Player Contract Status

[Sedat]

Lin Jong at least gives us some ruck depth with Dunks potentially departing.

Jokes aside, happy for Jong to get another 12 months, my god he deserves it.

[josie]

Go Jongy. Good news.

[KT31]

I will play the devils advocate, can’t really see them value in keeping Jong.
Barely a game since 2016 and 64 games in eight years on the list, would be classed by us as an Ecker if he played at any other club.
I think it was a huge missed opportunity when we were offered a first rounder for him a few seasons back.
He does give us a decent back up and suppose we have committed this far we mose are well stick by our guns.

[kruder]

Give me Jongy over a number of players who failed to lay a tackle in the final, really happy for him the ultimate team player.

He just needs to get the balance right when committing his body on the field, when he injured his ankle this year there was no need to go back with the flight in that contest. I have my fingers crossed for you Jongy!

[SquirrelGrip]

Jongy is cover for Dunkley as that extra big bodied mid.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I will play the devils advocate, can’t really see them value in keeping Jong.
Barely a game since 2016 and 64 games in eight years on the list, would be classed by us as an Ecker if he played at any other club.
I think it was a huge missed opportunity when we were offered a first rounder for him a few seasons back.
He does give us a decent back up and suppose we have committed this far we mose are well stick by our guns.

When were we offered a first rounder for him? Was that when Collingwood were wooing him? If so, I don't recall any mention at the time of a 1st round pick being in play. I stand to be corrected

[Axe Man]

When were we offered a first rounder for him? Was that when Collingwood were wooing him? If so, I don't recall any mention at the time of a 1st round pick being in play. I stand to be corrected

I'm with you, I don't think we were offered anything since he considered leaving but ultimately decided to stay. Also at no point in his career was he ever worth a first round pick.

[ledge]

I'm with you, I don't think we were offered anything since he considered leaving but ultimately decided to stay. Also at no point in his career was he ever worth a first round pick.

He just toured the pies, don’t think it got any further down the track.

[bornadog]

Confirmed

Jong re-signs for 2021

Midfielder Lin Jong has signed a one-year contract extension with the Western Bulldogs.


The 27-year-old will extend his AFL career into a 10th season, after joining the Bulldogs with pick nine in the 2011 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.


Jong has played 64 AFL games since making his debut in the opening round of 2012.


He featured three times at senior level in 2020, before sustaining an ankle injury in round five which ended his season.

“I’m grateful to the club for the opportunity and keeping the faith in me, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Jong said.


“To play on into a 10th year is pretty special. I never expected to make it this far when I first started playing.


“I feel like when I’m up and going that I’m part of our best 22 and can make a contribution to our team. I know I’ve got plenty of good footy ahead of me.”


General Manager of List and Recruiting, Sam Power, said Jong remains an important part of the Bulldogs’ plans.


“Lin has had some unfortunate luck with injuries in recent years, but we know he is a player capable of making an impact at AFL level,” Power said.


“We saw this again in the early stages of 2020, before his ankle setback.


“We know if he can get his body right and have a good run at it, he can be a regular senior player for us in 2021.”

[1eyedog]

He just toured the pies, don’t think it got any further down the track.

That's a fair way down the track Ledge.

[ledge]

That's a fair way down the track Ledge.

Not as far as an offer is concerned, got to convince the player first and it obviously didn’t.
But no doubt he was exploring options.
Decided to stay so no offer was made to the club.

[bornadog]

Rookie duo earn new deals

Emerging defender Ryan Gardner and yet-to-debut ruckman Jordon Sweet have signed one-year rookie contract extensions with the Western Bulldogs.


Gardner enjoyed a breakout season at the highest level in 2020, playing 10 AFL games including the Bulldogs’ elimination final.


The 23-year-old key defender joined the club in the 2019 NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft after spending the first half of that year with Footscray in the VFL.


“Ryan started to establish himself at senior level throughout the 2020 season,” General Manager of List and Recruiting, Sam Power, said.


“The more games he played, the more his confidence grew. Over the last month of the year, he started to look at home in our back line and showed strong form against some of the competition’s best forwards.


“We know Ryan has more development in him and look forward to seeing him take another step forward in 2021.”


Sweet continued his development in scratch matches in 2020 and was named as an AFL emergency on multiple occasions.


The 22-year-old big man joined the Bulldogs with pick 23 in the 2018 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.


“We’ve been pleased with Jordon’s continued development as a player over the past two years,” Power said.


“He has continued to work hard on his game, which we saw at scratch match level this year. We believe Jordon will again be pushing to play AFL football in 2021.”

[comrade]

Fingers crossed the rookie list is retained next year!

[GVGjr]

Good move by Power. We will know more about how good these boys will be in 12 months

[bornadog]

Duryea signs on for 2021

Experienced defender Taylor Duryea has recommitted to the Western Bulldogs for 2021.

The 29-year-old will extend his stay at VU Whitten Oval into a third season, after crossing from Hawthorn at the end of 2018.

“I’m excited to be going around again next year,” Duryea said.

“Given I’ve had a lot of injuries the last couple of years, I’m hoping I can have an uninterrupted season and have a real impact on this side on-field.

“To play the last few games after a tough year in rehab in 2020 was great and I feel like I have a lot more to give.

“We’ve took some positive steps as a group this season and I believe we have plenty of growth ahead of us.”

Duryea has played 17 games in red, white and blue across 2019-20, with injuries restricting him to just three matches in 2020.

However, he has been an influential member of the defensive group and played finals football in both seasons.

“Taylor remains an important part of our group,” General Manager of List and Recruiting, Sam Power, said.

“He was restricted due to injury in 2020, but when he returned late in the season he slotted straight into our back line and performed strongly.