Trade Dunkley

[bornadog]

LYON’S MESSAGE TO BULLDOGS OVER CONTRACTED MIDFIELDER DUNKLEY

Western Bulldogs cannot afford to let a player of Josh Dunkley’s calibre go, according to Garry Lyon.

It’s been widely reported that Essendon have expressed an interest in Dunkley who is contracted to the Bulldogs until the end of 2022.

The Dogs fell at the elimination final hurdle for the second straight season and Lyon says keeping Dunkley and adding more midfield depth is a must if they are to go deeper in the finals next year.

“Your midfield needs to be deep. You need six, seven, eight midfielders,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.

"(Jackson) Macrae, (Marcus) Bontempelli and (Bailey) Smith might be their preferred starting line-up, but you’ve got (Tom) Liberatore, that is such an integral part of that (midfield), I would have Dunkley as an integral part of that.

“You’ve got to keep building it, you’ve got to keep building deep midfields – look at both of these teams in the Grand Final (Richmond and Geelong).

“From a footy point of view, I don’t think Josh Dunkley would be leaving the Western Bulldogs.”

Dunkley averaged 18 disposals and a tick under six tackles in an injury-interrupted 2020 campaign.

The 23-year-old is a premiership player in 2016 and has notched 78 games for the Dogs

[Doc26]

Western Bulldogs director Luke Darcy has watered down rumours that star midfielder Josh Dunkley could leave the club and join Essendon on a big-money deal.

With the Bombers set to lose Joe Daniher, Adam Saad and Orazio Fantasia this summer, the club is flush with salary cap space and has been rumoured with landing a big fish.

According to AFL reporter Tom Browne, the Bombers have expressed interest in the 23-year-old Bulldogs star who is under contract at the Whitten Oval through 2022.

However, when news of Essendon's reported interest in Dunkley was put to Darcy, the Bulldogs great immediately shot down the speculation.


Essendon is reportedly interested in adding Bulldogs star Josh Dunkley to its midfield group (AAP)
"I've got a creeping assumption he's going to stay exactly where he is," Darcy told Triple M's The Hot Breakfast.

"Everyone gazes everywhere this time of the year and you want to get every player to your club, whether you can do it or not is another thing.

"That would be a great surprise if he was anywhere other than the Bulldogs."

After being drafted 25th overall in the 2015 draft, Dunkley has been a prolific ball-winner for the Dogs, but had a down year in 2020, averaging just 18.2 disposals per game.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/afl/josh-du...b-6eb39a4bfbb6

My understanding is that this reference was Darcy’s initial response on first hearing it from Tom Browne, a few days back. I was more referring to Darce’s response to it, with Tom Browne, on his MMM show this morning.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

My understanding is that this reference was Darcy’s initial response on first hearing it from Tom Browne, a few days back. I was more referring to Darce’s response to it, with Tom Browne, on his MMM show this morning.

Darce does try everything in his power to appear unbiased. He certainly isn't like Eddie.

[Bulldog4life]

My understanding is that this reference was Darcy’s initial response on first hearing it from Tom Browne, a few days back. I was more referring to Darce’s response to it, with Tom Browne, on his MMM show this morning.

Ok. I don't listen to the show.

[Rocket Science]

So Lyon opining on Darcy commenting on Browne concocting patent clickbait.

We just need Kane Cornes or that sentient dim sim Hutchy to weigh in and the circle jerk will be complete.

Pleaze. If there's anything at all to this it's Essington keen to push the line it's being aggressive to distract from the fact the joint is crumbling to its knees, and who can blame them given they've got a Trade Week Premiership three-peat to defend.

[Mofra]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl...970b08f24749d2

The Western Bulldogs have categorically ruled out entertaining a trade for on-baller Josh Dunkley.
The Dogs are aware of Essendon’s interest, as reported by Tom Browne, and foxfooty.com.au understands the proposed contract is lucrative financially and would lock Dunkley in for at least four seasons.

But even if he requests a trade, the Western Bulldogs would reject it immediately on the basis that the 23-year-old is not only a highly rated player, but a leadership group member and a respected person.

[Doc26]

Throwing the farm with a lucrative offer for a player in contract, and with no apparent issues with their Club, is really poor form by any Club. Like where is this going to end with players and Clubs walking away from contracts due to a change of mind (to further it’s position), whilst other clubs and managers play their hardest to dissolve the agreements that are in place. Maybe this latest play from Essendon is retaliatory, I’d imagine there would be long memories in this regard, but either way the culture stinks.

[WBFC4FFC]

Didn't we do likewise with Boyd at GWS and Lonergan at the Hand-Bags? (Not sure if Lonergan was under contract at the time though).

I look at it as a positive. The Bummers are devoid of culture that they are having to resort to looking over at Footscray to get some! That's how their generally arrogant fans will be looking at this, I can assure you.

[ledge]

Looking at it with common sense , it would take huge overs to get him and what have they got to offer us anyway ?
According to them they have the best midfield in the Competition why would they want Dunkley?
They need key forwards and key backs not another midfielder.
They have nothing to offer us player wise and why would a player leave a club playing finals and go to a basket case ?
Seriously Tom Browne has got his click bait that’s about it.

[EasternWest]

Looking at it with common sense , it would take huge overs to get him and what have they got to offer us anyway ?
According to them they have the best midfield in the Competition why would they want Dunkley?
They need key forwards and key backs not another midfielder.
They have nothing to offer us player wise and why would a player leave a club playing finals and go to a basket case ?
Seriously Tom Browne has got his click bait that’s about it.

I'd only consider Ridley. And even then I'm wary of trading those players that are kind of core to the personality of the team. Either way, anything else totally off the table.

[Dancin' Douggy]

I would say NO to trading Dunkley. But as a hypothetical, let's say some other clubs prick up their ears and start thinking Dunks is 'gettable'.

What offer would you say yes to? (I know, presuming Dunkley wanted to go their etc etc)

[kruder]

let's hope the positive of the Don's interest in Dunckley is that Bevo never plays him in the ruck again.

[azabob]

I may be projecting, but I'm really hoping this trade conjecture puts a stop to our BS use of Dunks in the ruck.

If Essendon were really serious, they'd bring in Kyle Dunkley as a DFA and publicly state that Dunks would be their number 1 midfielder and would never spend another second in the ruck. That would set the cat amongst the pigeons.

You project? Never!!

[bornadog]

Looking at it with common sense , it would take huge overs to get him and what have they got to offer us anyway ?
According to them they have the best midfield in the Competition why would they want Dunkley?
They need key forwards and key backs not another midfielder.
They have nothing to offer us player wise and why would a player leave a club playing finals and go to a basket case ?
Seriously Tom Browne has got his click bait that’s about it.

Essendon are short on a good hard inside mid

[ledge]

Essendon are short on a good hard inside mid

Not according to them and as I said they have nothing to offer us anyway.
And don’t forget another two years with us under contract they have to pay that or at least some of it and with the salary cap dropping it’s pretty much a made up story.
Yeah Essendon might have asked but the idea of it happening is nonsense