Will Mitch Wallis succumb to our 'leading goalkicker' curse?

[AshMac]

Leave that for Bont.

Fair enough. He can store it next to his Brownlow

[bulldogtragic]

Much like our old 'dud brother' curse we had to carry until Zaine Cordy laid a brutal tackle in the dying stages of the first quarter on 1 October 2016, our leading goalkickers since that fateful day have been cursed.

2017: Stringer/Picken (joint winners)
Jake Stringer decided that Tinder and KFC were both better than football and went somewhere to further his AFL career without the burden of performance or team success. .
Picken became a victim of his own incredible courage with concussion symptoms forcing him from the game.

2018: Billy Gowers
He never recaptured his 2018 form: two years later, he's living it up on the Gold Coast. Hopefully he can recapture his Instagram form too, it was amusing back in the day.

2019: Sam Lloyd
Good ol' Bong-Lips hit the ground running when he was traded for a token pick to the dogs, reuniting him with high school teammate Easton Wood. 2020 suckled for Lloyd as much as anybody, and he was a late retirement allowing the dogs to grab McNeill as a rookie for the 2021 season.

2020: Mitch Wallis
A revelation as a player who sacrificed his preferred position as a midfielder to stay loyal to the dogs and play as a permanent 'unique' forward/ He has a strong, low centre of gravity so takes one on one marks against any opponent the same height as him.

I've been as bullish on Mitch as much as anyone on this board but against Melbourne I had concerns with him. He's a quality guy, our VC, works hard but the game is faster this year and Mitch... didn't get near it.
Can he get back to his best and become a unique contributor to the team or is his spot going to under consideration?
Bevo doesn't even have JJ as a Round 1 lock so nobody is safe. Can he break the curse?

No. I’m calling it now. This doesn’t have to do with loving him and his family’s contribution to our club:

- A few games then demoted
- Scott & McNeil as first year players preferred
- JJ taken from half back and preferred forward
- When we needed reinforcements, Weightman & Hannan came in
- Moved to play as a midfielder in the VFL
- Even when injuries hit, we preferred debuting Garcia (Butler sub)
- Not on the plane to Sydney - to play Freo
- Means 10 H&A games where a string of guns coming back
- VFL fixture to be impacted

- Mitch is a Free Agent
- GVGjr says North with some degree of interest
- Previous interest by GCS & Essendon
- We need the pick/draft points from likely 3rd round compo

- I think Mitch is going and we may not see him again. There is no joy is saying this.

[azabob]

Also not in the 27 that travelled to Sydney this week.

[bulldogtragic]

Also not in the 27 that travelled to Sydney this week.

My poor language about Freo. I’ve not been this certain so far out, save for Dahl and Higgins.

[Grantysghost]

Johnno reckons he should explore his options. Hard to argue.

-----

“Mitch has fought through scenarios like this in the past, but I think where we’re at at the moment is there seems like there’s five or six players that are in front of Mitch in terms of selection week in, week out,” Bulldogs great Johnson told Fox Footy.
“Some are younger and developing in the game. They’ve brought Mitch Hannan in who seems to be playing in front of Mitch Wallis at the moment as well.

“On the back of all that, if he wants to play consistent senior football, I’m not sure whether that’s going to be at the Western Bulldogs in the future.
“(It would be a) really tough decision … but he’s just not in the selection mind at the moment of Luke Beveridge with others around.
“For me, it might be time to play senior football elsewhere.”
Wallis is currently an unrestricted free agent with Dogs CEO Ameet Bains admitting a lack of senior opportunities has frustrated the 28-year-old.



https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/05/...rwards-future/

[bulldogtragic]

The only thing left is whether the AFEL sees it fit to gives us third round compo. You’d think we get it as Isaac Smith got Hawthorn a third rounder based on 2 years (& yes there’s complex formulas). Pick 52 right now.

[comrade]

The only thing left is whether the AFEL sees it fit to gives us third round compo. You’d think we get it as Isaac Smith got Hawthorn a third rounder based on 2 years (& yes there’s complex formulas). Pick 52 right now.

That’s about right.

[bulldogtragic]

That’s about right.

Pick 52 = 246 Draft Points towards Sam Darcy.

Very helpful draft points.

[comrade]

Pick 52 = 246 Draft Points towards Sam Darcy.

Very helpful draft points.

Going to be tough to match points for Darcy and bring in a good key defender which is actually our most pressing need in terms of winning a flag.

[bulldogtragic]

Going to be tough to match points for Darcy and bring in a good key defender which is actually our most pressing need in terms of winning a flag.

We can trade down our first rounder for more points (hinging a club another first) &/or put up a future first &/or put up a player or if a player requests a trade (media reports are North & Bris are after Richards).

It’s going to cost us, but I agree and think we need to do something to secure a good KPD. Fringe trades for points, or compo, will help too.

[comrade]

We can trade down our first rounder for more points (hinging a club another first) &/or put up a future first &/or put up a player or if a player requests a trade (media reports are North & Bris are after Richards).

It’s going to cost us, but I agree and think we need to do something to secure a good KPD. Fringe trades for points, or compo, will help too.

I don't want to hijack the thread but how our list management team thought we could compete with the best sides this year with Keath/Cordy/Gardner/Young as our key defensive pillars is very confusing to me. Obviously you can only bring in players who want to come to the club but this is a problem years in the making.

[bulldogtragic]

The interesting question is how many clubs will pursue Wallis

Assuming he wants to stay in Melbourne. North, St Kilda, Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood ??

[comrade]

The interesting question is how many clubs will pursue Wallis

Assuming he wants to stay in Melbourne. North, St Kilda, Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood ??

North may want some leadership without coughing up anything and they have oodles of cap space that needs spending. Seems the perfect destination for him.

[Topdog]

North may want some leadership without coughing up anything and they have oodles of cap space that needs spending. Seems the perfect destination for him.

Would hate to see him there but he would be perfect for Essendon.

[comrade]

Would hate to see him there but he would be perfect for Essendon.

I think with Caldwell and Shiel to return, their mid depth is pretty good. I'd imagine if Mitch is leaving the Dogs, he's going to a side where he is locked in as best 22.