Welcome to the Western Bulldogs, Tim O'Brien

[Testekill]

https://twitter.com/RalphyHeraldSun/...40281174495238


Just waiting for it to be announced but agreed to terms.

https://twitter.com/traderadio/statu...38767303299073

[comrade]

Fingers crossed we have another Duryea type gem on our hands.

[Ozza]

Finished the year strongly. Perhaps given every opportunity to fatten him up for trade - but given the Clarkson situation - maybe not. So I'm pretty optimistic.

He's played 97 games, so he's a chance to play his best footy for us.

Finished the year with

14 & 10 marks in a win v the pies
24 & 10 marks in a win v the dogs
18 & 7 marks in a draw with the tigers

[Sedat]

Finished the year strongly. Perhaps given every opportunity to fatten him up for trade - but given the Clarkson situation - maybe not. So I'm pretty optimistic.

He's played 97 games, so he's a chance to play his best footy for us.

Finished the year with

14 & 10 marks in a win v the pies
24 & 10 marks in a win v the dogs
18 & 7 marks in a draw with the tigers

Don't think Lewy Young has ever had those numbers, save for his first AFL game against Carlton.

Effectively O'Brien and pick 52 for Lewy Young sounds pretty good to me.

[Rocco Jones]

Don't think Lewy Young has ever had those numbers, save for his first AFL game against Carlton.

Effectively O'Brien and pick 52 for Lewy Young sounds pretty good to me.

There is an age gap but I agree. Also, Lewy wanted out, so that part not in our hands.

[Bulldog4life]

Don't think Lewy Young has ever had those numbers, save for his first AFL game against Carlton.

Effectively O'Brien and pick 52 for Lewy Young sounds pretty good to me.

Welcome Tim and if I remember Sedat when Lake went to Hawks you were keen on O'Brien then. Might be wrong.

[jeemak]

Welcome Tim and if I remember Sedat when Lake went to Hawks you were keen on O'Brien then. Might be wrong.

Nah I'm pretty sure Sedat was completely happy with the way the Lake trade played out across all elements. He didn't want anything more for him, and definitely was glad it was executed as quickly as it was.

[Ghost Dog]

Fingers crossed we have another Duryea type gem on our hands.

Good point. he's coming from a very good culture with a system that our coach knows.

Joins an elite club of ginger dogs.

[josie]

Good point. he's coming from a very good culture with a system that our coach knows.

Joins an elite club of ginger dogs.

That’s an Arnott’s biscuit variety right there - love it.

[Mofra]

Add some desperately needed intercepting marking capacity in the back half. Indications late in the year we wanted to go with three talls in defence and he's mid-tall enough to play the role.
For no draft cost it seems a no-brainer

[Axe Man]

Does this mean either Wallis is staying or that we don't anticipate any potential deal elsewhere would generate any compensation?

[Rocco Jones]

Does this mean either Wallis is staying or that we don't anticipate any potential deal elsewhere would generate any compensation?

Good call.

[bulldogtragic]

He’s now one of us, so welcome aboard.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Does this mean either Wallis is staying or that we don't anticipate any potential deal elsewhere would generate any compensation?

Or it could mean that a “trade” has been organised for Wallis, where we swap Wallis and our pick X for the other teams pick X+1

Edit: Wait, ignore that it makes no sense- it would be the other way around in that we would have needed to do the Wallis trade first.

[bornadog]

Bulldogs land free agent Tim O’Brien


The Western Bulldogs have acquired Hawthorn key position utility Tim O’Brien as a free agent on a two-year deal.

The Dogs completed the transaction on Thursday with the uncontracted 27-year-old, who is an unrestricted free agent.

O’Brien has become a mainstay in the Hawks’ line-up, playing either in defence or attack. He has played 97 games so far over eight seasons at AFL level.

He played 19 games in 2021, averaging five marks per game and kicking 12 goals for the season, including multiple goals on three occasions.

“I’m absolutely rapt to get it done. Now I can just focus on the footy stuff and get going into next year. I can’t wait,” O’Brien said.


“I’m looking forward to meeting everyone. I think the list is in a good spot. There’s a lot of players around my age. It fit well for me and the Club.


“Playing in a Grand Final, they’re right in that window, so that was really appealing.”

O’Brien, who stands at 194cm tall, was recruited to Hawthorn with pick 28 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft and played in a VFL premiership with Box Hill in his debut year.

He made his AFL debut in Round 1 of the 2014 season and has since proven to be a versatile and dependable player as a key forward or defender.

His best performance of the season came ironically against the Bulldogs in Round 22, where he collected 24 disposals and took 10 marks as an intercept defender.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Tim to the Bulldogs, and we’re looking forward to what he will add to our playing group,” said Bulldogs’ General Manager of List Management and Football Projects, Sam Power.

“We’ve seen Tim’s strengths at either end of the ground during his time at the Hawks, but we see him adding the most value to our team as a defender.

“We’re excited by his ability to read the play and win back possession through his intercept marking, and he has impressive speed for a tall player.”

Under the rules of Free Agency, a player with at least eight years of experience at an AFL Club who is not contracted for the following season can move freely to another club without the need for an exchange of draft picks.