Western Bulldogs must land Todd Goldstein, Daniel Talia or Ben McEvoy to remain in premiership window

[Axe Man]

Western Bulldogs must land Todd Goldstein, Daniel Talia or Ben McEvoy to remain in premiership window



The Western Bulldogs’ must shore up their ruck and key defensive stocks if they are to go deeper in finals next season. And luckily for Luke Beveridge there are a few players who well and truly fit the bill, writes Jon Ralph.

The Western Bulldogs are presented with the kind of free swing in the trade period that clubs who have just played finals are almost never gifted.

In eight weeks’ time, the Dogs will draft key position forward Jamar Ugle-Hagan – the best kid in the land – which gives them some freedom to top up in an all-out assault on the premiership.

Luke Beveridge didn’t even try to hide his frustrations when he spoke about his club’s “vulnerabilities” and how they had hampered a premiership tilt after the loss to St Kilda.

The Dogs gave up the equal-most contested marks this year (21) against the Saints, with Max King (four), Jake Carlisle (three), Paddy Ryder (three) and Dougal Howard (two) all recording season-highs.

Having been torched by Ryder, the Dogs need to find their own equivalent for two seasons so Tim English can complete his football apprenticeship without it destroying him.

And having secured intercept marker Alex Keath from Adelaide last year then asking him to play as a full back, the Dogs desperately need a pure lockdown defender to finish the job.

The acquisition of Ugle-Hagan, adding to top-20 draft picks like English, Bailey Smith, Aaron Naughton and Cody Weightman, means Beveridge can get a little reckless.

The only ruck option that truly makes sense is a senior veteran like Todd Goldstein, and he is a natural fit for three reasons.

He is clearly an upgrade on English as an around-the-ground ruckman, he is at a team that might consider a trade, and he would be finished as a player by the time English was ready to flourish.

As Beveridge himself said on Sunday, there is no point recruiting a ruckman of similar quality who ends up taking up salary cap space and finding himself in the VFL all year.

Braydon Preuss is on the market, but as a tap ruckman without a strong follow-up game surely he falls into that category at the Dogs.

Not for nothing, has he played only 18 games in six seasons at two clubs.

Herald Sun colleague Jay Clark reported yesterday Goldstein is happy to stay at North Melbourne despite trade chatter, but the Dogs should at least ask the question.

The only other ruckman in that model is Hawthorn’s Ben McEvoy, who is playing at centre half back and is exactly the kind of contested-marking presence the Dogs need.

Goldstein isn’t as comfortable playing forward as Ryder – which ruck-forward is across the competition – but the pair could split ruck time with English also playing as a forward as he did this year.

Adelaide’s Daniel Talia has been linked with Essendon this year, but it is the Dogs who need a full back to play on the gorillas more than the Dons.

Alex Keath had a successful first year, but playing on the big forward halved his intercept marks per game (2.7 to 1.3) and intercept possessions (8.3 to 4.2).

Talia is as advertised on the package – he takes the big dogs and does his darnedest to give them nothing as a spoil-first defender.

This year he kept Josh Kennedy and Rory Lobb goalless, although Charlie Dixon (three goals) and Naughton (four goals) got the better of him in heavy defeats.

Would Adelaide consider allowing a trade with Talia, 29, in the last week, believing he is not part of a future premiership side that will have Fischer McAsey and Tom Doedee alongside the likes of Kyle Hartigan?

The issue for the Dogs is that taking Ugle-Hagan will effectively wipe out their 2020 draft haul, so they would have to use future picks or trade current players to get it done.

The alternative is to do nothing, hoping English will miraculously become the star they want in his fifth season and hope Ryan Gardner can elevate into that reliable full back.

But Beveridge spent the year wishing and hoping until that harsh finals spotlight Denis Pagan often spoke about exposed his team as lacking.

It’s time to turn those positional holes he spent the season papering over into strengths again.

[Mofra]

I can't imagine the Talia family would be too keen on the Bulldogs.

[bornadog]

I can't imagine the Talia family would be too keen on the Bulldogs.

He said he would come over if we pay for his mobile

[FrediKanoute]

I can't imagine the Talia family would be too keen on the Bulldogs.

Can't imagine the Dogs would be keen on Talia.......anyway he looked like a dinosaur when we played them.....no chance of being brought in.Silly suggestion

[comrade]

Been on the Goldstein train for weeeeeeks.

All aboard.

[josie]

No to Talia. Has looked a tad slow and punches a lot - hardly marks it from footage I’ve seen this year (granted only a handful of games). We need someone who can take a strong mark. Tarrant from North better. IMO the chap from Dees better than Talia (McDonald)?

[jeemak]

I'm sure the guy we accused of cheating, and sacked his brother in the process, would relish the opportunity to play with us.

[hujsh]

McEvoy though? Doesn't seem a bad fit for us on paper. That said I haven't exactly watched him closely.

[jeemak]

McEvoy though? Doesn't seem a bad fit for us on paper. That said I haven't exactly watched him closely.

Yes, I think he's a pretty good fit for us and I think if we were able to get two years out of him plus the possibility of a third it would suit our needs.

[1eyedog]

Yes, I think he's a pretty good fit for us and I think if we were able to get two years out of him plus the possibility of a third it would suit our needs.

