Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

Super Bowl LVIII Notice Image
New England Patomans v Seattle Microsofts - Live Game Chat Now
PLUS Your club board comp is now up!
BigFooty Tipping Notice Img
Weekly Prize - Join Any Time - Tip Opening Round
The Golden Ticket - Official AFL on-seller of MCG and Marvel Medallion Club tickets and Corporate Box tickets at the Gabba, MCG and Marvel.
Updated with Oakleigh Chargers preview.Oakleigh Chargers season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41862010
Northern Knights preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41862006
North Ballarat Rebels Preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41861997
Murray Bushrangers season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41861992
Gippsland Power preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625580
Geelong Falcons season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625565
Dandenong Stingrays season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625505
Bendigo Pioneers preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...339771-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41388741
Calder Cannons preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625459
Eastern Ranges preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625514
It must be disappointing for Calder to have no players in either academy level
Another athletic key forward to watch?Updated with Oakleigh Chargers preview.
So Sam McLarty is going to spend more time forward? That is going to be interesting to watch.
Log in to remove this Banner Ad
Played mostly as a lockdown KPD last year but the Chargers are going to give him some time up forward. Interesting to see if he can becone a swingman of sorts.Another athletic key forward to watch?
Looks like this will be a good draft for goal kickers and rucks, we might be in luck. Would love to get two picks in the first round and use one on Goddard/Strnadica/Ladhams and the other on Battle/Carter/Korewha, or at least whichever players of these types Dalrymple rates.WESTERN BULLDOGS LIST BREAKDOWN
I've decided to do a full list breakdown before round 1 of the round one and later when we do our delistings at the end of the year.
First I've broken down the list into catergories so that we can see the weakest areas on our current list of players, some players will appear multiple times due to them being dual roled.
# - Means a player over 30
* - Means a Rookie
Forward Line
Goal Kicking Smalls (1) - Tory Dickson
Goal kicking Medium Forwards (2) - Jake Stringer, Stewert Crameri
Resting Players (21) - Joshua Dunkley, Mitch Wallis, Marcus Bontempelli, Luke Dahlhaus, Caleb Daniel, Toby McLean, Bailey Dale, Declan Hamilton, Lachie Hunter, Nathan Hrovat, Mitch Honeychurch, Matthew Suckling, Jed Adcock#*, Lukas Webb, Liam Picken, Lin Jong, Koby Stevens, Tom Campbell, Luke Goetz*, Jordan Roughead, Will Minson#
Tall Forwards (2) - Tom Boyd, Jack Redpath
*Goal kicking implies they are capable of kicking 40+ goals a year*
Midfield
Ruckman (4) - Will Minson#, Jordan Roughead, Tom Campbell, Luke Goetz*
Small Mids (8) - Luke Dahlhaus, Caleb Daniel, Toby McLean, Bailey Dale, Declan Hamilton, Lachie Hunter, Nathan Hrovat, Mitch Honeychurch
Med Mids (11) - Mitch Wallis, Matthew Suckling, Matthew Boyd#, Clay Smith, Lukas Webb, Tom Liberatore, Shane Biggs, Joshua Prudden, Bailey Williams, Liam Picken, Lin Jong
Tall Mids (4) - Marcus Bontempelli, Jackson Macrae, Joshua Dunkley, Koby Stevens
Defense
Small Def (3) - Jason Johannisen, Bradley Lynch*, Roarke Smith*
Med Def (13) - Shane Biggs, Easton Wood, Matthew Suckling, Lukas Webb, Bailey Williams, Joshua Prudden, Jed Adcock#*, Liam Picken, Robert Murphy#, Dale Morris#, Matthew Boyd#, Koby Stevens
Tall Def (6) - Fletcher Roberts, Zaine Cordy, Joel Hamling, Jordan Roughead, Kieran Collins, Marcus Adams
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
After looking through this I can see a few obvious weaknesses on our list. These being Goal Kicking Players and good small defenders in the Johannisen mold (hence why we struggle when he isn't playing). These weaknesses are backed up by our aging defense and our bad ruck stocks which could be made worse if Minson retires at the end of this year.
Our strengths is in our ability to play many midfielders as either forwards or defenders, our small half forwards and our midfield stocks. We have also done well in our KPD stocks over the last two years.
We should try and trade and draft for the weaknesses above this year. Focus on goal kicking types, medium and small defenders (with dual position scope if possible) and ruckman.
Looks like this will be a good draft for goal kickers and rucks, we might be in luck. Would love to get two picks in the first round and use one on Goddard/Strnadica/Ladhams and the other on Battle/Carter/Korewha, or at least whichever players of these types Dalrymple rates.
Side note, there's been talk of player growth already, Ainsworth from 177 to 180, SPS from 180 to 182/3. Where's the best place to get updates on this?
National Champs aren't until June, I can't wait that long.We should try to stack up in this draft. We need to find a couple of goal kickers (one small/mid sized one and a CHF), A ruck who can play up forward to some degree would need to be in discussion , for that reason I'm leaning towards Goddard/Strnadica for now.
Not sure, I usually wait for the National Champs (or R1 TAC record for TAC Cup players) or read recent news articles.
