Aflw 2022/2023

[Testekill]

If we lose a bunch of star players again I'm done, how are we supposed to compete when an expansion club comes in offering big money and a job at their club or a car? If we lose two of Blackburn, Lamb and Toogood I give up on the AFLW, what's the point?

[Happy Days]

Yeah just saw that Blackburn might be going to Sydney. I really just can’t support this if any player you even remotely begin to like gets shipped off so the competition can cannibalise itself over and over again. We’d be the worst team by a long way if our four best players all leave at once.

[Bulldog4life]

https://www.womens.afl/news/91850/ri...star-dogs-trio

THE WESTERN Bulldogs are at the centre of a huge rival AFLW raid ahead of a blockbuster sign and trade period, with captain Ellie Blackburn, star midfielder Kirsty Lamb and gun forward Bonnie Toogood all currently weighing up significant interest from elsewhere.

Womens.afl understands Blackburn is the target of an aggressive pursuit from new expansion club Sydney, St Kilda is hoping Lamb will bolster a young and developing midfield group, while Hawthorn has expressed an interest in Toogood.

As reported last week, popular Bulldogs forward Isabel Huntington is also attracting interest from Greater Western Sydney as she weighs up her options following a third ACL injury sustained earlier this year.

Three of the four Bulldogs players being chased by rival clubs – Blackburn, Lamb and Toogood – are 2018 premiership players, while the same three had also been named in an extended AFLW All-Australian squad of 40 on Wednesday.

As revealed by womens.afl earlier this week, Sydney is hunting prolific North Melbourne star Ash Riddell and has now also added Blackburn to its high-profile list of targets ahead of its maiden AFLW campaign next season.

Blackburn, captain of the Dogs for the past four seasons, was the club's premiership skipper in 2018 and has since gone on to record three AFLW All-Australian appearances and two best and fairest awards at the Whitten Oval.

St Kilda is hoping to prise Lamb from the Bulldogs, with the club desperate to add experience to a young midfield group that struggled this season and ultimately finished second-last with a 2-8 record.

It comes after a career-best season for the 27-year-old, after she averaged 18.7 disposals per game. Her year was highlighted by an inspired display against Geelong, where she won 26 disposals and seven tackles.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn is interested in adding Toogood as the centrepiece of the club's new forward line as the Hawks also prepare for their inaugural AFLW season under former premiership-winning coach Bec Goddard.

Toogood, a strong-marking youngster, was the Dogs' leading goalkicker this season after finishing the year with 10 goals from 10 games. She has kicked a total of 29 goals from 37 games in the competition.

AFLW clubs are still waiting for confirmation from the League as to whether they will be compensated for losing players to expansion sides and how that compensation, if allocated, will be dished out.



If all this comes to fruition I too will give this competition a miss. Not worth getting emotionally involved in.

[comrade]

If Blackburn goes, just shut the doors.

[Grantysghost]

If Blackburn goes, just shut the doors.

Question.

Why aren't we doing the raiding?

[Bulldog4life]

Question.

Why aren't we doing the raiding?

Another question. Why do our players want to leave after we continually hear how close they are? I know it hasn't happened yet but....Brennan, Conti, Kearney etc.

[azabob]

Question.

Why aren't we doing the raiding?

Rumor on the street is other clubs can offer jobs, property and other off field opportunities. So really back to the 1980's and 1990's prior to the salary cap etc etc in the mens comp

[Grantysghost]

Rumor on the street is other clubs can offer jobs, property and other off field opportunities. So really back to the 1980's and 1990's prior to the salary cap etc etc in the mens comp

Have we nothing to offer? It's not exactly like we are the paupers we once were.

[SquirrelGrip]

Have we nothing to offer? It's not exactly like we are the paupers we once were.

Surely we have a few Disney internships on offer...

[bornadog]

Have we nothing to offer? It's not exactly like we are the paupers we once were.

There are rules in place that we can't participate in. Expansion clubs get better access. The idea is you spread the talent amongst the 18 clubs, but surely we can't lose every good player on our list

[Grantysghost]

There are rules in place that we can't participate in. Expansion clubs get better access. The idea is you spread the talent amongst the 18 clubs, but surely we can't lose every good player on our list

Especially when Melbourne doesn't appear to have lost any.

In fact they gained Libby Birch from us.

I notice she writes columns for Fairfax. Wonder if that was through a Demons connection.

[azabob]

Especially when Melbourne doesn't appear to have lost any.

In fact they gained Libby Birch from us.

I notice she writes columns for Fairfax. Wonder if that was through a Demons connection.

I'd say so. Fairfax is owned by channel 9.

[Hotdog60]

If we lose a bunch of star players again I'm done, how are we supposed to compete when an expansion club comes in offering big money and a job at their club or a car? If we lose two of Blackburn, Lamb and Toogood I give up on the AFLW, what's the point?

I'm with you on that if we lose two of those I'm done with the AFLW. I've been following the Team since the first promo game with Melbourne and I'm sick of getting picked to pieces.

[Bulldog4life]

There are rules in place that we can't participate in. Expansion clubs get better access. The idea is you spread the talent amongst the 18 clubs, but surely we can't lose every good player on our list

St.Kilda and GWS are 2 of the vultures after our players. Not expansion clubs either.

[josie]

I'm with you on that if we lose two of those I'm done with the AFLW. I've been following the Team since the first promo game with Melbourne and I'm sick of getting picked to pieces.

Similar sentiments. We largely build our own then are pillaged. AFL should be trying to build loyal supporter base, not break their hearts time and again. If we lose Toogood, Lamb, Huntington and Blackburn after they’ve all said they love the club then I think I will lose my interest.