Tweet
Is Laverde from the Bombers worth a look for our undermanned backline?
-
-
Oh my god no- I'm a visionary - Only here to confirm my biases -Comment
-
Ryan Burton isn't being offered a contract at Port. He's the kind of player that I'd like to see tested over that pre-season SSP period - he's got talent but injuries are the concern.Comment
-
Let the desperation stakes begin.Comment
-
Western Bulldogs facing curly contract questions on stars and fringe players after failed season
Barring a miracle from the Bombers, the Western Bulldogs’ season is done. Now, Sam Power has to make big calls on stars and fringe players alike — here’s the latest on who might go.
The Western Bulldogs will complete footy’s saddest training run this year at Whitten Oval on Tuesday as they pray for a football miracle to sneak into the finals series.
The Dogs also face major off-season question marks about their style of play and the future of stars including Adam Treloar, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Liam Jones.
Luke Beveridge’s side will complete a “flush run” on Tuesday - a 20 minute recovery session - that could be irrelevant given they need Gold Coast to fall to an Essendon team with a 12-match losing streak.
If the Dons fail to complete one of footy’s biggest upsets this year the Dogs will have exit interviews late in the week before starting their off-season break.
The loss to Fremantle means James Harmes, Buku Khamis, Laitham Vandermeer and Ryley Sanders are not available for the VFL final this weekend due to the competition’s games threshold rules.
They could have played this weekend had both the VFL and AFL teams been alive.
The club could still make a submission to the VFL for some of those players to be given permission to play.
Adam Treloar, Arthur Jones and Jordan Croft are eligible for the VFL for the qualifying final against Frankston on Saturday at Whitten Oval.
The club faces an immediate decision on whether Treloar plays in the VFL finals series.
He was overlooked by the Dogs in the round 24 clash despite 40 possessions in the VFL and does not yet have a contract in place for 2026 after reinjuring his calf at least six times.
He is more likely to secure a one-year deal than not, but playing out the VFL finals without injury might help his case to be re-contracted after his 2024 All Australian year.
Code Sports understands finals sub Artie Jones has signed a new one contract after an impressive return to the side on Sunday night.
Liam Jones’ manager Shane Casley said on Monday he wanted to play on at the Dogs or elsewhere if not offered a new deal, while Jason Johannisen is also keen to play on.
Buku Khamis does have rival suitors and looks set for a change of scenery after his manager Ray Purcell told Code Sports recently if he found a club that would play him regularly he would see a fresh start despite a contract for 2026.
Defender, Jones played only five AFL games this year and while he is keen to play on his future might be defined by whether the club brings in more defensive cover.
The Dogs are interested in Carlton free agent Jack Silvagni after they were annihilated in aerial contests against Fremantle.
Also out of contract are Caleb Poulter, Anthony Scott, Nick Coffield, Oskar Baker.
After a 2-9 record against top nine sides coach Luke Beveridge will have to decide whether he recalibrates his offensive game style which saw the Dogs No.1 in points for but badly beaten by quality teams.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is unlikely to be at Whitten Oval next year but the Dogs will likely have to wait until talks post the trade period before considering his $900,000 contract for 2026.
Under the AFLPA’s rules for a standard playing contract a club has to prove serious and repeated misconduct to void a player’s contract.
He told the Herald Sun last week he feared for his life after he was close to a gun being shot while at a Melbourne nightclub.
His repeated absences from training are also unlikely to be cause for dismissal given he has been given permission to attend treatment with medical health professionals under an AFL-led model.
So while the Dogs would be desperate to void his contract they might have to come up with a negotiated settlement which might eventually clear the path for him to train with another club over summer.
Comment
-
I’ll be pissed off if we have to pay Jamarra anything next yearComment
-
Round 19 SANFL AAMI Rookie - Glenelg's Latrelle Pickett (Tumby Bay)
Comment
-
Still a lot of talk around Erasmus, what are people’s thoughts on this? Doesn’t really seem like a need for mine but in saying that if he’s an upgrade on Garcia that’s not necessarily a bad thing and I’m never going to turn down more mature bodied decent players in the right age bracket. But still seems a weird move for himComment
-
He seems like he’d be trying to compete with Kennedy for a spot rather than Garcia. I can see long term appeal in him, but I’m skeptical about his value to us in 2026.
Perhaps most relevant is that we just drafted Hynes who basically looks to fill that role long term - medium marking forward who can have bursts through the middle.
ideally Kennedy sticks around another couple years before Hynes eventually makes him redundant. I don’t think there’s any in-between period that we’d need to fill that gap with Erasmus. This is one I don’t understand tbhComment
Comment