This is what I'm banking on. Hrovat/Minson/Honeychurch/whoever (depending on how this season goes) swapped for picks, picks packaged up for higher picks with academy clubs, three picks in the first two rounds (maybe two in the first), what a dream, premiership in 2017, life is good.You need to cycle 3 new players onto the senior list each year, correct?
If that is the case, we could see some trades with/without picks to move up the order & continue to cycle the best talent available to us
Yeah I wasn't really serious about this year's crop helping us win the 2017 flag. Still think we've got a chance to win it though, as an aside.Newly picked players are mostly unlikely to be good enough to contribute much in their first year. Particularly when you look at the depth on our list. These new players can contribute more in 2-3 years time. It would be great to have multiple first round picks in this upcoming draft to develop for a year before contributing in 2018 & beyond.
We do have a lot of good players who could be looking at other options this year. Good luck to any player who isn't best 22 and wants to be best 22 elsewhere.
Surely if we took Goddard then him, Roughead, Campbell and Goetz is enough current and future ruck options, especially since I'd love another first round pick to be used on a goal kicking athletic type (instead of being traded for a mature ruck). I guess it depends on the development of Roughead/Campbell and how far away Goddard would be from playing.Opposition teams can also get stuffed if we did trade up & thought that their back up rucks are worth a first, especially the older blokes
I believe Zac Clarke is on a one year deal this year, getting him & Goddard at the draft would give us a good amount of ruck options should Minson retire this season
This draft seems full of top-end rucks and athletic tall(ish) forwards, really hoping we jump on a couple of those. But we'll see how this year goes, we might have very different needs by the end.Well some think he is ready to go
I'm not too sure about that (Goddard)
But I meant that Clarke would be for a second + likely something else
3 senior rucks + Goetz may be enough rucks though
A tall & a classy midfielder would be very nice additions and I know, I know
I like to dream big
I've been told to look out for if Jack Scrimshaw spends some time forward in the TAC cup this year. Forgot which club he plays for though.There might be more but that is just off the top of my head at this early stage.
Could easily have Ezekiel Frank in that first group too.
Western Jets Preview now up.Western Jets Preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41862016
Oakleigh Chargers season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41862010
Northern Knights preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41862006
North Ballarat Rebels Preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41861997
Murray Bushrangers season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41861992
Gippsland Power preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625580
Geelong Falcons season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625565
Dandenong Stingrays season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625505
Bendigo Pioneers preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...339771-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41388741
Calder Cannons preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625459
Eastern Ranges preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625514
I don't necessarily think this means its a years to get gun talls, just that there is a lot availableWestern Jets Preview now up.
Is it just me or has a lot of sides mentioned talls in their previews?
Western Jets Preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41862016
Oakleigh Chargers season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41862010
Northern Knights preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41862006
North Ballarat Rebels Preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41861997
Murray Bushrangers season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41861992
Gippsland Power preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625580
Geelong Falcons season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625565
Dandenong Stingrays season preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625505
Bendigo Pioneers preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...339771-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41388741
Calder Cannons preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625459
Eastern Ranges preview:
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...20-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=41625514
Coach: Jeremy Barnard (second year)
Talent Manager: Ryan O’Connor
2015 finish: 9th
2015 AFL draftees: Harley Balic (pick no.38, Fremantle)
2016 AFL Academy members: Level Two – Jack Scrimshaw, Will Setterfield
Last premiership: 2011
The Dragons missed last year’s finals on percentage behind the eighth-placed Calder Cannons. They showed they could mix it with the best though, knocking off eventual grand finalists the Oakleigh Chargers by 19 points in Round 4 and the Eastern Ranges by five points in Round 18.
Talent Manager Ryan O’Connor predicted a rise up the ladder in 2016 though, with a group hungry for success after a difficult 2015 season. “The best thing for us is – after what we would term an uncompetitive year – we look to have a really deep and stronger list,” O’Connor said. “It was pretty lean last year and I think that’s whetted the group’s appetite.”
The club boasts a handful of players in draft contention this year, led by tall midfield prospects Jack Scrimshaw and Will Setterfield. Scrimshaw is currently trying to overcome a hot spot in his foot, but Setterfield is healthy again after an injury-interrupted bottom-age season and, according to O’Connor, is “improving every time we see him at training”.
O’Connor also said versatile midfielders Andrew McGrath and Tim Taranto were “tracking equally as well as Jack and Will”, while smaller midfielders Cameron Polson and Corey Lyons – brother of Adelaide AFL player Jarryd – provided something different to Sandringham’s on-ball mix. Club captain Hamish Brayshaw – brother of Melbourne young gun Angus – will add further grunt in the clinches and O’Connor likened Oliver Florent to smooth-moving GWS midfielder Josh Kelly if he could improve his consistency of performance.
Goy Lok is the biggest name back at the club as an over-age player. “He was in draft contention last year but I think clubs wanted him to expand his game,” O’Connor said of Lok. “They saw he was probably a bit too inside and he needed to get outside and run and carry a bit.” Tom Cameron, Darcy James and Hugh Johnson join Lok at the club as 19-year-olds for 2016.
The Dragons open their season on Saturday March 26 against the Northern Knights at Ikon Park.