF last night.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeemak

Good old Ralphy, finger on the pulse as usual with his comments on Ayce. If viewed with some balance, the finals as a whole were excellent for Ayce, plus he also neglected to mention the excellent effort of Campbell in the decider.

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I just feel sorry for the editor that has to convert his rambling incoherent scrawlings into written English that resembles an article. Content is the least of their concerns.

Not sure who is harder on who at the moment, Woofer's on the reporters or the reporters on the Dog's.:)