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  1. #1
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    What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

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    Sitting pretty on top of the ladder is a fair reflection of how well the Western Bulldogs are travelling.

    Winning five games on the trot in the absence of key personnel who have contributed greatly in the recent past is also impressive.

    Mitch Wallis was the club’s leading goalkicker in 2020 and finished 10th in the best and fairest playing an important role inside forward 50 as the Bulldogs made the eight.

    Fast forward to today and the 28-year-old finds himself in the reserves as his teammates bank up win after win with a restructured attack inclusive of Aaron Naughton, Josh Bruce and Tim English.

    With that in mind, Garry Lyon and Tim Watson discussed Wallis’ situation and threw up the hypothetical of what a possible mid-season trade period might look like for multi-position player of his ilk.

    “Mitch Wallis is the vice-captain of the Western Bulldogs on the back of a near All-Australian year,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.

    “For whatever reason he can’t break back in after he started in the senior team.
    “He’s too good a player to be running around in the VFL. He is the vice-captain, they’re royalty the Wallis family.

    “This is not saying he wants out, but this is just me thinking. He just needs to be playing footy.”

    Watson says that Wallis’ skillset does not suit the the needs of the Dogs right now, hypothetically posing a potential solution.

    “He is a really interesting player for this reason too, and that is he was taken out of the position that best suits him,” Watson said.

    “Because of a need, they pushed him forward and they said, ‘We want you to play this role’, which was a forward that was going to apply pressure which he was great at. He then did more than that. He drew the ball and kicked goals.

    “But his best position is as an inside mid. They don’t need him as an inside mid. They’ve got so much talent there, but there are a number of teams out there who would be playing him week in, week out as an inside mid.”

    Lyon added: “You said if there as a mid-season trade, do you want to say the team you thought?”
    Watson replied: “Yeah, Essendon.

    “They would love to have a player like him, I would think.”

    Wallis, who has played 153 games over 11 seasons, missed the Dogs’ drought-breaking 2016 premiership due to a broken leg and in the mind of Lyon would be intent on forcing his way back into Luke Beveridge’s side as the Dogs push towards September.

    “Sometimes the reasons are just out of your control as we’ve just pointed out with Mitch who is an A-grade citizen, is the vice-captain of the club for god sakes, so he’s so well regarded,” Lyon said.

    “There’d be others out there who aren’t getting a look at the moment.”
    Watson: “We just wonder, someone like a Mitch Wallis just wants to play.”

    Lyon: “We don’t know about him. He’s a bit different because he might say, ‘I’m prepared to stay and fight my way back into this side because I think there’s a premiership on offer. One that I missed out on because I had a broken leg’.”

    Watson: “That’s true, but if you gave him the chance to go somewhere else now and play on the same money, I wonder what he might say.”

    Lyon: “I don’t think he would, because of that lure of a possible flag and his personality says I’ll dig in and work away.”

    Wallis picked up 18 disposals and kicked a goal for Footscray in their 67-point over the Gold Coast Suns in the VFL/East Coast league last weekend.

    The Bulldogs seniors meet GWS in Canberra this Friday night while the VFL team take on the Giants at Blacktown on Thursday night.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  2. #2
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Well that’s not exactly true is it?
    - I'm a visionary - Only here to confirm my biases -

  3. #3
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Quote Originally Posted by Happy Days View Post
    Well that’s not exactly true is it?
    yeah very oddly phrased. We changed him because of a need but then goes onto say that we dont need him as an inside mid because we are stacked there. He changed because he wanted to get gametime.

  4. #4
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    He was never really a great inside mid either was he? Like he can play the role but I don't think he has any real amazing attributes that would set him apart.

  5. #5
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Quote Originally Posted by hujsh View Post
    He was never really a great inside mid either was he? Like he can play the role but I don't think he has any real amazing attributes that would set him apart.
    His hands in close are elite, and he's an elite tackler. We sometimes forget what he did well because his kicking wasn't damaging and he lacked pace, but he was more than handy as an inside midfielder.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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  7. #6
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    His hands in close are elite, and he's an elite tackler. We sometimes forget what he did well because his kicking wasn't damaging and he lacked pace, but he was more than handy as an inside midfielder.
    This is the reason I think he should be in consideration for a recall against GWS. We need added forward pressure to keep the ball in our 50. I'm thinking we have a lot less marks inside 50 against the orange therefore his tackling and ferocity at the ball would be an added benefit.
    WOOF Member 422

  8. #7
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    His time will come. Its a long season
    They've done studies you know, 60% of the time, it works every time!
    Brian Fantana.

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  10. #8
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Quote Originally Posted by ratsmac View Post
    His time will come. Its a long season
    I agree, anything can happen and will.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  11. #9
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Quote Originally Posted by hujsh View Post
    He was never really a great inside mid either was he? Like he can play the role but I don't think he has any real amazing attributes that would set him apart.
    They're saying he would be a great inside mid for Essendon.
    But then again, I'm an Internet poster and Bevo is a premiership coach so draw your own conclusions.

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  13. #10
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    His hands in close are elite, and he's an elite tackler. We sometimes forget what he did well because his kicking wasn't damaging and he lacked pace, but he was more than handy as an inside midfielder.
    Fair enough, can't say I really recall those traits but happy to be corrected by someone who does.

    Quote Originally Posted by 1eyedog View Post
    They're saying he would be a great inside mid for Essendon.
    Well I mean if the standard is the floor!

    I know they're saying he'd be a good fit for Essendon butI wasn't sure he was a better inside mid than forward given I only really remember his best period in the role being as a run-with player

  14. #11
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Quote Originally Posted by 1eyedog View Post
    They're saying he would be a great inside mid for Essendon.
    Almost anyone could get a gig as inside mid at Essendon , I don’t want to suggest any players as that would be an insult to any clubs playing list
    They were terrible last week

  15. #12
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    But its true. He would be great for them and be playing every week.
    But then again, I'm an Internet poster and Bevo is a premiership coach so draw your own conclusions.

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  17. #13
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Quote Originally Posted by hujsh View Post
    Fair enough, can't say I really recall those traits but happy to be corrected by someone who does.



    Well I mean if the standard is the floor!

    I know they're saying he'd be a good fit for Essendon butI wasn't sure he was a better inside mid than forward given I only really remember his best period in the role being as a run-with player
    On the back of his 2015 and 2016 seasons until he broke his leg Champion Data rated him one of six elite players at the Bulldogs to start 2017......which didn't end well on any level and we of course take Champion Data ratings with a grain of salt!

    And I know stats aren't everything however, here's his 2015 season versus Shane Edward's 2018 which earned the latter AA selection:

    https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...2=P&fopt2=2018

    Mitch was highly competent at what he did, though he's just not quick enough these days to be a genuine two way/ responsive inside midfielder and the broken leg was the last thing someone of his pace could afford.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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  19. #14
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    How could the mid year draft be a win win for everyone.

    I love Mitch, heart and soul but we would need to have a lot of injuries fit him to get back into the side. I would even say that JUH would be in front of him and he hasn’t played a game yet.

    If Essendon were keen, I would like to think we would do our best to get the deal done. He should be a 200 game player but I can’t say he will be if he stayed a dog.
    BB.

    Looking forward - Naughton, Darcy and JUH. It will be the envy of everyone.

  20. #15
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    Re: What does the future hold for bulldogs leader?

    Mitch will be back
    If you kicked five goals and Tom Boyd kicked five goals, Tom Boyd kicked more goals than you.

    Formerly gogriff

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