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Listening to Brahm's 3rd Racket -
DOGS FATHER-SON DREAMS OF JOINING BROTHER
A pair of brothers could become bookends for the Western Bulldogs in time, with father-son prospect Will Darcy looking likely to join his brother Sam at the club.
Will started this year playing forward for Scotch College in school football but went on to impress in defence and rejoined Coates Talent League club Oakleigh Chargers in May.
Will had been in the Chargers’ program as a 16-year-old, before experiencing a 15cm growth spurt which now has him measuring 196.1cm.
Like his older brother, Will’s marking and kicking are strengths, while he is also solid at ground level and has reasonable endurance.
“The main goal coming into this season was hopefully trying to win games back and forward, playing a little bit of a swing role,” Will said.
“It worked out a couple of times when I had good games. But honestly, I don’t mind. Wherever the team wants me and whatever is the best way we can try to win the game, I’m happy to be there.”
Will said he had learnt plenty from watching Sam’s journey, after he was selected at pick 2 in the 2021 national draft.
“It’s pretty cool to have a brother playing AFL,” Will said.
“From a young age, I definitely learnt a lot from him with how he goes about it and how he trains and dealing with setbacks. If I ever go into an AFL system, I’ve got to be patient and it takes time to be able to get a game. So you’ve just got to keep going and continue loving your footy.”
Rival clubs feel that the Bulldogs should be able to snap up Will with a late pick in this year’s draft, which could prove a bargain buy in time.
“I’ve known Will for a long time and he is a great man and he works really hard with his footy,” Eastern Ranges teammate Louis Emmett said of Will.
“He’s a probably going to grow an extra five or ten centimetres.
“He can put on a lot of size and he has a great career ahead of him.”
Will’s father, Luke, played 226 games for the Bulldogs, while late grandfather David featured in 133 games for Footscray between 1963 and 1971.
“It’s the dream club to play for and something I’ve always wanted to do, ever since I was young, having grown up barracking for the Dogs,” Will said.
Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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HOW DEAN BID COULD WORK
A lack of key defensive depth in this year’s pool, combined with Dean’s outstanding draft season, has made him an even hotter commodity for clubs.
It’s why West Coast is considering placing a bid on Dean with Pick 2, for he would truly fit an Eagles list need.
Carlton, as it stands, holds Picks 9 and 11, which is worth 2560, according to the AFL’s new Draft Value Index (DVI). An Eagles bid on Dean at Pick 2 – with a 10 per cent discount – would require the Blues to cough up 2233 points. If they matched, Carlton would officially welcome Dean to the club, but Picks 9 and 11 would essentially turn into a selection in the 30s. And that wouldn’t help their case to match a later bid on NGA prospect Jack Ison.
It’s why the Blues would prefer if Richmond, for instance, bid on Dean at Pick 5 or 6 following bids on the likes of Zeke Uwland, Dylan Patterson and/or Daniel Annable. If it came at Pick 6, the Blues would only have to produce 1493 points to match, meaning Picks 9 and 11 would instead become one selection in the teens (around Pick 13).
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MORE PICKS SET TO CHANGE HANDS
If you thought the trade period was over, think again.
A raft of draft picks look set to change hands either in the lead up to or during this year’s national draft.
While no offer has been put forward yet, there is speculation in recruiting circles that Essendon could still look to climb up the board in a swap with West Coast.
The player believed to be firmly in the Bombers’ sights if they were to make that move is Calder Cannons ruckman Cooper Duff-Tytler, who is otherwise favoured to join the Eagles with one of the club’s first two picks.
Rivals believe Essendon is “obsessed” with Duff-Tytler, who played for the club’s VFL team this year and is also good mates with Bombers Next Generation Academy prospects Adam Sweid and Hussien El Achkar.
A deal had been floated between Essendon and Gold Coast – also yet to be agreed to – during the trade period which would see the Bombers trade picks 21 and 27 to the Suns for pick 15.
The Bombers could then dangle that pick 15 — along with pick 5 or 6 — in front of the Eagles, but even that is unlikely to satisfy West Coast which would prefer a future first-round pick to be involved.
If the Eagles did agree to trade back to pick 5 this year, they could look to players like ready-made South Australian midfielder Dyson Sharp or draft bolter Sullivan Robey at pick 5, instead of Duff-Tytler.
The Suns are happy to move that pick 15 as they chase more points to match expected early bids on Academy talents, while the Brisbane Lions’ pick 17 and Greater Western Sydney’s pick 35 are also up for grabs.
Carlton looks set to hold its position at picks 9 and 11 for now but has held talks with Adelaide around a trade as they look to bank more draft points to match a bid on father-son and potential top-two pick Cody Walker next year.
The Crows have been weighing up trading pick 16 this year and a future first-round selection for Carlton’s picks 9 and 11 this year.
If they were to shuffle up, other clubs believe Adelaide would look at a key forward like Aidan Schubert or a top-10 slider who could have an instant impact next year.
The window for clubs to trade picks is open until November 7, with any further selection swaps needing to wait until draft night.
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Here are some of the names we might be interested in at the National Draft
In no particular order for our 1st round pick
Oskar Taylor - Highly athletic small defender
Lachy Dovaston - One of the best small forwards in this years draft
Jevan Phillipou - Athletic midfielder or small forward
Harley Barker - Winger who is coming off an ACL injury
2nd round pick
Blake Thredgold - Athletic tall defender
Latrelle Sumner-Pickett - Small forward and goal kicker
Hugo Mikunda - Small midfielder or forward
Rory Wright - Midfielder or small defenderWestern Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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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.Comment
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Thx for post Axe.
I know Carlton want to make sure they don’t give up high draft picks for matching F/S Dean but woofers please explain why Blues would give up 9 & 11 for 16 & a future Crows first?
I presume next year they’ll finish in top 8, maybe top 4 again. I presume it’s got something to do with draft picks being swapped up & moved back due to Academy & other F/S picks but I’m a bit slow on uptake. Woofer knowledge appreciated in advance.Josie :)
Our day will come
And we'll have everything.
We'll share the joy
Just like '54 again.Comment
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All in on a Taylor, Pickett & Darcy draft - would be a super exciting draft. Maybe low floor but real high ceiling which is exactly what we should be doing with these picks after our last couple of drafts.Comment
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