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WESTERN Bulldogs president David Smorgon says his club will soon bite back at poaching from expansion clubs by snaring star juniors from the two new teams.
The Dogs were plundered in the past two years, losing Jarrad Harbrow to Gold Coast and midfield pair Callan Ward and Sam Reid to Greater Western Sydney.
Reid and Ward will take on the Dogs at Manuka Oval today in a game Smorgon says could develop into a yearly contest in the Australian capital.
But while he bears no grudge against Ward - lured with a $900,000 a season deal - it doesn't mean the Dogs won't hit back.
"We will pat him on the back after we beat them," he quipped of Ward's Giants. "There are no hard feelings. We did our very best to keep them but ... they were heading north for different reasons and that's the way it is.
"We look forward to bringing some of the young Suns and Giants they have on their list, we look forward to bringing them to the Bulldogs because we owe both those clubs a player or two."
He said the Dogs were an appealing package, and would soon have salary cap room to go after some bright young stars.
"Everyone has to be in that (aggressive) position. As the older blokes (retire) as they eventually will, it does free up money and spots on the list, and we will be as aggressive as we can.
"We have Jason McCartney heading up our list management group and Jason knows every young kid in Australia ... and together with our recruiter Simon Dalrymple we have the resources to compete and pick the best."
Smorgon was bullish about the Dogs' progress, despite only one win in the first month.
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