I don't think so, he's cooked for mine there's a reason he's playing CHB - even though he's not he's actually playing CHB it's been more lock down-type roles - it's because he simply can't get around the ground anymore. He's had a very hard life and for mine, is now past his expiry date and, let's face it, this article isn't about McEvoy or Talia (heaven forbid), it's about Goldy. We can find a pretty good CHB in quite a few places but there is no one else available who has the elite skill set of Goldy.

The pros for trading for Goldy are we get Goldy. He's had a hard life too but has always had a very high constitution and is still playing in the role we will draft him for, and is playing at an elite level. He gets the chance of playing deep finals for the last 2 (3?) years of his football life. He can probably top up a bit as well because we'll offer him slightly more money than Norf.

The cons for trading for Goldy are that we have to give up something good and pay him more money than Norf will. Some posters have mentioned our future first round with something later coming back and I agree; even though you can land a bloody good player in the 15-20 bracket but there is also quite a few misses in this range as well. You have to go to that level I think. If we can get him for something less (bearing in mind our 2022 first is hopefully very close to pick 18 prior to any draft concessions), even better. I think we can but that may involve a player. Would you give up Lippa?

The net result for Norf is they lose Goldy but don't you think it's funny that they haven't delisted Tom Campbell? Is that because Goldy could very well be out the door next year? Could Tom be a gap filler while they develop (god knows who) in this role? Trading Goldy is pretty high return for Norf as they get a future first rounder to assist with their rebuild and don't have to pay a big contract for a guy who is never going to play a final for them.

Will Norf and Goldy go for it? I reckon they will. Will Bevo?

[ledge]

I don't think so, he's cooked for mine there's a reason he's playing CHB - even though he's not he's actually playing CHB it's been more lock down-type roles - it's because he simply can't get around the ground anymore. He's had a very hard life and for mine, is now past his expiry date and, let's face it, this article isn't about McEvoy or Talia (heaven forbid), it's about Goldy. We can find a pretty good CHB in quite a few places but there is no one else available who has the elite skill set of Goldy.

The pros for trading for Goldy are we get Goldy. He's had a hard life too but has always had a very high constitution and is still playing in the role we will draft him for, and is playing at an elite level. He gets the chance of playing deep finals for the last 2 (3?) years of his football life. He can probably top up a bit as well because we'll offer him slightly more money than Norf.

The cons for trading for Goldy are that we have to give up something good and pay him more money than Norf will. Some posters have mentioned our future first round with something later coming back and I agree; even though you can land a bloody good player in the 15-20 bracket but there is also quite a few misses in this range as well. You have to go to that level I think. If we can get him for something less (bearing in mind our 2022 first is hopefully very close to pick 18 prior to any draft concessions), even better. I think we can but that may involve a player. Would you give up Lippa?

The net result for Norf is they lose Goldy but don't you think it's funny that they haven't delisted Tom Campbell? Is that because Goldy could very well be out the door next year? Could Tom be a gap filler while they develop (god knows who) in this role? Trading Goldy is pretty high return for Norf as they get a future first rounder to assist with their rebuild and don't have to pay a big contract for a guy who is never going to play a final for them.

Will Norf and Goldy go for it? I reckon they will. Will Bevo?

I believe Campbell is still there because he has another year on his contract, not the sort of club that can afford to pay out contracts I would think.

[Sedat]

I believe Campbell is still there because he has another year on his contract, not the sort of club that can afford to pay out contracts I would think.

They just paid out the last 2 years of Jade Rawlings' assistant coaching contract and also paid out Brad Scott last year.

[jeemak]

I don't think so, he's cooked for mine there's a reason he's playing CHB - even though he's not he's actually playing CHB it's been more lock down-type roles - it's because he simply can't get around the ground anymore. He's had a very hard life and for mine, is now past his expiry date and, let's face it, this article isn't about McEvoy or Talia (heaven forbid), it's about Goldy. We can find a pretty good CHB in quite a few places but there is no one else available who has the elite skill set of Goldy.

The pros for trading for Goldy are we get Goldy. He's had a hard life too but has always had a very high constitution and is still playing in the role we will draft him for, and is playing at an elite level. He gets the chance of playing deep finals for the last 2 (3?) years of his football life. He can probably top up a bit as well because we'll offer him slightly more money than Norf.

The cons for trading for Goldy are that we have to give up something good and pay him more money than Norf will. Some posters have mentioned our future first round with something later coming back and I agree; even though you can land a bloody good player in the 15-20 bracket but there is also quite a few misses in this range as well. You have to go to that level I think. If we can get him for something less (bearing in mind our 2022 first is hopefully very close to pick 18 prior to any draft concessions), even better. I think we can but that may involve a player. Would you give up Lippa?

The net result for Norf is they lose Goldy but don't you think it's funny that they haven't delisted Tom Campbell? Is that because Goldy could very well be out the door next year? Could Tom be a gap filler while they develop (god knows who) in this role? Trading Goldy is pretty high return for Norf as they get a future first rounder to assist with their rebuild and don't have to pay a big contract for a guy who is never going to play a final for them.

Will Norf and Goldy go for it? I reckon they will. Will Bevo?

[Bulldog4life]

You gotta love the dude.

[GVGjr]

McEvoy though? Doesn't seem a bad fit for us on paper. That said I haven't exactly watched him closely.

Wouldn't he be an interesting acquisition? It actually makes a bit of sense to consider him
We are looking for some depth with a key defender and ruckman and he has some form
Would he be much of an upgrade on Trengove?