Western Bulldogs want future Indigenous stars to call the west home

[bornadog]

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The Western Bulldogs are making a concerted effort to ensure Indigenous talent call Whitten Oval home in the future after a season without an Indigenous player on their AFL list.

Club president Peter Gordon said the club now had the personnel and resources to create an environment that would meet the needs of young Indigenous people who might join the Bulldogs as an AFL or AFLW player or work at the club.

Gordon said the club was determined to remedy any disconnect between the club and Indigenous people that may have existed in the past telling club members at a forum on Tuesday part of the question the club was continually asking themselves was how they were going to attend to the needs of a young Indigenous player in the 21st century.

‘‘It seems to me it’s the right thing to do as a community and a club that embraces diversity and our indigenous history,’’ Gordon told The Age.

Former Bulldogs player Brett Goodes, the brother of former Sydney Swans champion Adam Goodes, is driving the whole-of-club approach as the club’s Indigenous Liaison Officer in an approach Gordon said was understated.

Goodes is one of 18 Indigenous players to play with the Western Bulldogs with three of the 18 – Joel Hamling, Jarrod Harbrow and Liam Jones – now at other clubs while former Bulldog Michael McLean is one of the most respected footballers in the club’s history.

‘‘We can’t solve that problem overnight and we have tried to take a multi-faceted approach to it,’’ Gordon said.

He said he was heartened by the way the club had embraced Goodes’ initiatives and the Reconciliation Action Plan released last year underpinned their approach with Belinda Duarte, who was the inaugural director of Richmond Football Club’s Korin Gamadji Institute, to officially join the club’s board at their next AGM.

‘‘Belinda has many skills and joins the board for many reasons, but one of them is that she is a proud Indigenous woman with a great track record in AFL footy,’’ Gordon said.

All-Australian Chad Wingard chose to join Hawthorn during last year’s trade period instead of the Bulldogs who were very interested in securing the former Port Adelaide forward.

Gordon told members that although he did not know what drove Wingard’s decision it was logical to suspect that the absence of Indigenous players on the Bulldogs list potentially put them ‘‘behind the eight ball’’ in securing Wingard. He said it made sense to ensure the club was not waiting for an Indigenous player to join their list to get the environment right with the club excited at the prospect of securing NGA academy member Jamarra Ugle-Hagan who the Bulldogs will have priority access to in the 2020 national draft.

‘‘We might potentially draft two or three [Indigenous players] in any particular year and they will be a part of a seachange of the history and culture of the club and will be working alongside good people like Belinda and Brett,’’ Gordon said.

[bulldogtragic]

Ensuring Jamarra Ugle-Hagan gets to us post AFEL NGA review should be top priority. That was meant to be the point of running an NGA to bring in indigenous/multi cultural talent.

Maybe in the trade period the Hill brothers this year fit the bill. Jack Martin wants way too much; $700,000 reportedly. Nicholls isn't worth it. Cockatoo is always injured. I don't rate Tippa highly, ditto for Shai Bolton. Cedric Cox at the right price would interest me.

[Axe Man]

Ensuring Jamarra Ugle-Hagan gets to us post AFEL NGA review should be top priority. That was meant to be the point of running an NGA to bring in indigenous/multi cultural talent.

Maybe in the trade period the Hill brothers this year fit the bill. Jack Martin wants way too much; $700,000 reportedly. Nicholls isn't worth it. Cockatoo is always injured. I don't rate Tippa highly, ditto for Shai Bolton. Cedric Cox at the right price would interest me.

If you are referring to Tom Nicholls I don’t believe he is indigenous, his mother is Fijian.

[Mofra]

We'll pick up CCP this year, hopefully an experienced indigenous player as well. If we miss out on Jack Martin I'd consider Karl Amon from Port. Outside runner and offers us pace, best 22 now so more expensive than last year but out of contract and I suspect he's gettable at the right price.

[bulldogtragic]

If you are referring to Tom Nicholls I don’t believe he is indigenous, his mother is Fijian.

