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I suspect at the minimum Kennedy will get a third year. Historically you have to be completely terrible and kind of a dickhead to not get an initial extension.Leave a comment:
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2 years for Arty seems optimistic given his output so far over 4 years. I like him and I hope he can put it together, but you can only live off potential for so long.
Sellwood probably needs to become best 22 pretty sharpish to get another 2. I was a bit underwhelmed with his VFL output, but maybe because I thought he’d come in pretty much ready to contribute given his age and experience.Leave a comment:
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It is, and yet I don't disagree with any of them.
We probably should have moved on Coffield this year. Suspect McNeil might get another year, though I would prefer to move on.
Kennedy could get another year if he shows a bit and maybe one of Libba/Treloar could push out another season if all went well.
Looks unavoidable to have 5-7 changes though.Leave a comment:
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I'll try and be more definitive.
Ryan Gardner: 2026 - Delist
James Harmes: 2026 - 1 Year
Ryley Sanders: 2026 - 2 Years
Jordan Croft: 2026 - 3 Years
Harvey Gallagher: 2026 - 1 Year
Rhylee West: 2026 - 4 Years
Jedd Busslinger: 2026 - 2 Years
Joel Freijah: 2026 - 4 Years
Buku Khamis: 2026 - Trade
Lachie McNeil: 2026 - Delist
Lachlan Bramble: 2026 - 2 Years
Lachie Jaques: 2026 - 2 Years
Luke Kennedy: 2026 - Delist
Lachlan Smith: 2026 - 1 Year
Zac Walker: 2026 - 2 Years
Tom Liberatore: 2026 - Retire
Arthur Jones: 2026 - 2 Years
Michael Sellwood: 2026 - 2 Years
Adam Treloar: 2026 - Retire
Oskar Baker: 2026 - 1 Year
Nick Coffield: 2026 - DelistLeave a comment:
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Early predictions
Ryan Gardner: 2026 - delist
James Harmes: 2026 - 1 yr
Ryley Sanders: 2026 - sign for 3 more
Jordan Croft: 2026 - sign for 3 more
Harvey Gallagher: 2026 - needs to prove himself
Rhylee West: 2026 - 3 more
Jedd Busslinger: 2026 - 2 more
Joel Freijah: 2026 - 5 years
Buku Khamis: 2026 - needs to prove himself
Lachie McNeil: 2026 - needs to prove himself
Lachlan Bramble: 2026 - sign for 2 more
Lachie Jaques: 2026 -needs to prove himself
Luke Kennedy: 2026 - needs to prove himself - but hasn't shown much
Lachlan Smith: 2026 - 2 more
Zac Walker: 2026 - needs to prove himself
Tom Liberatore: 2026 - Retire
Arthur Jones: 2026 -needs to prove himself
Michael Sellwood: 2026 - needs to prove himself
Adam Treloar: 2026 - depends on Body and performance
Oskar Baker: 2026 - 2 more, but needs to perform
Nick Coffield: 2026 - delist
A lot of players need to performLeave a comment:
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Personally right or wrong id add another 3 guys to the list already mentioned , and they are Bussalinga who we have preservered with for a while now and id like to tie him down two at least 2 more years .
Sellwood is another id want to sign for another 2 years at least , he shows he can play , but he may need a bit of time to show us how good he can be , and Lachlan Smith is the other id make sure was signed for at least 2 or 3 more years , his continual growth was evident this year , hopefully he can blossom into a nice player for us .Leave a comment:
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Outside of these 5 (and I would make it 6 by adding Jaques to the must keep list), the remaining 15 players represent a huge amount amount of "depth at best", "unproven youth" and "likely to retire" types, with only Bramble not fitting into any of these categories - he will fully deserve a new multi-year contract if he continues his growth and development trajectory in 2026.
We have done an excellent job or prioritising our top-end talent and locking them way to medium/long-term deals just as Tassie are coming in to dilute the draft and talent pool further.Leave a comment:
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Firstly i love your description of Joel Freijah as THE MAGNIFICANT , which tickled my fancy haha.
As far as Sanders is concerned we litearlly gave away 3 , 1st round draft picks for thge guy , would not have been good business to then two years later give him away for maybe a late 1st rounder and Butts , so im really glad we kept him , and when not if he does improve and decides he wants Tazi , then we may get close to thoes 3 , 1st rounders back .
West really continued his progression with a career best year , if he continues on this trajectory he will become one of the premier small forwards in the game , one that needs only 10 or so disposals per game to be very influential in the result .
All three must be priority signings next year for the club .Leave a comment:
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The out-of-contract stars who will dominate trade discussions next season
JOEL FREIJAH
WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Dogs have had some early talks about an extension for the magnificent Freijah, whose best football last year was scintillating.
He is only two years into his AFL career and signed a one-year extension to the end of 2026 in August 2024 so is still on mandatory AFL wages.
But a player who was capable of four goals and 23 possessions against Sydney, and three goals in the win-or-out round 24 Fremantle clash will receive a huge pay rise on his next deal.
He is aware he still has plenty to work on but he has such power, speed and versatility and is only scratching the surface of his potential.
RYLEY SANDERS
WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Tasmanian midfielder didn’t set the world on fire in his second season, squeezed out of the midfield and not especially damaging with his possessions.
The Dogs wisely rebuffed Adelaide trade interest for Sanders after giving up pick 10, 17 and a future first-rounder for the pick to secure the No. 6 selection.
But he won’t be in a hurry to sign a new contract given he was pushed out of the round 24 side, aware Tasmania will come hard at him.
Even if he eventually signs a two-year deal he would still be eligible to be recruited by the Devils in 2028 as part of their list rules which allow them access to uncontracted players across the first two years of their list build.
So the Dogs will desperately hope he explodes in 2026 and justifies them handing him big money for a long-term extension past the early years of the Devils’ entrance to the year.
RHYLEE WEST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
West has perfectly timed his run to cash in on his value as a restricted free agent who had a career year in 2025 with 39 goals, 82 tackles and 6.3 score involvements a game.
In a perfect world Cody Weightman would return to help share the load and it would only enhance West’s game.
The son of a Dogs gun is now making his name as a small forward with elite craft and accuracy after only 19 behinds to go with his 39 goals.
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