Recommitted Josh Dunkley [contracted and staying at the Western Bulldogs]

[Lore]

2020 discussion here: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/thre...-requested-a-trade-to-essendon.1250264/unread

*2021 discussion here*

 

[Northernsoul74]

Josh is obviously a gun player and all but feel Essendon may have dodged a bullet with the year increasingly disparagingly bad.

Not only a first rounder last year but a first this year could have seen a potential top 2 pick go to the Dogs. Definitely more valuable to us than Josh Dunkley imho


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I never understood why you went for him in the first place. A rebuild with some very high draft picks seemed more appropriate.

 

[Elmer_Judd]

I never understood why you went for him in the first place. A rebuild with some very high draft picks seemed more appropriate.

Probably to try appease a restless fanbase fuming by the departures of Saad and Daniher is my guess.

Ironically I think Dunkley would be the perfect fit for Collingwood, buts hard to see a deal happening following the bad blood between the two clubs after the Treloar trade (most of which was Collingwood's fault I might add)

 

[Mofra]

I never understood why you went for him in the first place. A rebuild with some very high draft picks seemed more appropriate.

Leadership and solid citizen off field by all accounts, and he's still got 8+ years of football left in him.
Ollie Wines was also an Essendon target in past years if you believe the rumour mill.

 

[eth-dog]

I never understood why you went for him in the first place. A rebuild with some very high draft picks seemed more appropriate.

There wasn't a player that is a better fit for our list than Dunkley. Exactly what we needed.

 

[Northernsoul74]

There wasn't a player that is a better fit for our list than Dunkley. Exactly what we needed.

Ha but only for unders.

 

[eth-dog]

Ha but only for unders.

You were asking for overs, as was your right as he was under contract, but don't give me that crap.

 

[Northernsoul74]

You were asking for overs, as was your right as he was under contract, but don't give me that crap.

But but he was “exactly what you needed”, the perfect player for you. Talk about wanting your cake and eating it.
I see Bombers fans are expecting a fair 2 very good firsts for an uncontracted Merrett though if you matched an offer.

 

[eth-dog]

But but he was “exactly what you needed”, the perfect player for you. Talk about wanting your cake and eating it.
I see Bombers fans are expecting a fair 2 very good firsts for an uncontracted Merrett though if you matched an offer.

Merrett: Has been an elite player for 6 years, has played 144 out of 154 possible games, widely renowned as one of the best kicks in the AFL, has 6+ years of football left in him.
Dunkley: Has had half an elite year out of 5 years, has played 80 out of a possible 113 games, is a very good clearance winner but hasn't shown that over the course of a full season yet.

Don't get me wrong, Dunkley is a very good player but this comparison is as ridiculous as comparing Darcy Parish to Jackson Macrae. They aren't in the same conversation.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Bevo has packed Dunkleys bags for him, going to be a long 6 months.

While it seems Dunkleys betrayal blindsighted the club, especially Bevo and Bont - who said "Dunks isnt going anywhere" a week before trade period, Bevo is to largely to blame for basically sacrificing him as a ruckman who was attending more ruck contests than English some games. You just dont do that to AA squad players. Dunkley has set training standards and been a model citizen, he deserves better. Bruce was so sh*t as a forward, why did he just stick Bruce there. Bevo today comes out and says "it wasnt just josh, it was macrae and bont too rucking. Dunkley was the second ruck, attending 30+ contests some games while Bont and Macrae were attending 3-4. Bevo has him out the outer and he is crossed off his favourites list.

pretty much everything in this post is bullsh1t. Well done

 

[Wild Bill]

Merrett: Has been an elite player for 6 years, has played 144 out of 154 possible games, widely renowned as one of the best kicks in the AFL, has 6+ years of football left in him.
Dunkley: Has had half an elite year out of 5 years, has played 80 out of a possible 113 games, is a very good clearance winner but hasn't shown that over the course of a full season yet.

Don't get me wrong, Dunkley is a very good player but this comparison is as ridiculous as comparing Darcy Parish to Jackson Macrae. They aren't in the same conversation.

The gap between Merrett and Dunkley is much closer than Parish and Macrea.

Dunkley is every chance to be as good as Merrett in 2021 with the way they have started.

 

[eth-dog]

The gap between Merrett and Dunkley is much closer than Parish and Macrea.

Dunkley is every chance to be as good as Merrett in 2021 with the way they have started.

The gap is irrelevant. Parish isn't in the same conversation as Macrae, and it's the same with Dunkley and Merrett. Merrett is a better player than Dunkley and has shown it every year.

That's not to say Dunkley isn't a great player. He is. There's a reason Essendon targeted him and offered him that contract, and there's a reason the Dogs set such a high price on his head. But there are very few players I would trade Merrett for in a straight swap, and Josh simply isn't one of them.

 

[Morro]

Merrett: Has been an elite player for 6 years, has played 144 out of 154 possible games, widely renowned as one of the best kicks in the AFL, has 6+ years of football left in him.
Dunkley: Has had half an elite year out of 5 years, has played 80 out of a possible 113 games, is a very good clearance winner but hasn't shown that over the course of a full season yet.

Don't get me wrong, Dunkley is a very good player but this comparison is as ridiculous as comparing Darcy Parish to Jackson Macrae. They aren't in the same conversation.

Massively underrating Dunkley here.

 

[eth-dog]

Massively underrating Dunkley here.