I thought I read that he was indigenous. Looks like I was wrong.

We'll pick up CCP this year, hopefully an experienced indigenous player as well. If we miss out on Jack Martin I'd consider Karl Amon from Port. Outside runner and offers us pace, best 22 now so more expensive than last year but out of contract and I suspect he's gettable at the right price.

Why will we pick up CCP? Averging 15 disposals and 1.6 marks a game. What does he do that the stats don't show?

If Jack Martin's price tag in the media is right, $700,000 a season, then I hope we miss out on him. Good luck to him if he can convince a club to pay it.

[Grantysghost]

I thought I read that he was indigenous. Looks like I was wrong.



Why will we pick up CCP? Averging 15 disposals and 1.6 marks a game. What does he do that the stats don't show?

If Jack Martin's price tag in the media is right, $700,000 a season, then I hope we miss out on him. Good luck to him if he can convince a club to pay it.

700k would be the high mark wouldn't it? Start high and get to where you want. Probably n x 600 where n takes him to an important contract period.

[Mofra]

Why will we pick up CCP? Averging 15 disposals and 1.6 marks a game. What does he do that the stats don't show?

He's a pressure forward and I believe the club has indicated previously they are happy with his progress.

[bulldogtragic]

He's a pressure forward and I believe the club has indicated previously they are happy with his progress.

I've been loosely following him, I thought he was an inside midfielder that only moved forward in the last few weeks. His only draft central team of the week was as an on baller. Draft central records him as playing 18 TAC/NABL games, and only kicking two goals from the 18 games. The boys we passed on last year had better numbers. But if the club is happy, then I guess that's good all round.

[GVGjr]

We'll pick up CCP this year, hopefully an experienced indigenous player as well. If we miss out on Jack Martin I'd consider Karl Amon from Port. Outside runner and offers us pace, best 22 now so more expensive than last year but out of contract and I suspect he's gettable at the right price.

I think Martin and Amon would be players I would target as well

They could make a big difference to us

[Happy Days]

I thought I read that he was indigenous. Looks like I was wrong.

If Jack Martin's price tag in the media is right, $700,000 a season, then I hope we miss out on him. Good luck to him if he can convince a club to pay it.

I could live with that deal. $700k isn't the albatross it would've been even 5 years ago, and as the greatest team in world sport the New York Knicks found out today, there is no point having cap space if you don't use it on someone.

[Mofra]

I could live with that deal. $700k isn't the albatross it would've been even 5 years ago, and as the greatest team in world sport the New York Knicks found out today, there is no point having cap space if you don't use it on someone.

Would Martin offer more than Sam Gray from Port? I guess Martin can run through the middle but Sam would be far, far cheaper in dollars and trade cost.

[bulldogtragic]

I could live with that deal. $700k isn't the albatross it would've been even 5 years ago, and as the greatest team in world sport the New York Knicks found out today, there is no point having cap space if you don't use it on someone.

I don't have an issue with offering big salaries. I'm just not sure Martin is worth it.

[Happy Days]

Would Martin offer more than Sam Gray from Port? I guess Martin can run through the middle but Sam would be far, far cheaper in dollars and trade cost.

I think he would. Sam Gray works hard but is still a bit of a front-runner and is light on for talent - he was allegedly playing in that game on the weekend in conditions that should be tailor made for him, for example. Martin's potential is still untapped, and he already does everything that Sam Gray does better than Gray does it (has 40 more tackles than Gray in 2 more games this season). Plus he's three years younger.

Martin gets a bad wrap because of the hype that surrounded his entry into the game and the team he plays for. He's a very good footballer.

Gray is pretty hard to get enthusiastic about to be honest.

[GVGjr]

Would Martin offer more than Sam Gray from Port? I guess Martin can run through the middle but Sam would be far, far cheaper in dollars and trade cost.

I think he would offer a potential star player vs workman like option of Sam Grey

[bornadog]

I think he would offer a potential star player vs workman like option of Sam Grey

We need some star player types, we have enough workman options.

Martin is well and truly worth $700k plus