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It has been a mixed bag for the Bulldogs when it comes to their success late in the draft, and if it wasn't for several father-son selections, they may not have had much luck. The Bulldogs used pick 41 in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft to select Tom Liberatore, and he has become one of the standout young midfielders in the competition. Luke Dahlhaus (rookie draft, 2011) and Liam Picken (rookie draft, 2009) are among the Bulldogs' best selections since 2008. However just 11 of the 21, late draft (pick 40 or later) and rookie selections the Bulldogs have had in the past five seasons, still remain on their list.
Stewart Crameri
Crameri would look pretty good in a Hawthorn jumper. The three-time Essendon leading goalkicker was overlooked by the Hawks at the 2010 rookie draft, heading to the Bombers with pick 43 after Hawthorn opted for NSW Scholarship player Michael Johnston with pick 42. Johnston never played a game for the Hawks. Crameri is now at the Western Bulldogs and looks set, at 25, for a long career.
Luke Dahlhaus
The Cats had pick 23 in the 2011 rookie draft, with Dahlhaus, who played for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup, shaping as a likely choice. But the Western Bulldogs jumped in and snared Dahlhaus with pick 22, leaving the Cats to wonder 'what if?'.
After he had been overlooked in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft, the Bulldogs snatched up small forward Dahlhaus in the Rookie Draft, and he has since repaid their faith. His trademark dreadlocks and ferocious attack on the ball earned him cult status with Bulldogs fans, and his form in his debut season was rewarded with a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination. Last season Dahlhaus was the club's second best goal kicker with 28, eight goals behind veteran Daniel Giansiracusa, and he also finished sixth in the club's best and fairest. Renowned for his pressure acts, hard tackling and evasiveness around goal, Dahlhaus continues to produce impressive performances at the Kennel.
Nat Fyfe
In the 2009 NAB AFL Draft, the Bulldogs had pick 15 as their first round selection, opting to draft Christian Howard to the Kennel. Five picks later, Fremantle nabbed midfielder Nat Fyfe, who has since become a star of the AFL and has recently been touted as potentially the best midfielder of the next decade. Hawthorn spearhead Jack Gunston also slipped through to pick 29 (Adelaide) in that draft, and would have been a handy recruit for the Bulldogs, who have been crying out for a key forward over the past five years. Meanwhile Howard has played just a handful of games for the Bulldogs since being drafted, and is yet to make a senior appearance in 2014. - Nat Edwards
James Podsiadly
After spending time at Essendon, Collingwood, the Western Bulldogs and Richmond, the 'J-Pod' was invited to Geelong to play in the club's VFL team and work in the fitness department. When the Cats made the 2009 Grand Final, Podsiadly put the players through their pre-game warm-up. However, a couple of months after the big match he was rookie-listed and made his AFL debut, at the age of 28, in round 1, 2010. Podsiadly ended up playing 83 games and kicking 169 goals for the Cats over four seasons. He was a member of the club's 2011 premiership team.
It has been a mixed bag for the Bulldogs when it comes to their success late in the draft, and if it wasn't for several father-son selections, they may not have had much luck. The Bulldogs used pick 41 in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft to select Tom Liberatore, and he has become one of the standout young midfielders in the competition. Luke Dahlhaus (rookie draft, 2011) and Liam Picken (rookie draft, 2009) are among the Bulldogs' best selections since 2008. However just 11 of the 21, late draft (pick 40 or later) and rookie selections the Bulldogs have had in the past five seasons, still remain on their list.
Stewart Crameri
Crameri would look pretty good in a Hawthorn jumper. The three-time Essendon leading goalkicker was overlooked by the Hawks at the 2010 rookie draft, heading to the Bombers with pick 43 after Hawthorn opted for NSW Scholarship player Michael Johnston with pick 42. Johnston never played a game for the Hawks. Crameri is now at the Western Bulldogs and looks set, at 25, for a long career.
Luke Dahlhaus
The Cats had pick 23 in the 2011 rookie draft, with Dahlhaus, who played for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup, shaping as a likely choice. But the Western Bulldogs jumped in and snared Dahlhaus with pick 22, leaving the Cats to wonder 'what if?'.
After he had been overlooked in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft, the Bulldogs snatched up small forward Dahlhaus in the Rookie Draft, and he has since repaid their faith. His trademark dreadlocks and ferocious attack on the ball earned him cult status with Bulldogs fans, and his form in his debut season was rewarded with a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination. Last season Dahlhaus was the club's second best goal kicker with 28, eight goals behind veteran Daniel Giansiracusa, and he also finished sixth in the club's best and fairest. Renowned for his pressure acts, hard tackling and evasiveness around goal, Dahlhaus continues to produce impressive performances at the Kennel.
Nat Fyfe
In the 2009 NAB AFL Draft, the Bulldogs had pick 15 as their first round selection, opting to draft Christian Howard to the Kennel. Five picks later, Fremantle nabbed midfielder Nat Fyfe, who has since become a star of the AFL and has recently been touted as potentially the best midfielder of the next decade. Hawthorn spearhead Jack Gunston also slipped through to pick 29 (Adelaide) in that draft, and would have been a handy recruit for the Bulldogs, who have been crying out for a key forward over the past five years. Meanwhile Howard has played just a handful of games for the Bulldogs since being drafted, and is yet to make a senior appearance in 2014. - Nat Edwards
James Podsiadly
After spending time at Essendon, Collingwood, the Western Bulldogs and Richmond, the 'J-Pod' was invited to Geelong to play in the club's VFL team and work in the fitness department. When the Cats made the 2009 Grand Final, Podsiadly put the players through their pre-game warm-up. However, a couple of months after the big match he was rookie-listed and made his AFL debut, at the age of 28, in round 1, 2010. Podsiadly ended up playing 83 games and kicking 169 goals for the Cats over four seasons. He was a member of the club's 2011 premiership team.
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