Nope. He's had half an elite year. Been a good to very good player for most of his career but comparing that to someone who's been elite since 2016? Come on.

 

[Morro]

Nope. He's had half an elite year. Been a good to very good player for most of his career but comparing that to someone who's been elite since 2016? Come on.

I cant compare them to be honest with you, but I have watched Dunks closely as I am a massive fan. When he plays midfield which he hasn't always had the luxury of playing due to the Dogs insane inside midfield depth and also because he was the best of their inside brigade at playing forward due to being a very good mark, so to fit them all in, he was played out of position.

When played midfield he has been elite most of the time.

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

Nope. He's had half an elite year. Been a good to very good player for most of his career but comparing that to someone who's been elite since 2016? Come on.

What exactly is the large gap between Merrett and Dunkley? Is it the extra 4.4 disposals, 1.3 inside 50s, 0.1 goal assists, 0.2 frees for, 1.2% DE, 0.3 clearances or 0.9 rebounds? Because I'll be honest besides the inside 50s none of those numbers scream out huge difference in career stats to me.

Merrett is a better player but I don't think the gap is anywhere near what you're saying.

 

[Bulldogs85]

Essendon should just hit the draft this year their are a few good midfielder’s in it. I would shocked if Dunkley wanted to leave again

 

[eth-dog]

I cant compare them to be honest with you, but I have watched Dunks closely as I am a massive fan. When he plays midfield which he hasn't always had the luxury of playing due to the Dogs insane inside midfield depth and also because he was the best of their inside brigade at playing forward due to being a very good mark, so to fit them all in, he was played out of position.

When played midfield he has been elite most of the time.

As I've said. Dunkley is a very good player who has had half an elite year.

What exactly is the large gap between Merrett and Dunkley? Is it the extra 4.4 disposals, 1.3 inside 50s, 0.1 goal assists, 0.2 frees for, 1.2% DE, 0.3 clearances or 0.9 rebounds? Because I'll be honest besides the inside 50s none of those numbers scream out huge difference in career stats to me.

Merrett is a better player but I don't think the gap is anywhere near what you're saying.

You mean apart from the fact that Merrett has been elite every year Dunkley's been on an AFL list? Using career stats as a gauge is kinda stupid, as shown by your example.

I may be biased, but c'mon. So are all the Bulldog supporters in this thread

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Essendon should just hit the draft this year their are a few good midfielder’s in it. I would shocked if Dunkley wanted to leave again

Apart from money, Essendon aren’t an attractive destination at all. Fair enough if it is the money but the trade off is having to play alongside Stringer, chasing tail in most games for at least the first 3 or 4 years, facing the stigma of playing for Essendon and never playing in the finals for the rest of his career.
It’s a lot to weigh up for a young fella

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Dunkley isn't and wasn't going to solve sh*t for us. Our team is full of kids.

Great player but paying obscene overs for him when we were about do undertake a full rebuild made little sense for us, I really don't get the jesting in this forum about us not picking him up, we are much better served using the high end draft picks to get multiple young talent we can build with.

Dunkley seemingly got what he wanted and is now playing the role he wanted too, in a successful side. All the dogs need to do is put a juicy contract in front of him this year and re sign him.

I think the jesting is about the fact Essendon actually thought they had a chance of getting him while not paying silly overs. Everyone knew you would never be able to come to an agreement even though a couple of Essendon people in the media were acting like the Dogs should roll over.

 

[Wild Bill]

The gap is irrelevant. Parish isn't in the same conversation as Macrae, and it's the same with Dunkley and Merrett. Merrett is a better player than Dunkley and has shown it every year.

That's not to say Dunkley isn't a great player. He is. There's a reason Essendon targeted him and offered him that contract, and there's a reason the Dogs set such a high price on his head. But there are very few players I would trade Merrett for in a straight swap, and Josh simply isn't one of them.

2019? Dunkley made the AA squad and had a better year. He is 100% in the same conversation - this year there is nothing between them after 2 games.

 

[eth-dog]

2019? Dunkley made the AA squad and had a better year. He is 100% in the same conversation - this year there is nothing between them after 2 games.

That is extremely debateable, and Merrett has been significantly better every other year Dunkley's been in the AFL.

 

[Mofra]

That is extremely debateable, and Merrett has been significantly better every other year Dunkley's been in the AFL.

Dunkley is a much better ruckman

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Merrett > Dunkley
Macrae >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Parish

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

That is extremely debateable, and Merrett has been significantly better every other year Dunkley's been in the AFL.

What sort of measure is that? Yeah Merret was elite in 2016, but of course Dunkley wasn't. He was 19 a 19 year old in his first season. If you're only point of comparison is the amount of elite seasons they've had of course the player who was drafted earlier has more opportunities to reach that.

Again, no one is arguing that Merrett isn't the better player, but if you're inviting a comparison you've got to have some sort of objective measure.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

I think the jesting is about the fact Essendon actually thought they had a chance of getting him while not paying silly overs. Everyone knew you would never be able to come to an agreement even though a couple of Essendon people in the media were acting like the Dogs should roll over.

he asked for a trade to essendon........I guess next time we just ignore it?

Its pretty funny you think we wanted the dogs to roll over. Essendon's offer to the Bulldogs was more than fair overs for Dunkley based on his performance. No player in HISTORY has ever gone for 2 first round picks that has never made an AA team.

There is a difference between fair overs and obscene overs. The dogs wanted the later which is fair enough for them but in no way was it a "roll over" option.