Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
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In the space of five seasons, the Western Bulldogs’ list has undergone a significant transformation. (mini rebuild :D )
Only 15 players remain from when the Bulldogs celebrated AFL and VFL premiership triumphs success in 2016 – including 10 players who featured in the drought-breaking AFL win.
Remarkably, two-thirds of the list has changed.
The Bulldogs missed the finals in 2017 and 2018, before suffering elimination final exits in 2019 and 2020.
With six rounds to play in 2021, the Bulldogs have their sights set on a top-four finish – which they last achieved more than a decade ago, in 2010.
Skipper Marcus Bontempelli and Caleb Daniel were just 20 when the Bulldogs won their premiership. Jack Macrae was 22. Tom Liberatore was 24. Josh Dunkley was only 19.
But they’re now hitting their prime – as are the Bulldogs.
List boss Sam Power has detailed the strategy the Bulldogs have taken to build back towards the top.
“In 2018, when I started in the role and given the list demographic and profile it was very much a draft focus,” Power, the Bulldogs’ general manager of list management and football projects, told AFL.com.au’s Road to the Draft podcast this week.
“One, due to how young we were, our list and the growth that the young talent on our list still had, and two, the strength of that 2018 draft that we were really keen to attack.”
The likes of Bailey Smith, Aaron Naughton and Tim English have been drafted as early picks since 2016.
But their addition has been complemented in recent years by experienced acquisitions from other clubs.
Alex Keath and Josh Bruce have become key pillars in defence and attack respectively, with Taylor Duryea becoming another mainstay down back.
Power said it had been important for the Bulldogs to balance the growth of existing players with bringing in high-end talent at the draft and experienced players to fulfil specific needs.
“(Our strategy) has changed over the last two years to a more balanced approach,” he said.
“We’ve still been really keen to bring in young, high-end talent but balance that with addressing specific needs through trade and free agency which we’ve had a bit more of a focus on the last two years.
“It definitely does change given the natural trajectory and an informed view of our playing group and when we think it will be playing its best football.”
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
The thing I love about Sam Power is his ability to sit at the trade table and then walk over to the draft in the same session.
Happy with the picks he’s taken but I am most impressed with his resolve, focus and uncompromising approach to our trades.
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
Reading between the lines, it sounds like we are looking at rucks and KPDs.
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
Left field maybe evrn laughable but we should look at the David HALE type scenario . Hawks timed his recruitment perfectly.Unwanted at North Melbourne and delisted I recall , no idea why they did not like him .He could take a mark , ok at hit outs and hand a reasonable tank . Maybe he was behind Machintosh at the time ???
Where is the David Hale type equivalent in the league(s) around the country ? Not sure if ekers get an honorable mention
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
Quote:
Originally Posted by
macca
Left field maybe evrn laughable but we should look at the David HALE type scenario . Hawks timed his recruitment perfectly.Unwanted at North Melbourne and delisted I recall , no idea why they did not like him .He could take a mark , ok at hit outs and hand a reasonable tank . Maybe he was behind Machintosh at the time ???
Where is the David Hale type equivalent in the league(s) around the country ? Not sure if ekers get an honorable mention
David Hale was traded for a first round pick. Not unwanted and certainly not delisted. You wont find a player of that certain quality on the scrap heap at the age he was.
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
Quote:
Originally Posted by
boydogs
Braydon Preuss?
He was traded last year wasn't he and then injured?
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bornadog
He was traded last year wasn't he and then injured?
Yep. 26 now and hasn't been #1 ruck yet to prove himself, behind Goldstein & Gawn
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
Quote:
Originally Posted by
boydogs
Braydon Preuss?
Bevo showed how much he valued Preuss in 2020. Rucked Dunkley against him.
Re: Draft, trade strategy paying dividends
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bulldog Joe
Bevo showed how much he valued Preuss in 2020. Rucked Dunkley against him.
I'm in the school of thought that Bevo is seeing what English can do up forward now and is open to playing Martin/Sweet with him now if they're going well
